If you're thinking about camping in Idaho's mountains or hitting one of its lakes for Labor Day weekend, you'd better be packed and ready to head out early Friday morning.

Better yet, Thursday.

All reservation campsites from McCall to Stanley are booked, the U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday.

The first-come, first-served campsites are expected to be full by Friday night.

If campers get up to their favorite places early Friday, they should find campsites, said Tamie Ridenour, who is with the Mountain Home Ranger District of the Boise National Forest.

"The sooner, the better," she stressed.

Campers without reservations may not get the spots they want and may have to take their second choices, she said.

It's the last big recreation weekend of the summer, and camping and boating areas are expected to be crowded.

The more than 100 campsites at Ponderosa State Park, on the shores of Payette Lake at McCall, are booked for the weekend.

All reservation campsites at Lake Cascade State Park are also booked. There may be some first-come, first-served campsites around the lake available, but they are expected to fill by Friday night.

WEATHER

Campers should be prepared for cool nighttime temperatures.

The weather in the mountains around McCall and Stanley is expected to range from the 70s during the day to the 30s at night. There is a chance of thundershowers.

Temperatures will hover in the low 90s or high 80s in most places in Idaho on Friday and Saturday, but will drop Saturday night with the arrival of a cold front moving in from the Northwest.

Forecasters also said the front could bring a chance of rain and thunderstorms to the central Idaho mountains.

BOATING/RAFTING

Lake Cascade, Lucky Peak and Anderson Ranch reservoirs still have plenty of water and are expected to be crowded this weekend.

The level of the reservoirs will start being drawn down after the holiday weekend, and this is considered the last opportunity for boating with plenty of water.

It is also one of the last opportunities for boat-in camping at Lucky Peak Reservoir.

When the reservoir is drawn down, the docks come out of the water and the boat-accessible campsites are more difficult to reach.

Campsites and boat ramps at the reservoir, 7 miles east of Boise, are expected to be busy.

"Come early and leave early," is the advice for boaters from Keith Hide, a ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lucky Peak Reservoir.

That is one of the ways to avoid congestion at boat ramps, he said.

"We are usually packed to the gills and real busy on the water," he said. "We will have full patrols on the water with safety in mind."

This weekend is an opportunity to float the Boise River before flows gradually start dropping.

The Main Payette River near Banks is expected to have peak water-seeking crowds this weekend.

Idaho 55 between Horseshoe Bend and Banks is expected to be jammed with regular traffic to McCall and the rigs of whitewater rafters.

If you're at the intersection of the Banks-to-Lowman Highway and Idaho 55 on Monday afternoon, there could be heavy traffic delays.

Pete Zimowsky: 377-6445