Outdoor Recreation In and Around Boise Idaho

The Boise Valley area recreation encompasses all types of activities for outdoor enthusiasts.  Within the cities that make up Boise Valley, there plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beautiful scenery while enjoying the activities which are featured in these towns.

Idaho’s busiest golf course, Centennial Golf Course, is located close to downtown Nampa ID which is about fifteen miles west of Boise.  This beautiful course winds along a series of hills which provides plenty of views of the high desert which surrounds the Boise Valley.  It has wide fairways with large and low greens.  It is forgiving and that’s probably why this course is popular with beginners.

If you happen to be in Eagle ID, you can play nine holes at the Treasure Valley Golf Course.  The course winds its way past homes and trees which reflect in several ponds – and mountains stand tall in the background of this old-time golf course.  Or, if you’re in Caldwell ID play a round or two at the Purple Sage Golf Course.  This flat nine-hole course offers a high desert setting and view of the Owyhee Mountains.

The kids will love the Roaring Springs Water Park which is located in Meridian ID, especially when seeking relief from the heat during a typical Idaho summers day.  With names like Double Trouble, Pipe Line, White Water Bay, children are delighted with the features this park provides.

For some wintertime activities, Bogus Basin Ski Resort has become a favorite for cross-country skiers.  It features a glass-front lodge which overlooks the Boise Valley.  There are plenty of trails groomed for skiers.  Plans now include leaving the lodge open in the summer as well for mountain bikers, hikers and for naturalists to enjoy.

Other activities in the Boise National Forest just outside Boise ID proper include activities for the fishermen to fish for trout, hunters can concentrate on their deer, and kayakers can enjoy the white water.

For a different perspective on the beautiful high desert or the majestic mountains, you can try soaring above the Ponderosa pines and Douglas firs in a hot air balloon.  However, if you prefer to keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, you can enjoy your vistas as you hike along any number of trails.

Birds of Prey Expeditions provides guided tours that are both educational and fun in the Snake River “Birds of Prey” National Conservation Area, located just thirty miles outside of Boise, ID.  The nature center focuses on both natural history and archaeology, so you can get an explanation of the natural forces that created the unique area, as well as why nesting raptors are so attracted to the it.  Visitors to this area also find it fascinating and as unusual as it is beautiful, and you will, too!