Upper Payette Lake from the Campground Site 7 with lake in the background
Upper Payette Lake Campground Site 6
UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND Site
UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND with camper
UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND Campsite (4) with view of lake in the background.

Featured amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms

About Upper Payette Lake Campground

Upper Payette Lake Campground is located 16 mi from McCall, Idaho, on the shores of beautiful Upper Payette Lake. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing and exploring local trails. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.

Available sites

10 total sites

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Canoeing

Canoeing

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
Water Access

Water Access

  • Lake Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

10 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 009, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 12 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 010, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 10 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 011, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 11 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 012, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 12 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 013, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 13 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 014, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 12 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 015, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 22 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 016, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 22 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 GA1, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 88 ft wide · Gravel
🚐 GA2, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND RV
Pet Friendly · 40 ft wide · Gravel

Reviews

74 reviews

Summary

AI generated

Upper Payette Lake Campground offers a beautiful, well-maintained setting with clean restrooms and friendly camp hosts. Many visitors appreciate the quiet atmosphere, privacy at campsites, and proximity to the lake, which is great for kayaking and fishing. However, some reviewers noted issues with road conditions and mosquitoes, recommending the use of repellent and bringing your own drinking water. Overall, it’s a lovely spot for a peaceful getaway.

Based on guest feedback

4.4

Overall rating

Based on 74 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 70.3% (52)
4 stars 14.9% (11)
3 stars 5.4% (4)
2 stars 0.0% (0)
1 star 9.5% (7)

Showing 74 reviews

Bob F

Verified

August 17, 2020 Stayed at: 013, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

nice campground but getting quite overgrown. Tree branches rub the sides and top of your camper. and the trails are paved but very narrow because of lack of cutting the brush back off the pavement. Very dusty. The best part of the stay there was the camp host.Very nice people.

Helpful

Bob F

Verified

August 17, 2020 Stayed at: 013, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

nice campground but getting quite overgrown. Tree branches rub the sides and top of your camper. and the trails are paved but very narrow because of lack of cutting the brush back off the pavement. Very dusty. The best part of the stay there was the camp host.Very nice people.

Helpful

Terry N

Verified

August 15, 2020 Stayed at: GA2, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

I reserved a spot in January and when we got there August 4th at 2 PM the site was booked to someone else from 7/31 through 8/9th. No one there at the site and no camp host available to sort it out. AND no other sites available. Why have a reservation if the site is not reserved? I also got a confirmation the week before our reserved date. Michael Beach at USDA. gov gave us a refund the next week but I still lost $8 fee. Michael was great and very apologetic. What a disappointment because we had been looking forward to the trip. We had to drive an additional 80 mi for an available camp site.

Helpful

Terry N

Verified

August 15, 2020 Stayed at: GA2, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

I reserved a spot in January and when we got there August 4th at 2 PM the site was booked to someone else from 7/31 through 8/9th. No one there at the site and no camp host available to sort it out. AND no other sites available. Why have a reservation if the site is not reserved? I also got a confirmation the week before our reserved date. Michael Beach at USDA. gov gave us a refund the next week but I still lost $8 fee. Michael was great and very apologetic. What a disappointment because we had been looking forward to the trip. We had to drive an additional 80 mi for an available camp site.

Helpful

Kyle M

Verified

January 15, 2020 Stayed at: GA1, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

Did not recieve the campsite we reserved in advance. We travelled from out of state expecting a lakeside site, but instead were assigned to a site which was not lakeside and not near the site we reserved. Ended up staying 1 night at a primitive site instead at north end of lake. Bailed after the first night to press on to the Salmon River. They also started drawing the lake down much earlier than noted on the website which contributed to the diminished experience. We enjoyed our visit to Idaho tremendously, but this stop was a waste of our vacation time. Would have much rather stayed an extra night soomewhere else.

Helpful

Kyle M

Verified

January 15, 2020 Stayed at: GA1, Loop: UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND

Did not recieve the campsite we reserved in advance. We travelled from out of state expecting a lakeside site, but instead were assigned to a site which was not lakeside and not near the site we reserved. Ended up staying 1 night at a primitive site instead at north end of lake. Bailed after the first night to press on to the Salmon River. They also started drawing the lake down much earlier than noted on the website which contributed to the diminished experience. We enjoyed our visit to Idaho tremendously, but this stop was a waste of our vacation time. Would have much rather stayed an extra night soomewhere else.

Helpful

Location & Directions for Upper Payette Lake Campground

102 Lake St P.O. Box 1026, McCall, ID 83638 United States

Elevation: 1,705 ft

Getting There

From McCall, Idaho, take Highway 55 north to Warren Wagon Road/Forest Highway 21. Turn right and continue for 16 mi to gravel Forest Road 495 and follow for a mile into the campground.

Nearest town

McCall, ID - 17 mi

About 32 min to downtown

Highway access

Upper Payette Lake Campground is accessible via Highway 55, which connects to McCall, Idaho. From Highway 55, take Warren Wagon Road/Forest Highway 21 for approximately 16 miles to reach the campground.

Policies & Rules

General

  • Idaho Off-road Vehicle Safety Message
  • Opening day is dependent upon snow levels; call ahead to check on early season reservations
  • No electric, water or sewer site hookups at this campground
  • Please bring garbage bags; this is a 'pack it in, pack it out' facility
  • Sites may be available on a first come, first served basis outside the reservation season
  • If reserving the group sites for more than 75 people, please contact the McCall Ranger District at 208-634-0440
  • Lake is drawn down annually on or about September 1 (depending on annual conditions) and it may be difficult to launch a boat after that date
  • Don't Move Firewood: Help prevent the spread of tree-killing pests in our national forests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 22, 2026

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Population: 3,946

Elevation: 5,013 ft

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