Picture your perfect Idaho summer vacation spot. It might be a campsite near a lake or river, a cabin in the ponderosa pines, a yurt on a rocky ridge, or even a fire lookout on a remote mountain peak.

If you wait until summer to plan your trip, those prime spots might not be available, so it’s time to start planning your summer vacation at Idaho State Parks or yurts, Forest Service campgrounds and cabins, or other popular places.

Many accept reservations months in advance. So if you’re looking for that special place during holidays or other peak summer weekends, you may want to act fast.

“People are literally on the reservation website at midnight nine months in advance to make a reservation,” said Jennifer Okerland, communications manager for Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

Don’t panic. You’re not too late for some great spots, but now is a good time to do a little research to find that perfect place.

HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS

CAMPGROUNDS

If you’re thinking about camping at popular places like Payette Lake in McCall or Redfish Lake near Stanley for the Fourth of July holiday, the competition for spaces can be fierce.

The Forest Service takes reservations for its campgrounds up to six months in advance at recreation.gov, and state parks up to nine months in advance at parksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

If you have a large family or group of friends, you might check out group sites, which allow more people and may be easier to reserve than several single campsites adjacent to each other.

Maps of campgrounds are typically available online so you can find prime campsites.

But do your homework. If you’re unfamiliar with the campground, talk to someone familiar with it to ensure that the picturesque waterfront campsite you see on the Internet is not a mosquito-infested bog when you camp there.

Here’s another hint: The person taking your reservation might not know all the details because he or she is probably at a call center hundreds of miles away.

Call the agency most familiar with the area to get information, such as Idaho Parks and Recreation headquarters, individual parks, or the local Forest Service ranger district.

Not only will you get better information, people there might know of an area that’s even better for you and your group.

“It’s really a good idea to look at the website or give park staff a call to make sure it meets your expectations,” Okerland said.

Campsites at state parks can be made at parksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

STATE PARK CABINS

If you think camping at state parks is limited to a paved RV pad or a tent site, it may be time to revisit the parks.

State parks have added cabins ranging from basic 12-by-12-foot, one-room cabins to deluxe cabins with bedrooms, bathrooms and full kitchens.

Other parks, such Harriman State Park in eastern Idaho, have converted houses on the property to rental cabins.

Whether basic or fancy, cabins are a great option for families, groups, and people who don’t have camping gear, but still want to get outdoors.

They’re also a good option for early- and late-season outings because you’re guaranteed a warm and dry place to sleep and relax.

Basic cabins start at $50 a night and deluxe cabins up to $145 per night, not including tax, reservation fees, etc.

For details on cabins go to parksandrecreation.idaho.gov. and checkindividual state parks to see what cabins are available.

BACKCOUNTRY YURTS

These are managed by Idaho Parks and Recreation and used mostly during winter, but they’re available year-round.

“It’s a great summertime thing for families,” yurt coordinator Judy Ditto said.

Yurts are located near Idaho City about two hours from the Treasure Valley and offer very nice accommodations because they are spacious, comfortable and have beautiful interiors.

Each yurt comes with a woodstove with wood, six beds, including a futon and two bunk beds. All cooking supplies are provided except disposable propane cylinders, so all you need is food, sleeping bags and water.

Because summer is the off-season for yurts, prices are discounted $30 per night , so you can get one for $45 per night during the week and $60 on weekends. The discount period is from June 1 to Nov. 15.

The downside to the yurts is you can’t drive to their doorstep, so you will have to haul gear — meaning anything from a short walk to a long hike.

For details on which yurt would be best-suited for your trip, email judy.ditto@idpr.idaho.gov.

In recent years, summer occupancy rate of yurts has increased from 15 percent to about 50 percent, Ditto said, so you might want to book early for prime weekends.

Reservations can be made up to nine months in advance at reserveamerica.com.

FOREST SERVICE CABINS AND LOOKOUTS

The Forest Service also has cabins for rent. They’re typically located in remote areas where administrative buildings were converted for tourists to use. These tend to be more rustic than state park cabins, but they offer more solitude than what you might find in a park.

If you don’t mind spartan accommodations, fire lookouts provide a room on a mountain peak with spectacular 360-degree views.

There are 14 cabins or lookouts for rent on the Boise National Forest.

Pay attention to what each place offers. You may have to bring most of what you need, including water.

But prices are as cheap as $35 per night. You can reserve them six months in advance at recreation.gov.

For details on cabins and locations go to the Boise National Forest website at fs.usda.gov/boise. Click on “Recreation.”

Reservations can be made at recreation.gov.

Roger Phillips: 377-6215