Statewide - Idaho

Southwestern
| Official Idaho State Travel Guide
44
Boise River
visitidaho.org
Roaring Springs
Payette River
Boise Foothills
Southwestern Idaho is a landscape that transitions from timbered peaks of the heartland to Idaho’s
largest city, and on to sand dunes and high desert. What’s special about this region is how the lines
blur between the tamed and untamed, so you can choose the perfect degree of wilderness.
» Southwestern Idaho has more faces
than a pocketful of pennies and endless
choices of what to do. Rivers, lakes,
valleys, and heavenly mountains are
all within the 10 counties that make up
this corner of the state. The highest
percentage of federally managed land
in the state is here, and that means
endless opportunities to get out and
have some fun.
» Boating, fishing, canoeing, and jetskiing
are popular activities on Payette
Lake and Cascade, Lucky Peak, Arrowrock,
and Anderson Ranch reservoirs,
most of which are stocked with fish,
too. Or you can hike into the upper
reaches of the Payette and Boise
National Forests to find an alpine
lake all to yourself.
» Rafting one of the three forks of the
Payette River is a popular summer
activity. Practice your kayaking skills at
Kelly’s Whitewater Park or bungee surf
« Think outside the box office »
on the Boise River. For a tamer river
experience, consider floating along the
tranquil Boise River through downtown
from one of the city’s tree-lined parks
to another.
» For an interesting backcountry drive
from Boise, pack your binoculars
and cameras, then take the Western
Heritage Historic Byway south to the
Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of
Prey National Conservation Area to
view these high fliers in their natural
habitat.
While in the area, be sure to visit
the unique Walter’s Ferry, where an
unusual nature walk is accompanied by
an eclectic assortment of birdhouses,
quotations, statues, spiritual symbols,
and even a flock of white peacocks.
» The truly daring adventurers might
want to add a zip line tour to their
activity list. Near Donnelly is the
Tamarack Canopy Zipline Tour, voted
a Top 10 in zip line tours by USA Today.
In Horseshoe Bend, just north of Boise,
is Zip Idaho, where you can soak in the
beauty below on one of seven zip lines
spanning up to 1,800 feet.
» Finally, the foothills above Boise
are home to numerous mountain bike
trails. For even steeper terrain, head to
Bogus Basin, Brundage, or Tamarack
resorts for lift-served mountain biking
in summer, and skiing and snowboarding
in winter.
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