"I use the IDL lands around the Payette Lakes for recreation all year round. Even on the busiest weekends in McCall, I can find a spot 20 minutes from town where I'm the only one there, and I can enjoy the beauty around me. Losing these lands to development would be losing one of the best parts of my life."
Jeff Canfield, United Payette Steering Team member
Land Exchange - A Real Solution!
United Payette is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to educating and engaging residents of Valley County about the future of the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) lands around Payette and Little Payette Lakes. Through IDL’s community involved process of developing the Payette Endowment Lands Strategy (PELS), the potential for a land exchange between the Forest Service and IDL emerged as a solution that could keep these lands in public ownership rather than allowing them to be sold and developed.
United Payette views the potential land exchange between the IDL and the Forest Service as a positive outcome for all parties involved. The exchange would provide the watershed with more unified and consistent management under the Forest Service while enhancing protection for Payette Lake—one of Idaho’s most treasured natural resources and the heart of the watershed.
Before an exchange can occur, IDL must submit a formal proposal to the Forest Service describing the details of the transaction. This is a familiar process, as IDL and the Forest Service have completed many land exchanges in the past.
In April 2026, the Idaho Land Board directed IDL to begin a due diligence review of a potential exchange. That review is currently underway. If the results are favorable, IDL is expected to submit a formal exchange proposal to the Forest Service.
Because the review process is still ongoing, many details have not yet been finalized. One important consideration is that transferring most of these lands into permanent National Forest ownership would likely require approval from Congress.
Land exchanges involving federal agencies typically take time and involve several review and approval steps. More information will become available as the process moves forward.
The status of this potential land exchange:
What’s in it for the public?
The state endowments would gain more productive timberlands capable of generating consistent and reliable revenue for Idaho’s schools and other beneficiaries. Valley County also stands to gain, as its recreation-based economy, which depends heavily on the health, beauty, and accessibility of Payette Lake, would continue to support local businesses, residents, and visitors for generations to come.
What’s in it for Idaho and Valley County?
How would the Forest Service manage these lands?
The lands around Payette Lake have long been valued for their scenic beauty, recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, grazing, and cultural significance. Making them a part of the Payette National Forest would help ensure they remain open, healthy, and accessible for future generations.
Many of the parcels contain important cultural and historic sites. Forest Service management would help protect these resources while allowing public access and use. The Forest Service has the experience and resources needed to manage these lands for multiple uses while protecting their long-term health and productivity.
One of the best ways to understand how the Forest Service would likely manage these lands is to see its work firsthand. We invite you to visit Bear Basin, Ecks Flat, the Thorn Creek area, the Goose Creek area, and the West Face parking area, where years of forest management and restoration efforts by the Payette National Forest are visible on the ground.
“This exchange may be our only real hope for maintaining public access and protecting the North Fork of the Payette River watershed.
Brian Harris,
United Payette Steering Team member:
United Payette supports an exchange of IDL lands to the Forest Service as we see the benefits to past, current, and future users of the Payette watershed.
These lands are part of a diverse and highly valued watershed that supports a wide range of natural resources, including wildlife habitat, productive forests, open meadows, fisheries, botanical resources, and critical soil and water systems. The watershed supports a variety of users, including grazing permittees and other current and future permit holders, who depend on consistent, long-term stewardship guided by a multiple-use management approach. The area provides numerous forest products and benefits, including commercial timber, fuelwood, huckleberries, mushrooms, grazing opportunities, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The Forest Service is uniquely positioned to manage these lands in a manner that sustains and enhances these multiple values over time.
Randy Fox, United Payette Steering Team member:
"We looked into alternatives to having this land move into private ownership, and one of those was to swap it with the Forest Service. We feel it’s a real win, win, win situation. It’s a win for the Forest Service because there is a continuity of management, it is a win for Idaho because Payette Lake is a gem at the top of the watershed, it’s a win for the endowment, and it’s a win for Valley County and the people who enjoy natural places."
Craig Utter, United Payette Steering Team member:
"This land exchange has the potential to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect the water quality of Payette Lake. While tradeoffs are certain, the ability to conserve a watershed and meet the future needs of municipalities, agriculture, and outdoor recreation far outweighs the water quality and economic risks we will face if IDL is forced to dispose of these lands through other means that often lead toward privatization and diminished access."
