Outdoor Adventures
Some of the nation’s last wild places are in Southwest Idaho. Writers and photographers with a focus on nature, travel, outdoor recreation and accessible adventure will find options for beginners to hard-core adrenaline junkies. Get in touch with Visit Southwest Idaho for detailed recommendations and custom itineraries.
BIKING & HIKING
More than 2,000 miles of singletrack trails wind through Southwest Idaho. Mountain bike, run, hike or walkalong the 46-mile Boise Greenbelt or the 84-mile Weiser River Trail. Explore the 190 miles of the Ridge to Rivers trail system covering the Boise Foothills and more than 500 miles of public trails in the McCall area. Extend your adventure on a backpacking or bikepacking trip.
CLIMBING
A rather chaotic geographic history in the region created a spectacular climbing playground. Try the Black Cliffs near Lucky Peak or Table Rock near Boise. In the McCall area, head to Jughandle Mountain or the Thinking Spot near Payette Lake.
SLEEP UNDER THE STARS
With only one metro area and little light pollution, Southwest Idaho has spectacular stargazing. Sleep under the night sky in a backcountry yurt, fire lookout, Wandervan or campground. Visit Bruneau Dunes State Park Observatory to see the sky like you’ve never seen before.
OFF-ROADING & SNOWMOBILING
Southwest Idaho has one of the largest off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail networks in the Northwest, stretching from the mountains of Payette National Forest to the deserts of the Owyhee Wilderness. Once winter rolls around, these same areas become a backcountry playground for snowmobilers.
SKI & MOUNTAIN RESORTS
McCall gets an average of 132 inches of snow every year and has three excellent ski areas – Brundage Mountain Resort, Tamarack Resort and Little Ski Hill. Bogus Basin is only 16 miles from downtown Boise.
SNOWSHOEING & NORDIC SKIING
Looking to take it slower? Go on a snowshoe or Nordic ski adventure! Try Bogus Basin Nordic Trails, Idaho City Park N’ Ski Area, Jug Mountain Ranch or Ponderosa State Park.
TUBING
A favorite winter activity, excellent tubing can be found at Bogus Basin in Boise, Eagle Island State Park, McCall’s Activity Barn, Steamboat Gulch in Idaho City, and Two Ponds Tubing & Recreation in Mountain Home.
HOT SPRINGS
Soaking in the many Hot Springs in Southwest Idaho is a year-round outdoor adventure. Natural pools of warm geothermal water are all over Southwest Idaho Visit Pine Flats or Kirkham Hot Springs to soak in a riverside geothermal pool. For developed geothermal pools, head to Gold Fork, Burgdorf or The Springs at Idaho City.
