Penn Basin

Boise National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Cascade, ID, ID

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Penn Basin Campground near Landmark, Idaho, offers 6 campsites in a peaceful, remote setting near mountain slopes covered in dense pine forest. Peak season for the campground is typically early June through late September. It can be accessed by most vehicles; however the road is narrow and may be rough in spots.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

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

Penn Basin offers 6 secluded campsites in a remote mountain setting with dense pine forest near Cascade, ID. The area is popular for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and wildlife viewing, with campers noting it's great for viewing mule deer and bull elk.

Wildlife alert: Mule deer, columbian ground squirrel, American red squirrel, red fox, Canada jay, cassin's finch, white-crowned sparrow, western tanager

Insider tips for Penn Basin: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 6 sites and high demand Elevation exceeds 7000 feet; dress appropriately for mountain weather conditions Check Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for trail options for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use

Skip Penn Basin if: You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You visit outside May through October—campground operates seasonally. You have a large RV—road is narrow and may be rough in spots.

Best time to visit Penn Basin: June-September — Peak season per RIDB. Elevation above 7000 feet requires appropriate seasonal clothing; official season runs May through October..

Nearby campgrounds: Warm Lake (CASCADE, ID), Picnic Point (Id) (CASCADE, ID), Stolle Meadows Cabin (CASCADE, ID), Boundary Creek Campground (Challis, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Penn Basin

Cell signal at Penn Basin (Cascade, 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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Boise National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Penn Basin

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

The Penn Basin Campground near Landmark, Idaho, offers 6 campsites in a peaceful, remote setting near mountain slopes covered in dense pine forest. Peak season for the campground is typically early June through late September. It can be accessed by most vehicles; however the road is narrow and may be rough in spots.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites: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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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 most sites✕ You visit outside May through October—campground operates seasonally✕ You have a large RV—road is narrow and may be rough in spots

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 6 sites and high demand

Elevation exceeds 7000 feet; dress appropriately for mountain weather conditions

Check Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for trail options for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use

Best: June-September

Peak season per RIDB. Elevation above 7000 feet requires appropriate seasonal clothing; official season runs May through October.

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: Mule deer, columbian ground squirrel, American red squirrel, red fox, Canada jay, cassin's finch, white-crowned sparrow, western tanager

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-382-7461· Boise National Forest
Getting there →

From Boise, Idaho, travel north on State Highway 55 approximately 80 miles to Cascade, Idaho. From Cascade, Idaho, travel north on State Highway 55 only a short distance to the turnoff at the Warm Lake Road (Forest Highway 22). Take Forest Highway 22 northeast approximately 25 miles. When you arrive within the Warm Lake area, Forest Highway 22 becomes Forest Service (FS) Road 579. Continue east on the FS Road 579 until it intersects with the FS Road 413, approximately 10 miles. Turn south at the

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 — Boise National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Boise National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

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

Nearby Campgrounds

Warm Lake

CASCADE, ID

From $20/night

Picnic Point (Id)

CASCADE, ID

From $15/night

Stolle Meadows Cabin

CASCADE, ID

From $80/night

Boundary Creek Campground

Challis, ID

From $10/night

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