Boise National Forest
National Forest · Boise, Idaho
Two and two-tenths million acres north and east of Boise, split off from the Sawtooth forest in 1908 and still the forest the city actually uses. State Highway 21, the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, runs a hundred and thirty miles from Boise to Stanley through the middle of it, past the best roadside hot springs corridor in Idaho and through Idaho City, which in the 1863 gold rush was briefly larger than Portland. Behind the road are the Sawtooth Wilderness on one side and a share of the Frank Church on the other, and three reservoirs that most of southern Idaho swims in.
1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200, Boise, Idaho, 83709, United States
Open year round with no entrance station and no general fee. HIGHWAY 21, THE PONDEROSA PINE SCENIC BYWAY, IS PAVED AND OPEN ALL YEAR but ⚠ CLOSES FOR AVALANCHE CONTROL ABOVE LOWMAN IN WINTER, sometimes at short notice. THE ROADSIDE HOT SPRINGS ARE FREE, UNMANAGED AND OPEN AT ALL HOURS - no attendant, no facilities, no bins. THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE IN BOISE keeps weekday hours, typically 9:00 to 4:00, closed on federal holidays; district offices at Cascade, Emmett, Idaho City, Lowman and Mountain Home keep their own. A DAY-USE FEE APPLIES AT SOME RESERVOIR AND RECREATION SITES and a federal pass does not always cover a concession lot. Campgrounds are a mix of first-come and recreation.gov and the Highway 21 corridor fills on summer weekends. ⚠ THIS FOREST BURNS FREQUENTLY - fire restrictions and area closures from July are routine and arrive fast. Check the alerts page the morning you travel.
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