Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Boise National Forest (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Trinity Mountain, Deadwood Reservoir, and Warm Lake. Also, be sure to include Arrowrock Dam in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Boise National Forest (Idaho).
Table of Contents
Trinity Mountain
Mountain in Idaho. Trinity Mountain is the highest point in the Trinity Mountains, a subrange of the Boise Mountains in Boise National Forest, Idaho with a summit elevation of 9,451 feet. It is located 11.63 miles from Steel Mountain, its line parent, giving it a prominence of 2,371 feet. Trinity Mountain is within the watershed of the South Fork Boise River.[1]
Deadwood Reservoir
Reservoir in Idaho. Deadwood Reservoir is a reservoir in the western United States, in Valley County, Idaho. Located in the mountains of the Boise National Forest about 25 miles southeast of Cascade, the 3,000-acre body on the Deadwood River is created by Deadwood Dam. The river flow south from the dam and is a tributary of the South Fork of the Payette River. The reservoir and vicinity is commonly used for camping, water skiing, fishing, canoeing, and other outdoor recreation. The full pool surface elevation is just above a mile-high at 5,334 ft above sea level.
Approved by President Coolidge in 1928, the isolated site required substantial road building. Construction of the concrete arch dam itself began in late 1929 and was completed in March 1931.[2]
Warm Lake
Lake in Idaho. Warm Lake is a 640-acre lake in Idaho, United States. It is located 26 miles east of Cascade in Valley County, at 5,298 feet above sea level. It is the largest natural lake in Boise National Forest.
The lake's abundance of wildlife makes it very popular for camping, fishing, and hunting. Large mammals present in the area include moose, mule deer, black bear, and elk. Large birds present in the area include bald eagles and osprey. The lake contains rainbow, brook, lake, and bull trout as well as mountain whitefish and Kokanee salmon.
There are two lodges at the lake, North Shore Lodge, which was established in 1936, and Warm Lake Lodge, which was established in 1911. The Forest Service operates three campgrounds around the lake.[3]
Arrowrock Dam
Dam in Idaho. Arrowrock Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Boise River, in the U.S. state of Idaho. It opened in 1915 and is located on the border between Boise County and Elmore County, upstream of the Lucky Peak Dam and reservoir. The spillway elevation for Arrowrock is 3,219 feet above sea level and its primary purpose is to provide irrigation water for agriculture. The dam was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2016.[4]
Little Camas Dam
Little Camas Dam is an earthfill type dam on Little Camas Creek, in Elmore County, Idaho, United States. Its reservoir is called Little Camas Reservoir and is northeast of Mountain Home and about 3 miles east of Anderson Ranch Dam. The dam is owned by the Mountain Home Irrigation District and does not produce electricity. The reservoir is surrounded primarily by Boise National Forest land but also state and private land.[5]
Robert E. Lee Campground
Robert E. Lee Campground is a United States Forest Service campground in the Boise National Forest about 40 miles east of the state capital, Boise. It is situated at North Fork Boise River river mile 19, at the confluence of Robert E. Lee Creek, a short tributary. The campground and creek, both named for General Robert E. Lee, are the only two Confederate memorials in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is at 4,800 feet in elevation and has six campsites.[6]