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SOUTHWEST IDAHO SOUTHWEST GIVE IN TO NATURALNATURAL ATTRACTIONS | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 38 Payette Lake Traveling in southwest Idaho is like packing lots of super-fun vacations into one. Within a few hours’ drive, you can hike through evergreen forests to remote alpine lakes or spy antelope roaming the high-country desert—or in just minutes, move from bustling city life to farmlands and fruit orchards. It’s the kind of place where you start your morning with a pint of local berries from a downtown farmers market, hit the trails or the whitewater, and head back in plenty of time to grab a bite and watch a play. Definitely seek out local Idaho food and wines—both are receiving the same high acclaim that the region’s recreational offerings have long enjoyed. In fact, southwest Idaho’s ideal grape-growing conditions have led to the designation of two American Viticultural Areas—so put a winery tour on your short list. Plan to spend time in Boise, Idaho’s capital city, for a lively arts and culture scene, river and foothills fun, and Boise State Univer- sity games. Boise’s also a central hub for day trips to scenic spots like McCall, Cascade, and Idaho City to the north—and Silver City, sand dunes, and the world’s most dense concentration of nesting birds of prey just to the south. For more about southwest Idaho, go to visitidaho.org/southwest Follow Visit Idaho on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media channels. visitidaho.org | 39 #VisitIdaho SOUTHWEST IDAHO SOUTHWEST ‹ COMPLIMENTARY GOOSEBUMPS INCLUDED CJ Strike Reservoir VALLEY & ADAMS COUNTY roll into the small town of Cambridge, the southern gateway to Hells Canyon, When one of the main roads through an North America’s deepest river gorge. entire region is a national scenic byway, From Cambridge, go west on Idaho you know you’re somewhere special. 71 and connect with the 22-mile Hells That’s the case here, where Idaho 55 Canyon Scenic Byway for one of the doubles as the Payette River Scenic most stunning drives around. You’ll Byway, a route that takes you past curve along the Snake River, below dramatic whitewater, farmland, and picturesque cliffs, atop high desert meadows, and through high-walled, ridges, and past Oxbow and Hells Can- forested canyons. Its northern tip yon reservoirs before arriving at Hells begins in New Meadows, where—just Canyon Dam. If you’re up for action, Payette River two miles north along Route 95—you book a rafting or jet boat trip with any can stand on the 45th parallel halfway of the area’s experienced outfitters. between the North Pole and the equator. While you’re here, tee off at Should you choose Idaho 55 from New MeadowCreek Golf Resort, where the Meadows, you’ll be welcomed by the course winds through meadows and mountain resort town of McCall. McCall towering pines and delivers a view of sits quietly on the shores of Payette Granite Mountain to the northeast. Lake, and it’s one of those casual places Zims Hot Springs is a favorite destina- you love to visit all year round. In sum- tion for locals—so pre- or post-touring, mer, you can water and jet ski, canoe, relax in the 104° soaking tub and let the kayak, and sail the lake, or just hang kids splash away in the slightly cooler out and play on one of the city’s sandy Olympic-size pool. beaches. Keep an eye out for resident lake monster Sharlie when you take a At New Meadows, you’ll hit a fork in the scenic jaunt with McCall Lake Cruises; road, and each way leads to awesome the sunset cruise is a pretty spectacular adventures. (We recommend trying way to spend an evening. Since you’re both!) If you take US 95 south, you’ll on vacation, treat yourself to a sunny afternoon on the greens—you’ve got | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 40 Follow Visit Idaho on all your favorite social media channels. #VisitIdaho Payette Lake your choice of the challenging Jug If you’re feeling extra adventurous, Mountain Ranch, three scenic courses take a zip-line tour high above at the McCall Golf Club, and, for guests Tamarack Resort, on the west side of of Shore Lodge, the Whitetail Club. Lake Cascade near the small town of If you like to camp, reserve a spot or Donnelly. Up the adrenaline by riding cabin at Ponderosa State Park and play the single-track or downhill trails in the days away within its 1,500 acres. Tamarack’s Bike Park, which is lift- The park has a beach and boat launch served on weekends. You’ll definitely area, and you can rent kayaks to paddle deserve a long, mineral-rich soak under Payette Lake. End your afternoon with the pines at Gold Fork Hot Springs. McCall mouthwatering, mountain-sized scoops Come winter, stir it up in the open from Ice Cream Alley downtown. meadows near the southern end Mid-July, head to the tiny nearby town of Cascade Reservoir, some of the of Roseberry for its annual Summer best snowmobiling country around. Music Festival—two days of happy Hit Tamarack for a relaxed alpine, music on a general store lawn. In the cross-country, or snowshoe experience. July/August time frame, enjoy classical chamber music and jazz concerts IDAHO CITY during McCall’s SummerFest. Idaho City is a classic Old West town. In winter, hit Brundage Mountain Back in its heyday—gold was discov- Resort’s 1,500 acres of ski and ered here in 1862—it was actually the snowboard terrain. At the Activity Pacific Northwest’s biggest city, home Barn, Brundage’s tubing hill just south to thousands of miners and a center of of McCall, you and your kids can race regional commerce. You’ll be able to down 700 feet of pure awesome; imagine what mining life was like here they might also enjoy the smaller, as you walk its wooden sidewalks past T-bar-served Little Ski Hill off Idaho 55 Idaho’s first newspaper building, an old a few miles from town. If you’ve got jail, a general store, and other rustic strong ankles, lace up for some laps buildings. Explore artifacts in the Boise around the rink at the Manchester Ice Basin Museum, browse antique stores, and Event Centre in downtown McCall, and relax with a huckleberry ice cream open year-round. And, no matter what, cone or a cold beverage in a saloon Payette Lake bundle up for McCall’s Winter Carnival right out of the 1860s. in late January/early February, a fun week of snow sculptures, snow bike BOISE races, tastings, and lots of family fun. Boise used to be one of the West’s South of McCall is Lake Cascade, a spot best-kept secrets—now, it seems to be popular among the boating, fishing, a permanent fixture on “Best Cities” and camping set. Claim a site along the lists. You’ll find a mix of beautiful shore within Lake Cascade State Park scenery, easily accessible outdoor and head out for a day on the water. recreation, abundant culture, and Don’t miss Kelly’s Whitewater Park, friendly residents. just south of Cascade on the North Fork of the Payette, to kayak, surf, paddle- board—or take it easy in a tube. Idaho City REGIONAL INFO ‹ LARGEST CITY BOISE Population: 218,281 ‹ REGIONAL CLIMATE Summer Average High: 90° Winter Average High: 35° Annual Precipitation: 11" ‹ ELEVATION Highest: 10,582' (Elk Peak) Lowest: 1,468' (Snake River) Boise SOUTHWEST IDAHO SOUTHWEST REGIONAL MAP ‹ ENJOY OUR ROADSIDE DISTRACTIONS Hells Canyon 95 Dam Ponderosa State Park A New B Yellow Pine A Meadows Payette Lake Hells Canyon Scenic Byway McCall Donnelly 71 Council C Warm Lake Brownlee Reservoir Cascade Cambridge Lake Cascade State Park Lake Cascade Payette River Scenic Byway 95 Payette River B SCENIC DRIVES Weiser Garden Lowman C 55 Valley ‹ Hells Canyon Scenic Byway A Lower Payette River Ponderosa Pine 208-549-4200 Heritage Byway D Scenic Byway ‹ Payette River Scenic Byway Payette Wildlife Canyon B 52 Scenic Byway 208-634-0700 Emmett E Horseshoe Atlanta ‹ Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway C Bend 208-727-5013 Idaho City Eagle Island D 21 ‹ Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway State Park D 208-462-3241 Caldwell Eagle Lucky Boise Peak Featherville Res. ‹ Lower Payette River Heritage Byway Arrowrock Res. E 208-642-2362 Nampa Lucky Peak Meridian State Park Anderson Pine ‹ Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway Ranch Res. F 208-454-0087 Snake River Canyon Scenic F ‹ Western Heritage Historic Byway Byway Western 20 G 208-922-9254 G Heritage Historic Byway ‹ Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway 95 H Snake River 208-384-3300 Murphy Snake River Mountain For additional information, Birds of Prey Home go to visitidaho.org/things-to-do/ 67 Grand CJ Strike state-parks-byways Jordan View Reservoir 78 Glenns 4 Ferry 8 Valley Silver City Bruneau SKI AREAS Three Island Crossing State Park H Bruneau Dunes A ‹ Brundage Mountain Resort Owyhee Uplands State Park Backcountry Byway brundage.com 51 B ‹ Payette Lakes—Little Ski Hill littleskihill.org C ‹ Tamarack Resort tamarackidaho.com D ‹ Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area bogusbasin.org skiidaho.us | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 42 51 ‹ EXPLORE IDAHO PARKS! Boise’s vibrant downtown spans a on the west end of town. Eagle Island few small sections—the main historic State Park, 11 miles west of downtown, ‹ ENJOY OUR ROADSIDE DISTRACTIONS district that runs along Main and Idaho is another fun summer spot, with a Streets; BoDo, a newer area with big- beach, a water slide, and plenty of name retailers; and the Basque Block, a shade for picnicking.