This April 12-14th, the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers crew heads to Boise to host the Seventh Annual North American Rendezvous. Bring your friends, your family, and your fly rods, and check out this list of awesome activities to get after in the greater Boise area!
Fishing the Boise River
The Boise River runs right through the center of Boise and is one of the city’s treasures. A series of beautiful public parks parallel the river and are linked by the 26-mile long Boise River Greenbelt. The river and greenbelt provide year-round recreational opportunities including rafting, walking, running, bicycling, and fishing. The Boise River is a great tail-water fishery where visitors and residents can spend a half-day fly fishing for stocked and wild rainbow and brown trout. The river fishes year round, but is best when the river flows are down. Please view the USGS stream flow information here, or consult a local fly shop for flow information, as spring runoff conditions can be dangerous.
Guided fly fishing Opportunities:
Three Rivers Ranch
1 (208) 939-6065
Idaho Angler
1 (208) 389-9957
Boise River Greenbelt
The 25-mile Boise River Greenbelt is one of Boise's most beloved parks. The tree-lined pathway follows the river through the heart of the city and provides scenic views, wildlife habitat and pedestrian access to many of the city's popular riverside parks. The Greenbelt also serves as an alternative transportation route for commuters.
You can learn more and view a map of the Greenbelt here.
Morrison-Knudsen (MK) Nature Center
The Idaho Fish and Game MK Nature Center offers a unique wildlife experience on a 4.6-acre site along the Boise River Greenbelt. The StreamWalk and Visitor Center provide a glimpse of Idaho's many landscapes and abundant wildlife. Underwater viewing windows along the stream walk give visitors a fish-eye view of the world. To learn more click here.
World Center for Birds of Prey
Explore the amazing world of raptors eye to eye! The Velma Morrison Interpretive Center is The Peregrine Fund's one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor education center where you'll meet eagles, owls, vultures, hawks, and falcons from around the world. Just minutes from Boise, the center includes live raptor presentations, a Discovery Room, and indoor exhibits as well as live raptors! To learn more click here.
Ridge to Rivers Trail System
The Boise Foothills provide a postcard backdrop that inspires and soothes the soul. An interconnected network of trails course through these hills, linking not only neighborhoods with public lands but connecting people with the natural environment. With over 190 miles of trail, there’s something for everyone. This truly is a Boise gem and a national example of public access stewardship. To learn more, and view a map click here.
Mountain Biking Rental:
Idaho Mountain Touring
1 (208) 336-3854
George’s Cycles
1 (208) 343-3782
Military Reserve Archery Range
The Military Reserve is approximately 726 acres reserved for several different uses, including a public, outdoor archery range. Located in northeastern Boise, just minutes from downtown, this is also at the trailhead of many of Boise’s popular Ridge to Rivers trailheads as well as an old military cemetery. This will also be the location for a BHA event on Sunday April 15. For more information please click here.
The Discovery Center of Idaho
The Discovery Center of Idaho is all about play time, but this isn’t just a museum for kids. Idaho’s hands-on science center helps children become curious about the physical and biological sciences. With STEM learning as a focus, there are over 150 Interactive exhibits for children and adults. To learn more, please click here.
Bogus Basin Mountain Resort
Bogus Basin is not only the local ski resort, but also exciting summer/spring activities. Depending on weather – skiing, tubing, and cross-country skiing may be available. Bogus also offers a year-round Mountain Rollercoaster providing fun for the whole family. In warmer months, it is also home to excellent hiking an mountain biking opportunities. For more information click here.
Zoo Boise
Connecting visitors with animals to inspire and involve our community in the conservation of wildlife worldwide. Our programs provide unique, fun and engaging nature-focused experiences that foster appreciation for animals and their environments as well as raise awareness of conservation issues and possible solutions. Zoo program activities include up-close animal encounters, zoo tours, nature walks, ecology games and simulations, science-based investigations & explorations, zookeeper presentations and some interesting Zoo Boise history. To learn more click here.
Idaho Botanical Garden
Nestled at the base of the Boise Foothills, the Garden provides enriched garden experiences through educational tours, botanical collections, a variety of entertainment, cultural and community events. It is also a refreshing and inspiring year-round outdoor destination for residents and out-of-town visitors. For more information click here. Visitor can also visit the Old Idaho Penitentiary, adjacent to the Gardens.
Aquarium Boise
Aquarium Boise houses over 250 species of animals and marine life, and encourages the community to raise awareness of the benefits conservation provides. The aquarium features many interactive touch tanks, which allow visitors to touch or hold marine animals such as corals, crabs, rays, sharks, and starfish. The main exhibits include a giant octopus tank, a coral reef habitat, a shark nursery, and more. To learn more click here.
Julia Davis Park
Being centrally located in Boise, this 89.4 acre park contains several prominent sites, including museums such as the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho Historical Museum, and the Idaho Black History Museum, as well as other attractions like Zoo Boise, the Idaho Rose Society, and the Gene Harris Band Shell. The Boise Greenbelt runs through the park. Other amenities at Julia Davis Park include river access, statues, a rose garden, a playground and tennis court, a pond with paddle board rentals, and a pedestrian bridge that connects the park with Boise State University. To learn more click here.
Kathryn Albertson Park
The Kathryn Albertson Park is a 41-acre park, one of several riverside parks named for important local women. You can also see several ponds and a fountain. Signs that have been inlaid in large rocks along the paths describe the wildlife and themes of nature found in the park. The plantings in the park were chosen to offer food and protection to the wildlife that lives there. To learn more click here.
Boise Art Museum
The Boise Art Museum features a collection of contemporary artwork and exhibits, and is one of the best things to do in Boise for art lovers. There are temporary exhibit in addition to the permanent, and the museum offers a variety of programs in the 34,800 square foot facility. To learn more click here.
Basque Museum & Cultural Center
The Basque Museum & Cultural Center focuses on the heritage and culture of the Basque people. Established in 1985, it is the only Basque museum in the United States. The museum is housed in the historic Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House, a former Basque boardinghouse and the oldest brick structure in the city. To learn more click here.
About Ian Malepeai