Big Flat

Big Flat

About this campsite

Overview

Big Flat Campground is closed indefinitely due to the 2024 Lava Fire. The site was burned.

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 https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.

Recreation

You may pass the day fishing for warmwater fish, like bass, in the river.

Facilities

No hook-ups are available. Please Pack-It-In/Pack-It-Out. Potable water is available for cooking and drinking. The campground has handicapped accessible toilets.

Location

Big Flat•ID

Explore on our map Get Directions Open in Maps

Common questions about Big Flat

Is Big Flat free to camp at?

Yes. Big Flat in ID is a free camp, so there is no nightly fee to stay. There is no booking system for it, so plan on first in, best dressed, especially on long weekends. We hold no facilities list for it, so go in self sufficient with your own water and a way to deal with rubbish.

Can you book Big Flat online?

We hold no online booking link for Big Flat, so it is not bookable through this page. For sites like this, turning up early in the day is the surest way to get a spot, particularly in peak season. If a managing authority takes bookings by phone, their number is the fastest way to confirm a site.

Where is Big Flat?

Big Flat sits in ID. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

12.4 km away

FRENCH CREEK

Overview French Creek Campground is located next to scenic Lake Cascade in west-central Idaho. It is near the town of Donnelly, at an elevation of 4,850 feet. Boating, fishing, swimming and hiking are popular activities in this scenic region. Recreation Lake Cascade offers excellent opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing, windsurfing and sailing. Anglers enjoy casting for rainbow trout, coho salmon, smallmouth bass and perch. Many hiking and biking trails are in the area as well. Facilities The campground is divided into two sections of campsites. Some are located on the east side of West Mountain Road, closer to the lakeshore and with beautiful lake views. Other sites are on the west side of the road, on a hillside above the lake. A few of these sites have partial lake views. Some also have stairs from the parking spur to the campsite. Campsites are equipped with a table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided, but there is no electricity at the campground. Roads and parking spurs within the facility are gravel. Natural Features The campground is situated on the western shore of Lake Cascade and on the banks of French Creek. A forest of mixed conifers covers the campground, providing ample shade. Thimbleberry and huckleberry plants are abundant throughout the upper reaches of the campground. A wide variety of wildlife makes its home around the lake. Waterfowl and songbirds are abundant, as well as pelicans and bald eagles.

14.6 km away

THIRD FORK CABIN

Overview Third Fork Cabin is a former guard station, first established in 1906 as Station 10 and renamed Third Fork in 1908. A cabin was built at that time, which existed until the site was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. The current cabin's exterior has changed little since that time, with the exception of a metal roof being added sometime before 1984. The cabin is available between mid-April until late-October, and is accessible by car. Many modern comforts are provided at the cabin, but guests may need to bring some additional supplies and gear for their stay. Recreation Anglers can fish in adjacent Squaw Creek, and big game hunting is also a popular pastime. Facilities This rustic cabin sleeps four people with one double bed and two single beds with mattresses. Other amenities include a propane cook range, table with chairs, hot water heater, indoor flush toilet, shower and propane heater and refrigerator. A picnic table, campfire ring and pedestal grill sit within the fenced yard. A camp host is located at Antelope Campground, 18 miles east in the Sagehen Reservoir area, where firewood can be purchased. While the water at the cabin is potable, guests should bring their own supply of drinking water as a back-up. Bedding, lighting, cookware and utensils are not provided. Guests are expected to clean the cabin before leaving. Natural Features Third Fork Cabin sits in a steep mountain landscape heavily forested with old-growth Ponderosa pine at an approximate elevation of 4,700 feet. Tall grasses and various hardwoods grow on the site. Small mountain streams containing native fish flow nearby, and the area is marked by unusual juxtapositions of basalt and granitic rock. Wildlife watchers may spot elk or deer wandering through the area during dawn or dusk, as well as glimpse a bear or moose. Birders can look for a wide variety of bird species. Nearby Attractions Sagehen Reservoir is a popular recreation area about 18 miles east of the cabin, offering numerous trails for off-road vehicles, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message. Fishing and boating are permitted in the reservoir, and there is also a picnic area at Sagehen Dam.