Summertime Fun in Nature

Warm weather provides activities for every outdoor enthusiast.  Everyone seems to own a bike and put it to good use in the Treasure Valley.  Whether it’s an easy ride on the Boise Greenbelt (runs from Lucky Lake to Eagle) or a rugged terrain park in the hills on the 243 miles on the Ridge to Rivers Trail system, biking season extends nearly all year (yes, there are snow tires for bikes!).  The plethora of lush sparkling waterways throughout the valley invite us to fish, swim, boat, or simply spend a lazy day floating from Barber Park to Julia Davis Park (yes, there’s shuttle rides back to your car). The lakes of Lucky Peak, Arrowhead Dam, Lake Lowell bring boat enthusiasts from all over the valley.  For adrenaline junkies, there’s class 5 rapids on the Payette River and surfing or kayaking the rapids on the Boise River at Esther Simplot Park to satisfy the beach bum.  Not a day goes by without spotting locals fly-fishing or paddle boarding in the Payette or Boise Rivers.  Watching teens heading to the riverways on their bike holding their fishing pole instead of their phone is truly a sight to behold.

Need for Speed?

Characteristic of Idaho’s tradition of celebrating a week of work with an equal or greater level of fun, the speedways are a popular way to spend time cheering on local and visiting teams well into the night while savoring the pleasant long summer evenings.  From destruction derby to sprint car races, Friday and Saturday nights at the Meridian speedway will not disappoint and is located 2 miles from Meridian center of town. The Emmett Race Track, Gem State Raceway, is new, but with a history dating back to 1917 when it was the location of the Boise Payette Lumber Company.  The mill closed in 2001 but by 2019, 3 parcels along the Payette River were purchased for development and construction began on a 1.2 mile road “arena style” course, 800 foot tractor pull strip, 1/8 mile drag strip, and extensive RV park.