Big Flat

Payette National Forest — riverside

Location: Indian Valley, ID, ID

Price: From $10 per night

Price range: $10–$15 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Flat Campground is closed indefinitely due to the 2024 Lava Fire. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-flat to be notified when sites open up.

Big Flat offers affordable camping at $10/night with basic amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water. The campground is located in a scenic area 26 miles south of Council, Idaho.

Wildlife alert: American Red Squirrel, Western Meadowlark, Ruffed Grouse, Steller's Jay, Western Canada Goose, and Northern Rubber Boa have been documented in the area.

Insider tips for Big Flat: First-come, first-served basis only; no advance reservations available Payment via QR code and Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature when available on-site Access via long, windy, narrow gravel road (Road #206 from Hwy 95, approximately 16 miles)

Skip Big Flat if: Campground is closed indefinitely due to 2024 Lava Fire damage. Seeking hookups - no hookups available. Requiring paved road access or short driving distances.

Best time to visit Big Flat: May-October — Official operating season per verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: French Creek (CASCADE, ID), Third Fork Cabin (Ola, ID), Cabin Creek (Council, ID), Antelope (Boise National Forest, Id) (EMMETT , ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Flat

Cell signal at Big Flat (Indian Valley, ID): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›ID›Big Flat
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Payette National Forest — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Flat

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Indian Valley, ID, ID★ 4 (0 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Flat Campground is closed indefinitely due to the 2024 Lava Fire. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ Campground is closed indefinitely due to 2024 Lava Fire damage✕ Seeking hookups - no hookups available✕ Requiring paved road access or short driving distances

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served basis only; no advance reservations available

Payment via QR code and Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature when available on-site

Access via long, windy, narrow gravel road (Road #206 from Hwy 95, approximately 16 miles)

Best: May-October

Official operating season per verified data

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Red Squirrel, Western Meadowlark, Ruffed Grouse, Steller's Jay, Western Canada Goose, and Northern Rubber Boa have been documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Payette National Forest
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.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Payette National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Payette National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Big Flat cost per night?+
Big Flat costs $10–$15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Big Flat open?+
Big Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Flat have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Flat?+
Big Flat is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Big Flat?+
Big Flat is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Big Flat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Flat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Flat open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$10 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Big Flat cost per night?+
What season is Big Flat open?+
Does Big Flat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

French Creek

CASCADE, ID

From $20/night

Third Fork Cabin

Ola, ID

From $80/night

Cabin Creek

Council, ID

From $10/night

Antelope (Boise National Forest, Id)

EMMETT , ID

From $20/night

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