Brownlee

Federal campground in Payette National Forest

Location: Cambridge, ID, ID

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (1 reviews)

Season: May through October

This 11-unit campground is located in Ponderosa pine trees offering shade on a hot summer day. Sites are located a few miles off the main Hwy 71, so it is peaceful and quiet. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

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/brownlee to be notified when sites open up.

This 11-unit campground is nestled in Ponderosa pine trees offering shade and a peaceful, quiet setting located a few miles off the main highway. At just $10/night, it's an affordable option for tent camping.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolves, American elk, and mule deer inhabit the area. Also present: dusky grouse, western red-tailed hawks, pileated woodpeckers, wild turkey, western yellow-bellied racer snakes, and western rattlesnakes.

Insider tips for Brownlee: First-come, first-served only—arrive early to secure a site Book early as this is a popular federal campground You can pay on-site using Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature with QR code

Skip Brownlee if: You need hookups—no hookups available at campground. You require reservations—first-come, first-served basis only. You're visiting outside May through October—seasonal operations only.

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

Nearby campgrounds: Buck Park Cabin (WEISER, ID), Spring Creek Campground (WEISER, ID), Lafferty (Council, ID), Lake Fork Campground (Joseph, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Brownlee

Cell signal at Brownlee (Cambridge, 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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Federal campground in Payette National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Brownlee

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Cambridge, ID, ID★ 5 (1 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This 11-unit campground is located in Ponderosa pine trees offering shade on a hot summer day. Sites are located a few miles off the main Hwy 71, so it is peaceful and quiet. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

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.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
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:✕ You need hookups—no hookups available at campground✕ You require reservations—first-come, first-served basis only✕ You're visiting outside May through October—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site

Book early as this is a popular federal campground

You can pay on-site using Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature with QR code

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: Gray wolves, American elk, and mule deer inhabit the area. Also present: dusky grouse, western red-tailed hawks, pileated woodpeckers, wild turkey, western yellow-bellied racer snakes, and western rattlesnakes.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Payette National Forest
Getting there →

Sixteen miles northwest of Cambridge on Hwy 71, one mile east on Road #044.

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 Brownlee cost per night?+
Brownlee costs $10 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Brownlee open?+
Brownlee is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Brownlee have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Brownlee?+
Brownlee is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Brownlee?+
Brownlee 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 Brownlee?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Brownlee is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Brownlee open, and what are check-in times?+
Brownlee 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★ 5 (1)
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 Brownlee cost per night?+
What season is Brownlee open?+
Does Brownlee have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Buck Park Cabin

WEISER, ID

From $50/night

Spring Creek Campground

WEISER, ID

From $10/night

Lafferty

Council, ID

From $10/night

Lake Fork Campground

Joseph, OR

From $15/night

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