Southwestern Idaho

Southwestern Idaho is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. The winter's blanket provides a cushion for skiers and snowboarders. A web of trails and rivers weave through the region and provide excellent hiking opportunities. The mountains and lakes offer great spots for a secluded picnic, or an afternoon of active fun. A day in southwestern Idaho can include hiking, mountain or road bicycling, golf, skiing, fishing, white water rafting, kayaking, or just about any thing else you can dream of.

Boise, the state capital, has a population of 170,000 fitness oriented folks. Boise has a well-defined small town feel. Crime is almost nonexistent and neighbors greet visitors with a smile and a handshake. For a bit of Boise history, visit the Idaho Historical Museum. This museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the state of Idaho and the region around Boise in particular. Notable exhibits highlight the Native American, Basque, and Chinese influences in the region. Outside the museum in the Pioneer Village are some of the earliest built structures in Boise.

Boise natives love their outdoor exploits. To facilitate this, the city constructed the Boise River Greenbelt, which is a paved, car-free path that frames the Boise River and runs 15 miles through town. The trail connects many of the city's parks and is a great spot for running, hiking, bicycling, rollerblading, or reading a favorite book while sitting on one of the many benches that line the trail. There are even a few fishing piers that jut out into the river if you feel like casting in a line.

More great fishing can be found in the nearby Payette River, where anglers try to land kokanee, rainbow, and mackinaw trout. Riverside Pond is stocked with bullhead and bluegill and Veterans Park Pond is great for large mouth bass and crappie. Locals also rave about the Indian Creek Reservoir, located about 15 miles from town, and its bounty of cutthroat trout, large mouth bass, bluegill, channel cats, and rainbow trout.

In addition to the Boise River Greenbelt, hikers flock to the Hull's Gulch National Recreation Trail, which is open to hikers exclusively. Two different trails take hikers past some incredible scenery where butterflies and wild flowers vie for attention. Deep brushy canyons are traversed by a babbling brook, and trail signs give instructions on the local botanical life.

Flanked by mountains on either side, Garden Valley is another place for enjoying Idaho's Great Outdoors. Much smaller than Boise, Garden Valley is nestled along the south fork of the Payette River. This is white water country where rapids range from rather tame Class Is to Class IV screamers. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is less than an hour away and skiers can find the Ketchum/Sun Valley Resort area less than two hours away.

Southwestern Idaho is a vacation destination for those who want to get out and do something. There are too many hiking trails, mountains, rivers, canyons, lakes, streams, and fishing holes to just stand idly by and watch the day slip away. You will feel the pull of the local citizens who rejoice in the diversity of their scenic surroundings. Bicycles are as popular as automobiles in this living painting of natural beauty. Southwestern Idaho is a feast for the active vacationer. How big is your appetite?