Outdoor Adventures & Sports:
EAGLE ISLAND STATE PARK
Eagle Island State Park is its own recreational epicenter with zip-lines, a water slide, sandy beaches, horseback riding trails and more. It is a 545 acre day-use park that features a popular swimming beach, a grassy picnic area, a waterslide, a disc golf course, and hiking and horseback riding trails. The beautifully well-maintained park have some of the best splash pads in the Valley. And the community events will keep your social calendar full all year-long. The waterslide is awesome for the kiddos and is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Interested in Paddle Boarding? Rentals are available within the park. The following parks reside within Eagle Island State Park and have their own list of events worth checking out:
GATEWAY PARKS
Looking for a place to entertain the kids in the winter months but don’t want to make the drive to the mountains? Located inside Eagle Island State Park, Gateway Parks offers snow tubing, a terrain park for skiing and snowboarding, hot cocoa, snacks and a campfire.
FLY FISHING
Want to take full advantage of the Boise River that runs through Eagle? Master the art of fly fishing! Grab your gear from the local fly shop, TRR Outfitters, and sign-up for the next guided fly fishing trip!
GREENBELT
The Greenbelt is one of the best and most popular outdoor activities in the Treasure Valley. It stretches 30 miles on both the north and south side of the Boise River. The tree-lined pathway begins at Eagle Island State Park (in Eagle), through Downtown Boise, and ends at Lucky Peak Recreation Area. The Greenbelt provides scenic views, wildlife habitat and pedestrian access to many of the city's popular riverside parks, neighborhoods, and business districts. The Greenbelt also serves as an alternative transportation route for commuters.
Bikes are easy to rent:
Boise Green Belt Bikes - Classic Cruiser bikes located all over Boise. Download the mobile app (Social Bikes) to see where the nearest one is located and reserve it today!
George’s Bikes - Road Bikes, Full-suspension mountain bikes, E-Bikes, Tandem bikes, ANY bike. George’s has you covered.
BANBURY GOLF COURSE
This golf course has been rated in the top ten golf courses in Idaho by Golf Digest the past eight years. This challenging 6,890 yard par 71, 18-hole, championship course is Eagle’s original golf course offering mature trees, rolling fairways and challenging water features against the backdrop of the Boise foothills.
“BanBury Golf Course meanders around the South Channel of the Boise River, successfully uniting golf with native habitat.”
After your game be sure to enjoy Banbury Restaurant's quality fare and full bar.
EAGLE SPORTS COMPLEX & BIKE PARK
This massive 200-acre park is one of the largest in the country. It includes a BMX track, world-class mountain bike trails, a skate park, and an inline hockey rink. This bike park consists of downhills trails, a skills park, dirt gaps, dirt jumps, a pump track, grassy areas for picnicking, restrooms, covered BBQ area, and a basketball court that is currently being used by the roller derby girls for practice.
The Skate Park has a nice flow with stair sets, bowl, spine, a couple of banana rails, some fun boxes, a pyramid and a super long wall with coping. Nice sized park with 12,500 square feet of concrete in all. Park is open from 8am to sunset. Real restrooms on site but no food sales so bring your own. Police do frequent the site but if you're cool, they're cool.
FIREBIRD RACEWAY
Looking for fun for the entire family? Check out the local, family-owned & operated, drag race track all for an affordable price. They always have fun, creative race themes and events. Check out their schedule!
Near Eagle
STANLEY & SAWTOOTH BASIN
The Stanley area tops the Idaho list for adventure and jaw-dropping scenery. It offers some of the BEST hiking, backpacking and rock climbing in the country. Experience one of the many pristine mountain lakes accessible by a well-developed trail system. Horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking and whitewater rafting are all popular options. The best part of it all, unlike other more populated parks, is that you can always find peace and solitude.
The journey there is almost as incredible as the destination. Take the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway (Highway 21) and you’ll be treated with incredible views around every turn. Make a day of it and stop at hot springs along the way such as the The Springs in Idaho City (mentioned below) or the hot springs near Lowman. Before hitting the trails, I suggest snagging a hardy breakfast at the famous Stanley Baking Co. & Cafe located in the heart of Stanley. It’s often packed so I suggest you get their early before the crowds. After working up an appetite, check out Stanley Town Square where they offer a little bit of everything from pad thai to an elk burger. Afterwards, grab an ice cream at Stanley Scoops while you stroll through the rest of this quaint western town.
THE SPRINGS IN IDAHO CITY
Idaho is loaded with natural hot springs but, if you’re looking for more of a resort experience, The Springs is for you! Just an hour away, in Idaho City, you’ll experience a relaxing soak along with poolside service and massages. Check the website to make a reservation. Only so many people are allowed at a time. There are also designated family times.
BOGUS BASIN
Skiing, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Nordic Skiing & Tubing at Bogus Basin
Located just a short drive from Eagle you will find Bogus Basin Ski Resort. Open 7 days a week, Bogus Basin offers summer and winter activities for the whole family; mountain roller coaster, mountain biking, climbing wall, scenic chairlift rides, hiking, horseback riding, summer and winter tubing, day and night skiing, snowshoeing, and summer music concerts.
In the winter Bogus Basin is open for full winter operation. Typically the season runs early December through mid-April. Early and late season hours can change, so please check the Conditions & Webcams. During the non-winter season, Bogus Basin is open for outdoor recreation. The base area is home to several activities, such as rock climbing, bungee trampoline, summer tubing, mountain biking, and hiking.
If you are skiing and do not have your equipment with you, your best bet is to rent off mountain at Greenwood’s Ski Haus. There are two lodges for those who would rather take in the scenery without exerting too much effort! Check the website for conditions and more information.
BRUNDAGE MOUNTAIN IDAHO SKI RESORT
Looking for a better ski experience than what Bogus Basin has to offer? Check out Brundage in McCall, ID.
“Brundage Mountain is blessed with more than 320 base area inches of snowfall annually and has an undisputed reputation for the Best Snow in Idaho™. In addition to exceptional skiing and snowboarding, Brundage Mountain offers top-notch amenities, including guided SnowCat Trips on 18,000 acres of backcountry terrain, guided snowmobile excursions, snowmobile rentals, adventure dining and more.”
Stay in the charming, resort town of McCall where you’ll find good eats and stunning lake views. The scenic drive there along the Payette river through valleys and mountain peaks is worth the trip on its own!
CASCADE RAFT & KAYAK
Located just 33 minutes North of Eagle. Cascade Raft and Kayak has been offering the BEST in Idaho whitewater rafting and kayaking trips. Looking to master the sport? They provide lessons and kids camps too. They are also home to the NEWEST ropes challenge course & ziplines in Boise, Idaho area!
HULLS GULCH RESERVE
Hulls Gulch Reserve is a 292-acre site north of downtown Boise at the base of the foothills. The reserve is home to two trailheads (The Grove and Lower Hulls Gulch) that are the starting point for some of the 180 miles of Ridge to Rivers trails in the foothills. Hikers, mountain bikers, dog walkers, runners, and horseback riders enjoy the trails in this area. Be sure to pay attention as some of the trails are designated for pedestrians or mountain bikers or both. While dogs are permitted on these trails you’ll need to keep them on a leash within some parts of the trail. Common wildlife seen throughout the year in Hulls Gulch includes great horned owls, kestrel, coyotes, mule deer, red fox, and species of snakes and lizards.