we always WAnder.......
  • Where We Wandered
    • Arizona >
      • Forest Rd 611, North Rim Grand Canyon
      • N Timp Point, North Rim Grand Canyon
    • California >
      • Alabama Hills
      • Benton Hot Springs
      • Panther Flat
      • Redwood National & State Parks
    • Idaho >
      • Amanita Campground
      • Dworshak State Park
      • Farragut Lake State Park
      • Grandjean Rd
      • Jerome County Fairgrounds
      • Kootenai Falls & Suspension Bridge
      • Morman Bend
      • Lake View Campground - Stanley Lake
      • Northwest Passage Ponderosa State Park
      • Petit Lake
      • Ponderosa State Park
      • Priest Lake Lionhead Unit
      • Schweitzer Mountain Ski Lot
      • Stanley Lake Campground
      • Wood River
      • Woodhead Power Park
    • Montana >
      • Avalanche Campground
      • Big Arm State Park
      • Bowman Lake
      • Dalles Forest Service Campground
      • Emery Bay Campground Hungry Horse Reservoir
      • Glacier Rim River Access
      • Lake Como Horse Camp
      • Painted Rocks State Park
      • Route of the Hiawatha
      • Slowey Campground
      • Wayfarers State Park
      • Whitefish Mountain
    • Nevada >
      • Pyramid Lake Wino Beach
      • Walker Lake Sportsman's Beach
    • Oregon >
      • Breitenbush Campground
      • Cape Lookout State Park
      • Cascade Locks Marine Park Campground
      • Cottonwood Canyon State Park
      • Detroit Lake, OR
      • Fort Stevens State Park
      • Jasper Point State Park
      • Kiwa Spring Rd / Forest Service Rd 4130
      • La Pine State Park
      • Little Crater Paulina Lake
      • Memaloose State Park
      • Mt. Bachelor Overnight RV
      • Mt Hood Meadows Ski Parking
      • Olallie Lake, OR
      • Opal Creek Wilderness North Fork Rd
      • Phil's Trails Dispersed
      • Rufus Landing Recreation Area
      • Silver Falls State Park
      • Skull Hollow Campground
      • Tillicum Beach
    • Utah >
      • BLM 340 Dispersed Site
      • Devil's Canyon
      • Devil's Garden - Arches National Park
      • Goosenecks State Park
      • Lone Rock Beach
      • Watchman Campground - Zion
      • Valley of the Gods
      • Red Canyon Forest Service Campground
      • Gooseberry Mesa
    • Washington >
      • Burke Lake - Ancient Lakes, Quincy WA
      • Glacier View Campground
      • Entiat WA FS Rd 5800
      • Fox Creek Campground - Entiat
      • Frenchman Coulee
      • Hamma Hamma Campground
      • Ike Kinswa State Park
      • Jameson Lake
      • Lakeshore RV - Chelan
      • Lake Takhlakh Campground
      • Lake Wenatchee State Park
      • Mad River Rd Entiat WA
      • Manastash Rd Dispersed
      • Maryhill State Park
      • Mission Ridge Ski Parking
      • Moses Lake Sand Dunes Dispersed Site
      • Plymouth Park
      • Taneum Creek - Shadow Cr Rd Taneum Creek Rd Dispersed Site
      • Taneum Creek Dispersed
      • Tieton River Dispersed Sites
      • Turkey Hole Lyle WA
      • Wenatchee Confluence State Park
      • Wynoochee Lake
    • Wyoming >
      • Bridge Bay Campground
      • Grand Teton National Park
      • Lizard Creek
      • Lonesomehurst Campground
      • Pebble Creek Campground
      • Signal Mountain Campground
      • Tower Fall Campground
      • Yellowstone National Park
    • Wineries List
  • Camp Cooking
    • Campfire Fajitas
  • Camper Mods
  • Wandering Wisdom
    • No Wandering Without...
    • GoPro and Camera
    • Wisdom of Other Wanderers
    • We have been featured!
  • Camp Reads
  • Wanderer's Wishes....
  • Different Kind of Wandering
    • Cruising! >
      • Cruise Ship Style
      • Cruise Ship Fun
  • National Parks Visited
  • The Wanderers
    • Our Truck Camper History
    • Contact Us
  • Where to Wander Next.....

Ponderosa State Park
Northwest Passage Campground 
Payette River, McCall, Idaho ​

Northwest Passage Campground is a first come first serve campground located at the north end of Payette Lake, along the Payette River.   It is part of Ponderosa State Park, but has nothing in common with that crowded and popular neighbor.  In fact we arrived on a Thursday before the 4th of July and had a large choice of sites!   It offers 22 non-reserveable campsites in one large loop, fire rings, tables, central water, and vault toilets.   We loved this campground so much that we visited twice in the same road trip.  On the first visit we chose Site 16 and then Site 7 on our return.    It features quiet, well-spaced, & mostly private sites.  Sites after site #8 have more foliage for privacy.  The swimming area is centrally located along the loop and offers a great place to launch kayaks and other non-motorized water toys.   In addition the nearby activities are plentiful (see our side trips below!)   Cons: Mosquitos were large and numerous and the fee system was a bit confusing.  
Most Recent Visit - July 2018
$23/ night
Vault toilets, Potable Water 
​No cellular service
View at the Swimming Area
Campsite Loop Road
Site 16
Site 16
Site 16 - Roomy in Back
Site 16
Back of site 16 has a very private tent area
Site 16
Site 16 without the camper
This beauty was actually a bit of a pest
Drinking water at the entrance
Swimming Area
Pit Toilets
Day Use Fishing Area
Day Use River Access
Site #7
Site #7
Sites 1-8 are Closer Together
Site #7
Site #7
Site #7
Site #3
Site #4
Site #5
Site #6
Site #9
Site #13
Site #15
Site #17
Confusing Fee Structure
Getting Here:  
From downtown McCall, ID, head northwest on US Hwy 55 west of town. Turn right (North) on Warren Wagon Rd and continue 7 miles.  Northwest Passage Campground will be on the right.   

Nearby Hikes, Bikes & Other Sights.....

Paddling the Payette River 

We launched right from the campground and went both north and south on the river.  To the north we found riverbar areas to spend a sunny day playing in the water, as well as a moose!   And to the south, Payette Lake was an easy paddle and we spent the day on the sandy beach!
Payette Lake
Sandy Beach at the Lakeshore
Happy Tired Pup!
Hey Moose!

Bear Basin Trail Riding

A good mix of uphill and downhill riding!  

Drive to Brundage Lookout

Or if you do not like long dusty drives on logging roads (who doesn't?) take the ski lift up.  
Picture

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  • Where We Wandered
    • Arizona >
      • Forest Rd 611, North Rim Grand Canyon
      • N Timp Point, North Rim Grand Canyon
    • California >
      • Alabama Hills
      • Benton Hot Springs
      • Panther Flat
      • Redwood National & State Parks
    • Idaho >
      • Amanita Campground
      • Dworshak State Park
      • Farragut Lake State Park
      • Grandjean Rd
      • Jerome County Fairgrounds
      • Kootenai Falls & Suspension Bridge
      • Morman Bend
      • Lake View Campground - Stanley Lake
      • Northwest Passage Ponderosa State Park
      • Petit Lake
      • Ponderosa State Park
      • Priest Lake Lionhead Unit
      • Schweitzer Mountain Ski Lot
      • Stanley Lake Campground
      • Wood River
      • Woodhead Power Park
    • Montana >
      • Avalanche Campground
      • Big Arm State Park
      • Bowman Lake
      • Dalles Forest Service Campground
      • Emery Bay Campground Hungry Horse Reservoir
      • Glacier Rim River Access
      • Lake Como Horse Camp
      • Painted Rocks State Park
      • Route of the Hiawatha
      • Slowey Campground
      • Wayfarers State Park
      • Whitefish Mountain
    • Nevada >
      • Pyramid Lake Wino Beach
      • Walker Lake Sportsman's Beach
    • Oregon >
      • Breitenbush Campground
      • Cape Lookout State Park
      • Cascade Locks Marine Park Campground
      • Cottonwood Canyon State Park
      • Detroit Lake, OR
      • Fort Stevens State Park
      • Jasper Point State Park
      • Kiwa Spring Rd / Forest Service Rd 4130
      • La Pine State Park
      • Little Crater Paulina Lake
      • Memaloose State Park
      • Mt. Bachelor Overnight RV
      • Mt Hood Meadows Ski Parking
      • Olallie Lake, OR
      • Opal Creek Wilderness North Fork Rd
      • Phil's Trails Dispersed
      • Rufus Landing Recreation Area
      • Silver Falls State Park
      • Skull Hollow Campground
      • Tillicum Beach
    • Utah >
      • BLM 340 Dispersed Site
      • Devil's Canyon
      • Devil's Garden - Arches National Park
      • Goosenecks State Park
      • Lone Rock Beach
      • Watchman Campground - Zion
      • Valley of the Gods
      • Red Canyon Forest Service Campground
      • Gooseberry Mesa
    • Washington >
      • Burke Lake - Ancient Lakes, Quincy WA
      • Glacier View Campground
      • Entiat WA FS Rd 5800
      • Fox Creek Campground - Entiat
      • Frenchman Coulee
      • Hamma Hamma Campground
      • Ike Kinswa State Park
      • Jameson Lake
      • Lakeshore RV - Chelan
      • Lake Takhlakh Campground
      • Lake Wenatchee State Park
      • Mad River Rd Entiat WA
      • Manastash Rd Dispersed
      • Maryhill State Park
      • Mission Ridge Ski Parking
      • Moses Lake Sand Dunes Dispersed Site
      • Plymouth Park
      • Taneum Creek - Shadow Cr Rd Taneum Creek Rd Dispersed Site
      • Taneum Creek Dispersed
      • Tieton River Dispersed Sites
      • Turkey Hole Lyle WA
      • Wenatchee Confluence State Park
      • Wynoochee Lake
    • Wyoming >
      • Bridge Bay Campground
      • Grand Teton National Park
      • Lizard Creek
      • Lonesomehurst Campground
      • Pebble Creek Campground
      • Signal Mountain Campground
      • Tower Fall Campground
      • Yellowstone National Park
    • Wineries List
  • Camp Cooking
    • Campfire Fajitas
  • Camper Mods
  • Wandering Wisdom
    • No Wandering Without...
    • GoPro and Camera
    • Wisdom of Other Wanderers
    • We have been featured!
  • Camp Reads
  • Wanderer's Wishes....
  • Different Kind of Wandering
    • Cruising! >
      • Cruise Ship Style
      • Cruise Ship Fun
  • National Parks Visited
  • The Wanderers
    • Our Truck Camper History
    • Contact Us
  • Where to Wander Next.....