Boise
Idaho's capital city lies at the foot of
the Boise Front of the Rockies -- a desert town close to
the peaks and the treed slopes of the Boise National
Forest. Lying on both sides of the Boise River, this city
is a green space in sagebrush country with parks along
the river and an enviable lifestyle. Boise's climate is
so benign that it is possible to golf in the city and ski
at the nearby ski hill on the same day.
The community was established in 1863 as a
staging area and service center for the mining camps
including Idaho City -- the largest of the gold and
silver mining areas. The area previously had been home to
several Indian tribes and the fur trade exploited the
area during the 1820s. From the time of the first mineral
discoveries in 1860, the region boomed, giving way to
forestry as the gold and silver dwindled.
Boise Attractions
The city has many attractions which make a
stay here pleasant and relaxing, including several fine
parks and nature preserves. Kathryn Albertson Park
is located in the heart of the city -- a walking park
with ponds, fountains, islands and a wetlands area.
Boise River Observatory with its Morris Knudsen
Nature Center is a showcase for wildlife on the Boise
River, with underwater viewing windows, displays on fish
life and tours taking visitors to ponds, wetland areas
and desert habitats.
South of Boise, near the Snake River Birds
of Prey Natural Area, is the World Center for Birds of
Prey. In this nature center, falcons, eagles and
other raptors are studied and reared. It provides an
ideal opportunity to see hawks and eagles much closer
than you can in the wild. The Tropical Raptor Building
displays birds from around the world.
The Idaho Botanical Garden is a
series of nine theme gardens which include a hillside
walking trail, rose and iris gardens, a Basque garden and
the unique Chinese Scholar's Garden. This fine outdoor
attraction is on the grounds of the old Idaho State
Penitentiary. Boise has the largest Basque community
outside of Europe, and the Basque Museum and Cultural
Center is the nation's only Basque museum. It is a
former boarding house, used to house immigrants from 1910
through the 1970s, and is located at 6th & Grove.
More history is exhibited at Military Reserve
Park, at Fort & Reserve streets. Included are the
old Boise Barracks, hiking trails and the O'Farell Cabin,
the city's first permanent home. The city's extensive
park system includes Julia Davis Park, on the
Boise River in the downtown area. The park contains the
Idaho Historical Museum, the Boise Art Museum, the city
zoo and the Memorial Rose Garden. The 90 acres of
parkland includes playgrounds, tennis courts, boat
rentals and a bandshell featuring entertainment
throughout the summer. The Grove is Boise's public
plaza with nearby shopping and a weekly program of music
and other entertainment "Alive After Five".
Day Trips From Boise
Several jaunts from Boise provide great
scenery, and a look into the rough and rowdy mining
history of the area. An hour's drive northeast of town is
Idaho City -- the region's first town -- where
gold and silver were discovered in the 1860s. Surrounded
by Boise National Forest, many of the original buildings
from the 1860s remain today, complete with boardwalks and
the Pioneer Cemetery with its tall headboards. There is
overnight accommodation available, and places to eat and
drink, (in the Miner's Exchange Saloon) with the ambience
of a lusty mining camp. The Idaho City Hotel is one of
the originals -- completely renovated and retaining the
charm of a rustic old inn. Another great place to stay is
the Miner's Inn, a former home with three bedrooms and
two bathrooms. Warm Springs Resort is 1.5 miles
from Idaho City, with hot pools, cabins and RV parking.
In the winter, the area around Idaho City is a fine
recreation area, with crosscountry ski trails and
snowmobile roads leading through the forests. Fishing for
rainbow and brook trout is good in the local streams.
To get to Idaho City from Boise, drive east
on Interstate 84 and turn north onto Highway 21. The old
mining town is 38 miles north of the Interstate exit. A
backroad loop route to Boise takes a forest road west,
near the old mining camps of Centerville and
Pioneerville, then further west to another old town --
Placerville -- and returns to Garden City and Boise via
Highway 55.
Silver City -- a ghost town --
provides another scenic day trip or overnight jaunt. To
get there from the Boise area, drive south until you come
to Highway 78 and drive southwest to a backroad five
miles south of Murphy. The backroad is unpaved and can be
rough in places, leading through desert, foothills and
canyonland on the way to the old 1863 mining camp. You
can also get there (from the west) by driving south on
Highway 95 to Jordan Valley and then turning west to
reach Silver City on a backroad (25 miles). For
information on the road and accommodations at the old
Idaho Hotel (the only functioning building) call the
Idaho Hotel at (208) 495 2520.
