Swinging Bridge

Boise National Forest — riverside, fishing

Location: Cascade, ID, ID

Price: From $18 per night

Rating: 3.4 out of 5 (11 reviews)

Season: May through October

Swinging Bridge Campground is located 10 miles north of Banks, Idaho just off Highway 55 at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The North Fork Payette River flows next to the highway, where extreme kayaking is a popular activity.The campground is situated is a scenic canyon just above Highway 55. The mountains are forested with a mix of Ponderosa and lodgepole pines and shade is plentiful within most of the campground.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing

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

Small, quiet campground on the North Fork Payette River with excellent fishing for whitefish and rainbow trout. Nearby expert kayaking and whitewater rafting opportunities with friendly host and clean facilities.

Wildlife alert: Columbian Ground Squirrel, Canada Goose, Mountain Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, Ruffed Grouse

Insider tips for Swinging Bridge: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 7 sites and high demand Arrive before dark to secure your preferred site Bring your own water filtration — reviews note sediment in water supply Only one outhouse for the campground — plan bathroom timing accordingly

Skip Swinging Bridge if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available, self-contained RVs only. You're sensitive to highway noise — located directly off Highway 55. You require year-round access — seasonal May through October only.

Best time to visit Swinging Bridge: May-October — Seasonal operations period confirmed in verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: Cold Springs Campground - Boise Nf (Id) (EMMETT, ID), Eastside (EMMETT, ID), Sagehen Creek (EMMETT, ID), Antelope (Boise National Forest, Id) (EMMETT , ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Swinging Bridge

Cell signal at Swinging Bridge (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, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Swinging Bridge

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Cascade, ID, ID★ 3.4 (11 reviews)From $18/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Swinging Bridge Campground is located 10 miles north of Banks, Idaho just off Highway 55 at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The North Fork Payette River flows next to the highway, where extreme kayaking is a popular activity.The campground is situated is a scenic canyon just above Highway 55. The mountains are forested with a mix of Ponderosa and lodgepole pines and shade is plentiful within most of the campground.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:RV
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
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites1 sites
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 RV hookups — no hookups available, self-contained RVs only✕ You're sensitive to highway noise — located directly off Highway 55✕ You require year-round access — seasonal May through October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 7 sites and high demand

Arrive before dark to secure your preferred site

Bring your own water filtration

reviews note sediment in water supply

Only one outhouse for the campground

plan bathroom timing accordingly

Best: May-October

Seasonal operations period confirmed in 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: Columbian Ground Squirrel, Canada Goose, Mountain Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, Ruffed Grouse

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-351-1182· Boise National Forest
Getting there →

From Horseshoe Bend, ID, take State Rt. 55 north for 21.5 miles to the campground sign. Turn left after the sign into the campground(on west side of highway).

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Swinging Bridge cost per night?+
Swinging Bridge costs $18 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Swinging Bridge open?+
Swinging Bridge is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Swinging Bridge have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Swinging Bridge?+
Swinging Bridge can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Swinging Bridge?+
Swinging Bridge 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 Swinging Bridge?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Swinging Bridge is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Swinging Bridge open, and what are check-in times?+
Swinging Bridge is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
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.

$18 /night★ 3.4 (11)
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 Swinging Bridge cost per night?+
What season is Swinging Bridge open?+
Does Swinging Bridge have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cold Springs Campground - Boise Nf (Id)

EMMETT, ID

From $120/night

Eastside

EMMETT, ID

From $130/night

Sagehen Creek

EMMETT, ID

From $20/night

Antelope (Boise National Forest, Id)

EMMETT , ID

From $20/night

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