The following is a report from RVTravel.com.
If you’re planning to camp in Idaho’s Payette National Forest this year or next — especially in an RV — heads up! Payette National Forest campground fee changes are in the works. The Forest Service is proposing changes that would affect several popular, RV‑friendly campgrounds across the forest. The proposal aims to standardize and slightly increase fees at developed sites to help fund maintenance, site improvements, and staffing.
Among the locations impacted are some longtime favorites for RVers, including Upper Payette Lake, Big Flat, Grouse, Spring Creek, Chinook, Cold Springs, Burgdorf, and Kennally Creek. These campgrounds currently offer basic amenities like picnic tables, vault toilets, and spacious pads for rigs, but many have operated at the same fee levels for years.
For RVers, this means a small bump in nightly costs—typically $5 more per night for single sites and another $5 for doubles, which are usually sized for larger rigs. If you’ve stayed at these locations in past seasons, you’ll likely still find them affordable, especially compared to private RV parks. Some sites may also see increases in group camping fees, which is important if you’re planning to camp with a crew.
In addition:
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Group picnic/day sites at Spring Creek: Current day fee of $15–$30 would increase to $30 for groups up to 50, and $50 for larger groups.
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Group campground sites at Upper Payette Lake and Cold Springs: Night fees rise from $20 to $60, depending on group size and site size (fs.usda.gov).
It’s worth noting that America the Beautiful passes still apply to many of these sites, potentially knocking 50% off standard fees if the proposal is adopted. And remember, even first-come, first-served campgrounds would still require the new fee amount once it’s in effect.
The Forest Service says the money will go toward maintaining vault toilets, repairing picnic tables, grading roads, and keeping sites open and safe as public demand continues to grow. That’s especially important at high-traffic locations like Upper Payette Lake, which can fill fast in summer.
If you want to weigh in, there’s time. The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the proposal until Sept. 15. Submit your thoughts online here or in person at a district office.
