U.S. Forest Service - Payette National Forest

U.S. Forest Service - Payette National Forest The Payette National Forest is a part of the US Forest Service and is located in central Idaho. The Payette National Forest is located in central Idaho.

It surrounds the communities of McCall, New Meadows, Council, Yellow Pine, and Warren, and is just north of Weiser. Over 120 million years ago, the lands of the Payette National Forest were beachfront property in the western edge of North America. It took eons of collisions, subduction, melting, folding and tilting for central Idaho to appears as it does today. Connected with other public lands, t

he Forest is part of an expansive and uninterrupted landscape that provides superb habitat for an exceptional array of big game, upland birds and other wildlife. Over 300 species of wildlife make their home on the Payette National Forest. The forest is recognized for its dramatic landscapes, from craggy mountain peaks and shimmering lakes, to plummeting river canyons. Mission
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Forest Service motto, "Caring for the Land and Serving People," captures the spirit of our mission, which we accomplish through five main activities:

Protection and management of natural resources on National Forest System lands. Research on all aspects of forestry, rangeland management, and forest resource utilization. Community assistance and cooperation with State and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners to help protect and manage non-Federal forest and associated range and watershed lands to improve conditions in rural areas. Achieving and supporting an effective workforce that reflects the full range of diversity of the American people. International assistance in formulating policy and coordinating U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world's forest resources. General Information
The Payette National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in central western Idaho, in parts of Valley, Idaho, Adams, and Washington counties. The land area consists of approximately 2.3 million acres of federally managed lands. It is bordered by Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and the Hells Canyon to the west, Challis National Forest to the east, Boise National Forest to the south, and the Nez Perce National Forest to the north. The Payette National Forest is a part of the Intermountain Region (Region 4). It is under the jurisdiction of a forest supervisor in McCall and is divided into five ranger districts: McCall, Krassel, New Meadows, Council, and Weiser. Comment Policy: http://go.usa.gov/Wbp

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Trail crews have been clearing the Boulder Lake Trail on the McCall Ranger District, which experienced significant blowd...
05/29/2026

Trail crews have been clearing the Boulder Lake Trail on the McCall Ranger District, which experienced significant blowdown from the winter. It is likely that many other trails within the McCall and Krassel Ranger Districts have sections of jack-strawed blowdown and above average numbers of downfall. Clearing trails will continue to be a focus for our recreation crews and we wanted to thank our partners and volunteers who are also busy clearing trails. We couldn’t do it without you! Idaho Trails Association, Central Idaho Trail Riders Alliance, Central Idaho Mountain Bike Association, Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation

Great work and thank you CITRA!
05/27/2026

Great work and thank you CITRA!

Last winter, Payette National Forest wildlife biologists set up seven game cameras in hopes of capturing snapshots of wo...
05/23/2026

Last winter, Payette National Forest wildlife biologists set up seven game cameras in hopes of capturing snapshots of wolverines. The goal of using the cameras is to determine presence of these curious creatures in the snowy months and to estimate the total population size on the Forest using DNA. Wildlife technicians set up the cameras in the fall and retrieve them in the spring using snowmobiles and skis for access. Bait and scent are attached to a tree trunk to attract the animal to the site.

Notably, in 2025, the Payette collected DNA from the female wolverine "Olive" at both Hard Creek and Granite Lake. Olive dispersed to this territory as a juvenile in 2013 after she was radio-collared on the Sawtooth National Forest during the Wolverine Winter Recreation research project. The Payette has documented nine different individuals in the last two years of wolverine monitoring.

Wolverines (Gulo gulo) are the largest terrestrial member of the mustelid family, which includes badgers, weasels, and martens. They have large feet with claws and powerful musculature that allow for efficient travel on snow and in mountainous terrain. Wolverines are secretive, elusive animals that most people have never seen in the wild. In 2024, the wolverine was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Memorial Weekend traditionally kicks off summer recreation season on the Payette National Forest and many are planning t...
05/22/2026

Memorial Weekend traditionally kicks off summer recreation season on the Payette National Forest and many are planning their annual trek to the mountains. For public safety, forest visitors are cautioned that not all roads, trails and campgrounds are open. Shaded areas and cut banks on roads at higher elevations may still have impassible snowdrifts. Most hiking and motorized trails have not yet been maintained. Before you go, please visit our website to check current conditions and campground status: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/payette/recreation

Campgrounds that will be open for the holiday weekend: Brownlee, Buckhorn Bar, Burgdorf, Cabin Creek, Camp Creek, Chinook, Cold Springs, Deadman Bar, Evergreen, Four Mile, Huckleberry, Jeanette, Justrite, Kennally Creek, Kiwanis, Lake Fork, Lafferty, Last Chance, Mann Creek, Paradise, Ponderosa, Poverty Flat, Secesh, and Spring Creek.

We are happy to announce that the South Fork Salmon River Road (50674) has reopened to traffic and the closure order has...
05/20/2026

We are happy to announce that the South Fork Salmon River Road (50674) has reopened to traffic and the closure order has been lifted. Please use caution as equipment and personnel may still be working in the area. Thank you to DH Dirt Works and Granite Construction, and to the public for your continued patience during this project!

Last week, firefighters from across the Payette National Forest gathered at Price Valley Guard Station for three days of...
05/18/2026

Last week, firefighters from across the Payette National Forest gathered at Price Valley Guard Station for three days of skills training and team building. The purpose was to strengthen the Payette’s ability to respond to wildfires safely, efficiently, and effectively. Training included technical practice with GIS specialists and incident meteorologists, safety and risk management training, and a live fire scenario.

There are about 200 firefighters based on the Payette, including six fire engines, three handcrews, two helicopter modules, and the McCall Smokejumpers.

The Payette National Forest has been busy with conservation education and outreach programs in our communities this spri...
05/16/2026

The Payette National Forest has been busy with conservation education and outreach programs in our communities this spring. We’re inspired by the next generation of leaders and learners and enjoy collaborating with local schools!

• Timber and hydrology staff worked with Council High School sophomores on a field trip in Hells Canyon, where students learned about geology, measured trees, and networked with other natural resource professionals.
• Fisheries staff visited science classrooms in New Meadows and Cambridge schools to assist with fish dissection and anatomy lessons.
• Staff in Council hosted a career development event for Western Idaho District Future Farmers of America (FFA), where students learned about timber cruising, map and compass reading, and tree identification.

Payette silviculturists and contract crews are planting trees in the Lava Fire burned area on the Council Ranger Distric...
05/12/2026

Payette silviculturists and contract crews are planting trees in the Lava Fire burned area on the Council Ranger District. This spring, crews will plant approximately 110,000 ponderosa, larch, Engelmann spruce, and Douglas fir seedlings in areas where the Lava Fire burned in 2024. The seedlings are grown at Lucky Peak Nursery in Boise and the project is funded with disaster relief funding. Planting will continue this fall and into the spring of 2027.

Firefighters successfully implemented approximately 1,200 acres of prescribed fire yesterday in the Bald Hill project ar...
05/01/2026

Firefighters successfully implemented approximately 1,200 acres of prescribed fire yesterday in the Bald Hill project area in Yellow Pine, Idaho. This project has been on-going for a number of years with the goal of reducing wildfire risk to the community.

Smoke may be visible in the treatment area for several days. Firefighters will continue to be present in the area during this time.

Address

500 N Mission Street
McCall, ID
83638

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12086340700

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