USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Cold Springs Campground - Payette NF (ID)
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 34
- Hookups
- 5 with water, 32 no hookups
- Season
- June 1 to September 15
- Max RV length
- 24 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,820 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- COLD SPRINGS CG (NFSR 50091) · crushed aggregate or gravel · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Payette National Forest
- Nearest town
- McCall
- Phone
- 208-634-0400
- Activities
- Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Swimming, Wildlife Viewing
32 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Cold Springs Campground is located near Lost Valley Reservoir, just 10 miles from New Meadows, Idaho. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and swimming.
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.
Recreation
Lost Valley Reservoir is just 3/4-mile from the campground, offering boating, canoeing and fishing opportunities. On the north end of the reservoir is the Lost Creek Interpretive Site, an excellent location for bird watching.
Facilities
The campground offers two group sites that can accommodate up to 75 and 50 guests each. Several additional single and double-family sites are available as well. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. The campground has no hookups or trash receptacles. Please pack out your trash.
A boat ramp is located on the southeast shore of Lost Valley Reservoir, while Slaughter Gulch Day Use Site can be found on the west shore.
Natural Features
The campground is set in an open meadow lined with ponderosa pines and fir trees at an elevation of 5,000 feet. A few sites are shaded, but most are not. Summer wildflowers are abundant.
Nearby Attractions
Lost Valley Reservoir is less then a mile from the campground.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 18° | -7° | 39° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 31° | 20° | -10° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 39° | 25° | 8° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 44° | 28° | 17° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 58° | 37° | 26° | 78° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 70° | 44° | 32° | 84° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 54° | 41° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 84° | 54° | 43° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 46° | 36° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 34° | 13° | 72° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 40° | 27° | -3° | 57° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 30° | 18° | 1° | 42° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Evergreen Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 14 sites
- Lafferty · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 9 sites
- Last Chance · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 25 sites
- Huckleberry · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 10 sites
- Grouse Campground · USDA Forest Service · 16 mi · 23 sites
All public campgrounds in Idaho · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.