Beginning at its source in Lake Payette near picturesque McCall, the Payette River begins its journey, meandering southward through the East Valley like a green snake thick with trees and vegetation. Its tributaries wear the same verdant coat, inviting anyone in search of a private and pastoral refuge to put down roots along its way. Well, here's one of those places. Poised in a thicket of trees between a branch of the Payette that lies to the west, and the awesome wilderness area of the Payette National Forest to the east, this rustic cabin offers you the peace and seclusion of a forest vale only 15 minutes from the activities and amenities of the bustling resort city of McCall.
Perched atop a huge and immaculate garage, the living space of this cabin is on the second floor. Its large, integrated space is studded with windows that encircle the entire structure and lend a bright, cheery character to the interior, not to mention 360-degree views of the surrounding forest. From the rough-hewn furniture with its southwestern patterns, the wood stove (firewood provided) nestled on its slate-stone perch, to the taxidermy fish on the wall, the atmosphere is quintessential "lodge." But rustic doesn't mean roughing it. There's cable TV (with Dish Network) and a DVD player, so bring along a couple of your favorite movies. Weather permitting, head out to the outdoor grill and fire pit and grill your dinner, or huddle together on a chilly summer night and swap stories over roasted marshmallows or s'mores.
Clearview sleeps four. The bedroom, like the rest of the cabin, is lined with windows and has a queen bed, so the first thing you see when you wake up are the trees outside. The unfinished bed frame, armoire, and pastoral-themed paintings continue the cozy, hunting lodge atmosphere. Two more people can bed down on the sofa bed in the living room. And in case the lodge theme of the rest of cabin wasn't apparent, the abundance of moose images in the full bathroom make it unmistakable.
Moose are in the kitchen too, embedded in the canisters and clock face; but they're harmless, and your chef will be unhindered preparing meals in this full, modern kitchen with lots of cabinets, counter space, a conduction range, and a dishwasher. Lots of room to move around too, so cooking will be a breeze from prep to clean up. Or, make the 15 minute trip up to McCall and try one of the 30 restaurants in the area.
Winter or summer, Clearview is the perfect getaway headquaters. Anglers: Drop your line in Payette Lake, Lake Cascade, or the Payette, Salmon, or Snake rivers and try your luck at trout, salmon, steelhead, perch and smallmouth bass. Float in your kayak, or shoot the rapids with one of the five white water rafting businesses. Launch your boat on nearby Payette Lake or just hang out on the sand on Davis Beach in McCall. Payette National forest and Ponderosa State Park are just minutes from this lodge where you can hike, bike, or snowmobile in the winter. Jug Mountain Resort is just 10 minutes to the north where you can shoot a round of golf, or shoot the breeze over a great meal in their restaurant. For skiers, Tamarack Resort is about a half-hour's drive from this lodge and Brundage Mountain is about 45 minutes away. Oh, and don't forget to check out McCall's famous Winter Carnival in late January and the McCall Bike Fest, July 15th.
There is ample room for parking, campers, trailers (boat or otherwise), and ATV's and sleds as well! (no electrical hookups so bring battery powered lanterns)
