U.S. Forest Service · Payette National Forest · Idaho

Big Flat

Big Flat Campground is closed indefinitely due to the 2024 Lava Fire. The site was burned.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served14 sitesPets okFires ok

Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.

More like this: first-come in Idaho · pets allowed in Idaho

Big Flat 2Big Flat Site 7Big Flat Site 9Big Flat 4
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Mill Creek Council Mtn Rx (prescribed burn) · 23 mi away · 1,817 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups12
Host/management2
No reservations, so arrive before checkout on a weekday, usually 11 a.m. to noon, and take what is open. In season, weekends fill by Thursday. The first-come playbook

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

No hook-ups are available. Please Pack-It-In/Pack-It-Out. Potable water is available for cooking and drinking. The campground has handicapped accessible toilets.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestPayette National Forest
Fees$10 individual/$15 for designated double occupancy campsites

Payette National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Big Flat20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.96 inches of precipitation, 21.8 inches of snowFebruary: 2.45 inches of precipitation, 14.1 inches of snowMarch: 2.63 inches of precipitation, 9.2 inches of snowApril: 2.05 inches of precipitation, 3.3 inches of snowMay: 2.13 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowJune: 1.77 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJuly: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.99 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.71 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowNovember: 2.61 inches of precipitation, 10.1 inches of snowDecember: 3.51 inches of precipitation, 26.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.2°F averageFebruary: 27.2°F averageMarch: 34.3°F averageApril: 41.2°F averageMay: 50.0°F averageJune: 56.7°F averageJuly: 65.2°F averageAugust: 64.4°F averageSeptember: 56.0°F averageOctober: 44.6°F averageNovember: 33.1°F averageDecember: 23.8°F average0 in10 in20 in30 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Cascade 1 NW, 11 miles from the campground at 4,896 feet, station USC00101514 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 24 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 86 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Twenty six miles south of the town of Council. From Hwy 95 turn east on Road #206 and travel approximately 16 miles to the campground entrance. Long and windy gravel road. Narrow in spots.

Coordinates44.5012° N, 116.2596° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Mill Creek Council Mtn Rx

    23 mi from the campground · 1,817 acres

  • Prescribed
    Goose Rx

    31 mi from the campground · 529 acres

  • Prescribed
    Meadow Marsh Rx

    31 mi from the campground · 70 acres

  • Prescribed
    Cold Rx

    34 mi from the campground · 1,094 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceNelson's RV's ↗59.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Myakka River State Park - Big Flats Campground Tour

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Boise National Forest begins about 9.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Recreation

You may pass the day fishing for warmwater fish, like bass, in the river.

Guidebooks for Idaho

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Big Flat?

No. Big Flat is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Big Flat?

$10 individual/$15 for designated double occupancy campsites

Source: Forest Service

What time is check-in at Big Flat?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Forest Service

Is Big Flat open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Big Flat have?

14 sites, including 12 standard sites without power.

Source: Forest Service

Are pets allowed at Big Flat?

Yes, pets are allowed at Big Flat. Leash rules apply.

Source: Forest Service

Can I have a campfire at Big Flat?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What if Big Flat is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are French Creek (7.7 mi, partly first-come), Cabin Creek (10.6 mi, first-come), and Shady Pines Campground (11.9 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby