Ponderosa
Campground · 10 bookable sites ·
Managed by the USDA Forest Service
Payette National Forest (NF) · Open Access
- 10
- Bookable sites
- up to 8
- People per site
Overview
This campground is located adjacent to the Secesh River and offers beautiful river views. There are eleven camp sites.
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. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.
If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app ht tps://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.
Recreation
There is fishing and trail access.
Facilities
There are eleven camp sites, drinking water, fire-pits, tables, toilets, pack in/pack out. Please pack out your own trash. No hook-ups.
Nearby Attractions
The South Fork of the Salmon River is a highly popular area of the Forest and is one of the earlier areas to be snow-free in the spring. Several campgrounds and dispersed campsites can be found along the South Fork Road (FS Rd #674). The southern-most 7 miles of the South Fork Road are on the Boise National Forest.
The facts
- 10 bookable sites
- 11 sites in total, including non-bookable
- Up to 8 people per site
- Loops: Ponderosa, Scan and Pay
Site types
- 10 Standard Nonelectric
- 1 Management
Amenities
- Campfires allowed
- Pets allowed
Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, fire pits, picnic tables, grills, shade.
11 campsites at Ponderosa
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Surface | Max rig | People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 02 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 03 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 04 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 05 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 06 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 07 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 08 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 09 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 10 | Ponderosa | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| Standard | Scan and Pay | Management | — | — | — | 8 | 🐾 |
Getting there
From McCall, go 31 miles northeast on Lick Creek Road #48.
The South Fork corridor is about 30 miles from Cascade along the Warm Lake Highway. Usually by July, Lick Creek Pass (Road #48) is snow-free, providing a faster access from McCall (35 miles) to the South Fork corridor. Please follow posted speed limits and drive carefully, the South Fork Road is a paved, narrow, one-lane road with two-way traffic and many blind corners.
45.06211, -115.75855 · 45°3'43.6"N 115°45'30.8"W
Typical weather
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Low °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Precip in | 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 6.5 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 13.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Ponderosa
- Can you reserve a site at Ponderosa?
- Yes, Ponderosa is reservable through Recreation.gov.
- How many campsites does Ponderosa have?
- 11 sites in total, of which 10 can be booked.
- Are pets allowed at Ponderosa?
- Yes, pets are allowed at Ponderosa.
- Are campfires allowed at Ponderosa?
- Campfires are allowed at Ponderosa. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.
Also listed by
Ponderosa also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Ponderosa's operator.
Camping near Ponderosa
- Secesh Campground 0.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Buckhorn Bar 8.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Chinook 10.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Camp Creek 12.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Lake Fork 13.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Indian Point Camping Area 4 mi · Campground
- Deadman Bar Camping Area 8.3 mi · Campground
- 33 Lake Camping Area 8.7 mi · Campground
- Black Lee Camping Area 10.9 mi · Campground
- Shiefer Campground 11.7 mi · Campground
- Upper Payette Lake Camping Area 13.5 mi · Campground
- Upper Payette Lake Group Campground 13.8 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone N/A
- Book Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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