McCall Idaho, Summer Vacation

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It's time for another travel post! For most of us, the weather is cold and dreary. So let's travel back in time to summer. Let's travel back to our August trip to McCall, Idaho. Come with me and see the sunshine and mountains.

       
This post is written like a travel diary, a day-to-day account of what we did during a full week in Idaho. There are lots of photos and details about trails, food, and more!



Day 1: We have Arrived! Back in McCall, Idaho ⛰. This is where we went skiing during Spring Break. It’s amazing to see the difference between winter and summer. Where is McCall, Idaho you ask? It's a 2 hour drive from Boise, Idaho. Bright blue skies, soft green grass and cooler temps- we were all excited to kick off our shoes and soak it in. We had dinner on Lake Payette at ‘The Cutwater’ and dessert at ‘My Father’s Place’. Happy to be wrapping up our summer in such a beautiful place! 

Day 2: We hiked to Goose Creek Falls . ⛰ Total trip was about 4 Miles. Beautiful path, shady & cool. To get to the Falls, you hike down. So the first part of the hike is all down hill! Once you get to the river, it’s a tricky climb down loose, steep rocks. But the view is worth it! Everyone (except me 😂) experienced an icy plunge into the river. I was happy just getting my legs wet! The hike out is all uphill, because what does down.... must go up! Great family trail- with enough challenge to make you feel strong! 

After we properly refueled from our hike (with burgers and shakes from 'My Father's Place' we drove to the North end of the lake to paddle board. There is a smooth ‘river-like’ part that is separate from the lake, no motorized water vehicles, just canoes, kayaks and boards. We went for about 2 hours, stopping to swim and play on the beaches. The water was so clear! Afterwards the girls swam in the lake near our condo and then we had pizza for dinner. Love getting to be active and adventurous with our girls.

Day 3: We rode horses in the mountains, met a few new animal friends at the barn and played on the sandy shores of the lake. Such beautiful scenery! We had Mexican food for dinner (note: Idaho does not do Mexican food well. Yay for ice cream! Ha!) 

Day 4: We went back to where it all began- Brundage Mountain! This is where we skied during Spring Break in March. Such a difference to see it in August! We rode the chair lift up and hiked around for an hour up top. From one point we could see Lake Payette. We rode back down and had lunch at our favorite “apres ski” spot. The rest of the day we played on the beach and in the lake. Our paddle boards are getting lots of use! Dinner was the best pizza and live music at Crusty’s. Happy day .

Day 5: We ventured to Donnelly (population 152) and rented a boat on Cascade Lake. We felt like we had the entire lake to ourselves! The water was so smooth. We tubed, explored an island, played on the beach and marveled at the mountains. We grilled out for dinner and then walked to Lake Payette with ice cream to watch the sunset.

Day 6: Spent our last day in Idaho on the water. We headed to the North end of Lake Payette and paddle boarded for a few hours on the river. So glad we brought our paddle boards with us- we used them so much! We rented a kayak for the girls and we all enjoyed having the little boat to zip around in. Midway through our adventure we found a giant rock to jump off- it was about 15 feet up. Jeff and Afton were so brave! And Maisy found a rock ‘that was just her size’. After a picnic lunch on the river bank, we drove to Ponderosa State Park to play on the beach. It was such a great week, wish it didn’t have to end!

This was a great, active family vacation. And I think my girls ate ice cream every night! Ha! When can we go back?! 

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