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Recreation

Deep Canyons, Deep Snow, Deep Wilderness

Come visit the Payette National Forest spring, summer, fall, or winter for a wide range of recreational activities during any of the four seasons: hiking, fishing, camping, hunting, skiing, and snowmobiling. You can find a spot on the Forest to indulge your recreational interest by looking at the opportunities or regions of the forest below. 

Take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions for recreation on the Payette National Forest. 

Showing: 1 - 10 of 281 results

Ant Basin Trail #324

The Ant Basin Trail is just under a mile and connects the end of FSR #079 to the Rapid River Ridge Trail #178. It also forms a loop with the Ant Basin South Trail #519, FSR #1254, and a portion of…

Arctic Point Trail #025

Horse Riding and Camping Hiking
The Arctic Point trail is 11.6 miles long. The trail is open for the following uses: hiking and horseback riding.

ATV Trail #549

Off Highway Vehicles (OHV)
The ATV Trail #549 leaves Forest Road 287 north of New Meadows. The first 1.7 miles are on BLM land, and the trail continues for 1.7 on FS land. The trail continues from Hard Creek Meadow as the…

Baby Bear (Bear Basin) Trail #400

Hiking Biking
The Bear Basin #1 trail is 2.5 miles long. This non-motorized single-track trail winds past the Bear Basin pump track. The second half of the trail doubles back to the trailhead on an old two-track…

Bally Mountain Trail #166

Hiking
The Bally Mountain Trail is located west of Goose Lake and Granite Peak. It leaves Forest Road 294 and rises 1 3/4 miles west to Bally Mountain (6818'). The trail is open to the following uses:…

Bear Basin Trailhead

Biking Picnicking Winter Sports
This is a year round trailhead serving nordic skiers in the winter with access to over 20K of groomed nordic trails and mountain bikers in the summer with over 15 miles of single track trail from…

Bear Pete Ridge Trail #142

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping Off Highway Vehicles (OHV)
The Bear Pete Ridge Trail is a 16.1 mile trail that connects the North Fork Meadows area with French Creek Road. On the south end, the trail leaves from Forest Road 260 in North Fork Meadows and…

Bear Pete Trailhead

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping Off Highway Vehicles (OHV)
Bear Pete Trailhead is the northern access to Bear Pete Ridge Trail #142.  The trailhead is located on the French Creek Road (FS-50251) just prior to where the road drops into the Salmon River…