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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.

    CamperWatch
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    CamperWatch›ID›Big Flat
    See all photos
    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
    N/A
    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.
    Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
    ●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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    $10–15 /nightNo booking fees
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