The Payette National Forest spans over 2.3 million acres of some of west-central Idaho's most beautiful and diverse country. In one day you can travel from hot desert grasslands through cool conifer forests to snow-capped peaks. The Payette National Forest offers the visitor over 2.3 million acres to enjoy. Everything from the deep recesses of Hell's Canyon to peaks reaching elevations of almost 9,500 feet. Dry desert grasslands compliment heavily forested acres. Gateways to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness lead the visitor to experience the solitude of seldom traveled trails. To the west is the Hell's Canyon National Recreation Area, the deepest river gorge in North America. Stand on the canyons east rim and in some places you gaze down 8,000 feet to the Snake River that carved this canyon. Gaze across the ten mile wide chasm into the neighboring state of Oregon.
Located entirely within Idaho, the Payette NF shares lands with Adams, Idaho, Valley, and Washington Counties.
The Payette National Forest relies on volunteers to help us accomplish a range of projects every summer and the summer of 2011 is no different. In fact, this summer they were even more critical to our success due to the late start of summer.
The USFS Payette Avalanche Center provides avalanche safety advisories and avalanche education for all winter enthusiasts on the Boise and Payette National Forests. To learn more about recreating and traveling safely in Idaho’s winter backcountry PAC encourages all winter recreationists to take advantage of avalanche advisories for the West Central Mountains posted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings on the PAC website (www.payetteavalanche.org). Daily advisories can also be received via email, obtained as an RSS feed on your smart phone, through Facebook, or heard as a pre-recorded phone message.
Winter on the Payette Means Lots of Snow
The reliably deep and plentiful snowpack of the West Central Mountains around McCall, Idaho offers winter recreationists a wide spectrum of winter sports to choose from during winter. Pristine snowshoe, cross country and backcountry skiing opportunities ex...
The PNF has not allowed the removal of dead whitebark pine since 2010. Because of threats to the whitebark pine ecosystem the PNF prohibits firewood harvest of all whitebark pine.
The Payette National Forest conducted a safety review of forest roads this year. Safety improvements were implemented this past field season to improve roads with the highest risk.
Recreation fees are an investment in outdoor recreation. Current and future generations will benefit as 95% of the funds are reinvested in the facilities and services that visitors enjoy.
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