Payette Lake Webcam – Check Conditions at Mile High Marina

The Payette Lake Webcam looks out from Mile High Marina in McCall, Idaho, across rows of floating boat slips to the open water of Payette Lake. A long central walkway runs from the shore through the middle of the marina, with white drive-on jet ski docks on the left, a few boats still tied to the finger piers, and a dark band of conifer forest along the far shore. The wide lens bends the horizon slightly and takes in a gangway gate and the railed boardwalk along the shoreline in the foreground. Once the season ends in early October most of the slips sit empty, and the camera becomes a quick way to read the wind, the clouds and the surface of the lake before heading out.

About Payette Lake

Payette Lake is a glacial lake in Valley County, in the mountains of west central Idaho, and McCall sits on its southern shore. The surface lies at 1,520 meters (4,990 feet), a little under a mile above sea level, and the lake runs up to 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) long and 3.6 kilometers (2.25 miles) wide, with roughly 36 kilometers (22 miles) of shoreline. It is deep for its size. The average depth is 36.8 meters (121 feet) and the deepest point reaches 92.7 meters (304 feet). The North Fork Payette River both feeds and drains the lake, and a small dam completed in 1943 regulates the outflow for irrigation.

Mile High Marina stands at 1300 East Lake Street. It rents pontoon boats, ski boats, jet skis, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, sells regular and premium ethanol-free fuel, and offers moorage, boat storage and winterizing. A shop on site carries drinks, snacks, apparel and marine supplies, and a seasonal restaurant called The Grill serves food in the warmer months. The marina’s posted hours are weather dependent, and in 2026 it opened daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 6.

People lived around the lake for thousands of years before hunters of European descent arrived in the 1830s. Thomas and Louisa McCall founded the town in 1889, it was incorporated in 1911, and the 2020 census counted 3,686 residents. The railroad and new roads reached the area in 1914, and the Payette Lakes Club, with an inn, a casino and a Chautauqua center, went up in 1914 and 1915. The lake even has its own monster story. A sea serpent likened to the Loch Ness Monster is said to live in its deep water, and in 1954 it was given the name Sharlie.

Weather and Climate at Payette Lake

McCall has cold, snowy winters and short, warm summers, and the Payette Lake Webcam shows both. January averages a high of -0.8 C (31 F) and a low of -10.3 C (14 F), and the town gets about 336 centimeters (132 inches) of snow in an average year. In winter the slips stand empty, and snow can cover the docks and the boardwalk in the foreground. Spring comes slowly at this altitude. April averages 9.9 C (50 F) by day and still drops to -2.4 C (28 F) at night, so snow can linger along the water’s edge well into the season.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27.2 C (81 F) and cool nights around 8.4 C (47 F). That is the marina’s busy season, when the slips fill with boats and the jet ski docks see steady use. October cools to 13.1 C (56 F) by day and -1.4 C (29 F) at night, and the docks thin out as boats come out of the water for the winter. Annual precipitation averages 586 millimeters (23 inches), and the extremes on record run from 40 C (104 F) down to -37 C (-35 F).

Things to Do Near Payette Lake

The marina itself is the easiest way onto the water, with pontoons for groups and kayaks or paddle boards for a slower trip along the shore. Ponderosa State Park occupies a peninsula in Payette Lake on the northeast edge of McCall, with hiking and biking trails, beaches, picnic areas, guided walks and evening programs in summer, and skiing and snowshoeing once the snow arrives. Its second unit, North Beach, lies 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) north of town, and the University of Idaho runs a field campus inside the park.

In winter McCall holds its Winter Carnival, a 10-day celebration, and the McCall Ultra Sleddog Challenge runs in January. Little Ski Hill sits 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) west of town, Brundage Mountain lies to the northwest and Tamarack Resort to the southwest. The town is also home to a U.S. Forest Service smokejumper base, in operation since 1943.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More Idaho views and mountain lake marinas to watch next:

• Tamarack Webcam
• Bass Lake Webcam
• Warren Idaho Airstrip Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Payette Lake located?

Payette Lake is in Valley County in west central Idaho, in the upper drainage basin of the Payette River, which flows on to the Snake River. The town of McCall sits on its southern shore, and Ponderosa State Park takes up a peninsula on the northeast edge of town.

What can you see on the Payette Lake Webcam?

The camera shows Mile High Marina from its shoreline boardwalk: a long walkway running out into the lake, rows of floating slips and finger piers, white drive-on jet ski docks, and open water reaching to a forested far shore. Boats fill the slips in summer and thin out after the season ends in early October.

What is the weather like at Payette Lake?

Summers are warm by day and cool at night, with July highs around 27 C (81 F) and lows near 8 C (47 F). Winters are cold and snowy: January highs sit just below freezing, lows average about -10 C (14 F), and McCall gets roughly 336 centimeters (132 inches) of snow a year.

How deep is Payette Lake?

The average depth is 36.8 meters (121 feet), and the deepest point reaches 92.7 meters (304 feet). The lake was formed by glacial activity.

Is there a monster in Payette Lake?

According to local legend, yes. A sea serpent much like the Loch Ness Monster is said to live in the lake’s deep water, and it was named Sharlie in 1954. It belongs to McCall folklore rather than to any documented species.

Can you rent a boat at Mile High Marina in McCall?

Yes. Mile High Marina rents pontoon boats, ski boats, jet skis, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, and it sells regular and premium ethanol-free fuel at the marina. Its hours depend on the weather, so check with the marina before driving over.

How much snow does McCall, Idaho get?

McCall averages about 336 centimeters (132 inches) of snow a year. Little Ski Hill is 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) west of town, Brundage Mountain lies to the northwest, and Tamarack Resort is to the southwest.

Source: Mile High Marina