Like Lake Tahoe, Idaho-style
McCall: 48-Hour Escape from Boise
A lake town in the Payette National Forest, the Idaho version of Lake Tahoe.
McCall: A lake town in the Payette National Forest, the Idaho version of Lake Tahoe.
At a glance
McCall, Idaho is a 2 hr 30 min drive from Boise, best visited June–October or January–March. Like Lake Tahoe, Idaho-style. Top things to do: Ponderosa State Park, Brundage Mountain. Where to eat: My Father's Place, Pancake House & Christmas Shop. Stay at The Shore Lodge or Hotel McCall.
46
of 100
Escape score
Worth a stop on the way
A good day and a half, with an evening to spare.
- Drive
- 2 hr 30 min from Boise
- Best window
- June–October or January–March
- Typical stay
- ~$207/night
Escape score: what there is to do and eat (40%), typical weekend lodging cost (30%), drive time (25%), rounding (5%). Computed from our own guide data, never from paid placement.
Why here
McCall, Idaho sits on the shore of Payette Lake, a glacial lake at 5,000 feet, 2.5 hours north of Boise. It started as a timber town, became a resort, and hosts the Winter Carnival every January with 30 ice sculptures. The town has 3,000 people, a walkable main street, and Brundage Mountain ski area 8 miles up the road. It is the summer lake house and winter ski town that Boise escapes to, and a top weekend road trip idea for what to do in McCall year-round.
McCall is the lake-and-ski town that Boise built, and the two seasons are both real. Payette Lake, the 5,000-acre glacial lake the town sits on, is the summer draw, with Ponderosa State Park jutting a thousand acres of pine into the water, and Brundage Mountain, 8 miles up the road, gets the most snow of any Idaho ski area, 320-plus inches a year. The Winter Carnival, every January, is the event that fills the town, 30 ice sculptures, a torchlight parade, and fireworks over the lake. The town was a timber camp until the 1920s, when the railroad brought Boise vacationers, and the main street of log lodges and the Pancake House are the inheritance.
A weekend in McCall is a lake-or-ski weekend. In summer, swim and kayak Payette Lake, hike Ponderosa State Park, and ride the Brundage chairlift for the three-range view. In winter, ski Brundage, walk the Winter Carnival sculptures, and eat at My Father's Place. Come June through October or January through March. Two nights lets you add a soak at the nearby Gold Fork hot springs.
The plan
48 hours in McCall
Same town, two different weekends. Pick the arrival that matches your Friday.
Friday, on arrival
Check inThe Shore Lodge
From ~$250/night
On Payette Lake. 77 rooms, a spa, and the only lakefront pool in McCall. The dining room has the best water view in town.
Leave Boise after work: the 2 hr 30 min drive lands you here in the evening.
Friday night
Dinner, then the main streetMy Father's Place
In a 1910 hotel. The prime rib and the huckleberry margarita are the orders. Open year-round, reservations recommended.
Eat first and walk it off after. Most small-town kitchens stop seating by 9.
Saturday morning
First stopPonderosa State Park
$5 entry. 1,000 acres of pine forest jutting into Payette Lake. Hike the Huckleberry Loop, 3 miles, or kayak the narrows. The park has 6 miles of shor...
Saturday midday
LunchPancake House & Christmas Shop
Breakfast all day and a year-round Christmas store. The huckleberry pancakes are the move.
Saturday afternoon
Second stopBrundage Mountain
Ski in winter, chairlift rides and mountain biking in summer. $25 for a scenic lift ticket. The view from the summit spans 3 mountain ranges.
Timings are a suggestion, not a schedule. Shift the whole plan by how late you leave.
The Basecamp
Where to stay in McCall
The Shore Lodge
On Payette Lake. 77 rooms, a spa, and the only lakefront pool in McCall. The dining room has the best water view in town.
Hotel McCall
A boutique downtown hotel walkable to Main Street, with a pool and lake-view suites. The central in-town stay.
The Hunt Lodge
A classic timber lodge with cabins and a saloon, 5 minutes from downtown on the lake road. The rustic, fireside base.
What to do
Ponderosa State Park
$5 entry. 1,000 acres of pine forest jutting into Payette Lake. Hike the Huckleberry Loop, 3 miles, or kayak the narrows. The park has 6 miles of shoreline.
Learn more ↗
Brundage Mountain
Ski in winter, chairlift rides and mountain biking in summer. $25 for a scenic lift ticket. The view from the summit spans 3 mountain ranges.
Learn more ↗Pack for McCall
Trail & waterfall kit
Curated for waterfalls, trails, and summit days in McCall.
Lightweight hiking daypack
Room for layers, snacks, and the camera, without weighing you down.
See price on Amazon →Insulated water bottle
Cold water past the last switchback, hot coffee at the overlook.
See price on Amazon →Waterproof hiking boots
Grippy and dry through creek crossings and muddy gorge trails.
See price on Amazon →Rechargeable headlamp
For early trailheads and that one hike that ran long.
See price on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, book2escape earns from qualifying purchases.
Where to eat
My Father's Place
In a 1910 hotel. The prime rib and the huckleberry margarita are the orders. Open year-round, reservations recommended.
Pancake House & Christmas Shop
Breakfast all day and a year-round Christmas store. The huckleberry pancakes are the move.
Most reviewed on Yelp
The most-reviewed restaurants in McCall. A solid indicator of where locals actually eat.
McCall Brewing Company
American
Frenchie's On 3rd
Burgers
My Father's Place
American
Review counts and ratings are curated from Yelp and may change over time.
Go even deeper
Side trips near McCall
Once you've settled into McCall, these nearby towns are close enough to fold into the same weekend without moving your basecamp.
20 min from McCall
Donnelly
20 minutes south, the gateway to Tamarack Resort and Cascade Lake's quieter southern shore, with a couple of breweries and a farmers market in summer.
30 min from McCall
Cascade
30 minutes south on ID-55, the bigger lake town, with Cascade Lake access, a state park, and the quiet family-beach alternative to McCall.
On the calendar
Coming up in McCall
Events happening in town, refreshed weekly.
Refreshed weekly
Dec 6
McCall Music Society Christmas Concert
Mccall · McCall
Enjoy festive seasonal classics performed live by local vocalists and orchestral musicians. This holiday tradition makes a wonderful centerpiece for a winter weekend retreat to Payette Lake.
Getting there
Drive logistics
From Boise, take ID-55 North. ~100 miles, about 2.5 hours. The drive through the Payette River Canyon is the scenic part. Winter requires snow tires or chains.
Drive time
2 hr 30 min
Best time
June–October or January–March
Questions & Answers
McCall weekend FAQ
McCall is about 100 miles from Boise, roughly a 2.5-hour drive via ID-55 North through the Payette River Canyon.
Payette Lake, the Winter Carnival ice sculptures, Brundage Mountain ski area, and Ponderosa State Park.
Summer (June to October) for the lake and hiking, or winter (January to March) for skiing and the Winter Carnival.
Yes. At 2 hours, McCall is the best lake weekend from Boise, with Payette Lake, a walkable downtown, and nearby hot springs, good for both summer lake life and the winter ice carnival.
Late January through early February. The carnival features snow sculptures, fireworks, and a parade, and lodging books out months ahead for those two weekends.
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