Great little shop and visitor center on the edge of town. Very friendly staff and lots of little…read moretrinkets for sale including bookmarks, magnets, T-shirts, posters, Huckleberry candies, and a little something for everyone. Definitely make sure to stop by and say hi if you're planning to come to Idaho City.

When you gotta go, you gotta go! Thank goodness for convenient visitor centers in isolated locals.read more

I saw a sign from I-84 for a coffee shop. I drove a bit and thought I passed it then found this…read morevisitors center. I thought I'd pop in and ask and also use the facilities. The 3 women were insanely kind! They told me there was a shop downtown but if I'm just popping in it would be a drive. I looked at all their crafty gifts - very Idahoan and unique. They offered me from their coffee pot that one of them "brewed herself." It was definitely better than stopping at any coffee shop and tops having to go to McDonald's. Very nice, clean, unique stop with great maps and "things to do in a day."

I love visitor centers I love welcome centers. I love meeting people who love to share all the good…read morenews about exploring their area as well as trade travel tips including secret gems and popular can't-miss places. I walked into the Ontario welcome center because I just moved to Oregon and I wanted to get advice on the route I had chosen to travel to my new home city. They were so knowledgeable and patient with me, showing me the map and helping me make my decision based on what I was looking for; I was so glad I stopped in. As I left for the next leg of my adventure, I was grabbing so many brochures and travel books that they gave me a to-go bag. Thank you Oregon Welcome Committee :)

Come out and see some Nature and nice walks. The formation…read morecenter is nice too. Friendly staff.

Deer flat wildlife refuge is a beautiful area to visit and walk. They have a building along the…read morepath for birdwatching. The visitor center was open and the workers inside were very nice and informative. The visitor center educates you on the nearby wildlife you can expect to see. Definitely recommend you stop by for a little hike.

Love this interesting park full of things to do!…read more You can park outside the park for free and walk or pay a few bucks for car entry. Dog friendly! There's walks along the water which has great views. You can also cross the bridge and do some hikes in the valley. Plenty of benches, picnic tables, and bathrooms. The hieroglyphic rocks were pretty cool but most are hard to see due to erosion over the years. We came in the winter so the park was almost empty! Must visit if you've never been. Great park for kids and pets.

Beautiful spot on the Snake River. Not crowded. Dog-friendly and lots of birding opportunities.read more

Hull's Gulch is one of the many trails behind Camelback park and is one of the main reasons why…read moreliving in Boise is so amazing. Proximity from downtown to this well-kept trail makes it fun for everyone and a great hike for visitors and locals. This trail starts a bit after the main parking lots and takes a dirt road- an SUV or truck type of car is probably best for this. I would say this is for the intermediate/expert hiker. It's around 7 miles and has some steep hills. So, hiking boots or athletic shoes are a must. It takes around 2.5-3 hours and there are tons of very picturesque places to stop along the creek (or crick, as many Idahoans say). During the summer months here in Boise, it stays light out until 9-10 pm. So I love starting this hike after work hours, without the worry of it getting too dark before getting back. You can see a lot of wildlife- birds, snakes, bugs, etc. There are usually a decent amount of people who walk their dog off-leash here. Hull's Gulch Interpretive Trail vs. the other foothill trails, there tend to be more bikers and fewer hikers. If you're into mountain biking, this would be a great trail for you!

Hull's Gulch Interpretive Trail is a roughly 7 mile (there and back) trail that meanders through…read morethe Boise foothills. It is uphill, though not steeply so (the elevation increase throughout the duration of the trail is roughly 1000 feet). We came midmorning on a Saturday and it took our party of 3 roughly 3 hours to complete (with some stopping for picture taking). The trail follows alongside a creek and so there are some picturesque spots. At the top of the trail there is a small waterfall (the amount of water depends on the time of year and snowmelt). There are informative and poetic signs (I'm not being sarcastic--truly--they have signs with poetry!) sprinkled throughout the trail and a few lovely (wide and sturdy) foot bridges along the path as well. The road to drive to the trail head isn't paved and though could be traversed by car, there were a couple of ruts that made me glad we drove our CRV and not our Accord, so something to think about if you have a low vehicle. Also, it is quite long, so I wouldn't recommend it for little ones and the path isn't wide enough in some areas for a jogger type stroller (and too rough for a conventional one). But, for older kids with stamina, it's great! Plus, given it's a there and back hike--you could always turn around at any point if it proves to much for some! The proximity to downtown is great and at the top where the waterfall is, there is also a gorgeous vantage, through a valley between the foothills, of the downtown skyline. Fresh air, gurgling creek, and nature poetry-- Get to it!

Food: NA/5 Service: NA/5…read moreAmbiance: 5/5 Parking: 4/5 Family friendly: 5/5 Stroller friendly: 3/5 ADA accessible: 3/5 My family and I came here strictly for the sand dunes and observatory, late on a Sunday evening around 845-9pm. (Apparently the observatory is closed on Sunday?). Entrance fee is $7 cash or check when the gate is closed. You have to be in some type of shape as ascending the 60 deg incline hill of sand takes a bit of muscle and cardio endurance to make it up. Once at the top though, it's a serene and calming experience. On the backside of the first sand dune, the Snake River runs through. Similar to an Oasis in the desert. However, as some people may know or experience, wherever there is water, comes the bugs. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the bugs (mosquitoes) attacked. Not just one or two, swarms of mosquitoes. If you're like me and have allergic itching reactions to pest bites, be warned and have full body covering along with repellent. By the time we escaped to the car my son had been bit on the head and face. Just a forewarning. Bruneau Dunes State Park seems like a cool place to be. There were 3-4 individual camping locations that's were RV friendly and vast spaces for kids to run around. Sand Dunes themselves are not WC friendly unless you invent some type of sled to push/pull the WC up the hill. Also, make sure when dusk arrives, COVER UP!

I'm always on the hunt for an adventure so when I saw this was only 30 mins from my hotel, I knew I…read morehad to make a morning out of it! The entry fee was $7 and the drive to the dunes was quiet and peaceful. I went by myself and felt safe enough exploring the area alone. The views were gorgeous! This is truly a hidden gem tucked away in the farm lands. If you're in the mountain home area, check this place out!