- Bring your canoe or kayak and enjoy a relaxing day of paddling on this quiet lake.
- Excellent fishing for bass, trout, crappie, and several other species.
- Less than a mile east of McCall.
- A natural alpine lake with an altitude over 5,100 feet.
Overview
Sometimes referred to as nearby Payette Lake’s little cousin, Little Payette Lake just outside of McCall provides both breathtaking scenery and plenty of recreational fun. Great for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, you can come here on a warm summer day to get away from the water skiers and jet skiers “next door”. The surrounding forest with Douglas fir, spruce, and towering Ponderosa pine provides ample opportunity for hiking and mountain biking, birdwatching, camping, and picnicking.
Location & Information
Little Payette Lake is less than a mile due east of McCall.
Contact Information
Payette National Forest
800 West Lakeside Ave
McCall, ID 83638-3602
(208) 634-0700
Activities
Fishing – Anglers find this lake’s clear waters to be a great place for trout, smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye, and tiger muskie. In fact, several
trophy size fish have been caught here.
Canoeing and Kayaking – When nearby Payette Lake is filled with motorboats and jet skis, this is a great place to paddle.
Winter sports – Park your car and enjoy the rolling terrain near the lake via cross country skis or snowshoes. There are also plenty of trails in the area for snowmobiling, and nearby Brundage Ski Resort and Little Ski Hill have some of the best powder in the state.
Fun Facts
- The lake's elevation is 5,118 feet.
- When the lake is low in the late summer, you will see hundreds of old tree trunks jutting out of the water.
- There is a boat launch off Lick Creek Road which provides the best access to the lake.
- Western Grebes and Sandhill Cranes can often be seen near the lake.
