Home to 18 ski destinations, Idaho offers endless opportunities for fresh powdery play; but did you know 11 of these properties also claim an array of outdoor activities when there’s no snow on the ground? Showcasing everything from mountain biking, ziplining and other pulse-raising thrills to disc golf, horseback riding and other family-friendly activities, here’s a roundup of all you can see and do at the Gem State’s ski areas during summer. Pack your sunglasses and sunscreen and get ready for some mountain-high adventure!
Glade Runner Mountain Coaster, Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, near Boise. Photo Credit: Idaho Tourism.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area | Boise
Biking & Hiking
20+ miles of cross-country and lift-served downhill trails with access to Ridge to Rivers trail system (190 miles of singletrack)
Thrills
Twist and turn across 4,330 feet of terrain on Idaho’s only mountain coaster, the Glade Runner
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • Summer tubing • Bungee trampoline • Summer tubing hill • Climbing wall • Gem mining • Nine-hole disc golf course
Food & Drink
Double R Ranch BBQ Smokehouse (outdoor grill with beer, wine and a full bar) • The Burrito Shack (high-altitude food truck featuring tacos, tamales, wraps and signature cocktails)
Mountain biking, Brundage Mountain Resort, McCall. Photo Credit: Brundage Mountain.
Brundage Mountain Resort | McCall
Biking & Hiking
30 miles of cross-country and lift-served downhill trails
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • Nine-hole disc golf course
Food & Drink
Smoky’s Bar & Grill (elevated pub food with a full bar and an expansive deck overlooking the base area)
Grand Targhee Ski Resort | near Driggs
Biking & Hiking
70+ miles of multi-use trails across 2,200 vertical feet • 17 miles of downhill trails • Guided hikes
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • Bungee trampoline • Climbing wall • 18-hole disc golf course • Gem & fossil mining • Kids summer camp • Nature center • Outdoor swimming pool • Yoga • Agents of Discovery geo-location mobile game
Food & Drink
Snorkel’s Café (breakfast, lunch and grab & go items) • The Branding Iron (upscale casual plates, beer, wine and cocktails) • General Store (grab & go deli selections and sundries)
Kelly Canyon Ski Resort | Ririe
Biking & Hiking
19 miles of trails • Pump track • Jump park
Thrills
Ziplining
Family Friendly
Free summer concert series
Food & Drink
Food Truck Fridays
Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area | Mullan
Biking & Hiking
5 top-to-bottom trails • Route of the Hiawatha rail-to-trail
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • 9-hole disc golf course • Huckleberry picking (August-September)
Food & Drink
International food court (cafeteria-style grill and deli) • The Loft (classic pub fare and draft beer)
Pomerelle Mountain Resort, Malta. Photo Credit: Local Freshies.
Pomerelle Mountain Resort | Malta
Biking & Hiking
5 top-to-bottom trails
Family Friendly
18-hole disc golf course
Schweitzer | Sandpoint
Biking & Hiking
40+ mountain bike trails (1,700 vertical feet) with access to Little Sand Creek Basin trail system (4,000 vertical feet of singletrack) • Hosted e-bike tours
Thrills
Dual (side by side) ziplining
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • 9-hole disc golf course • Horseback riding • Rock climbing • Bungee trampoline • Sluice box • Huckleberry picking (late summer) • Adventure Camp (ages 6-10) • Kids crafts and party pails • Geocaching • Lawn games
Food & Drink
Chimney Rock Grill (casual dining with full bar, beer and wine) • Cabinet Mountain Coffee (café with grab-and-go snacks)
Silver Mountain Resort | Kellogg
Biking & Hiking
39 lift-served trails across 3,400 vertical feet
Family Friendly
Scenic gondola rides on North America’s longest gondola • Silver Rapids indoor water park • Galena Ridge nine-hole golf course
Food & Drink
Mountain Café & Catering (coffee, breakfast and mountain biking dinner tours) • Mountain House Grill (cafeteria-style dining)
Soldier Mountain Ski Area | Fairfield
Biking & Hiking
9.2 miles of downhill across five trails • Skills park
Family Friendly
New 9-hole disc golf course opening summer 2022
Food & Drink
Restaurant and bar serving up burgers, street tacos and more
Bald Mountain | Sun Valley Resort
Biking & Hiking
Nearly 400 miles of singletrack across 3,100+ vertical feet
Family Friendly
Horseback riding • Ice skating shows • Tennis • Pickleball • Swimming pools • Outdoor concerts • Kids Adventure Camp • Fly-fishing • 3 golf courses • Spa
Food & Drink
Konditorei (coffee, pastries and fast-casual dining) • Village Station (pub fare) • The Ram (elegant dining) • Sun Valley Club (lunch favorites) • Gretchen’s (lunch and dinner classics) • The Roundhouse (sandwiches, salads and lighter fare)
Dining, Tamarack Resort, near Donnelly. Photo Credit: Sherri Harkin.
Tamarack Resort | near Donnelly
Biking & Hiking
20 lift-served trails across 1,700 vertical feet • Pump track • Jump park • Guided hikes
Thrills
Zipline canopy tours across 3,500 feet of terrain • Guided whitewater rafting trips
Family Friendly
Scenic chairlift rides • Watersports (kayak, canoe, SUP, pontoon, wake/surf boats, Jet Ski) on Lake Cascade • Two disc-golf courses (18- & 9-hole) • Regulation outdoor axe-throwing arena (ages 12+) • Pickleball • Yoga on the mountain • Spa
Food & Drink
The Rendezvous (indoor food hall with diner favorites and hand-tossed pizzas) • The Reserve (upscale-casual restaurant) • Village Market (grab & go deli selections and sundries) • Clearwater Coffee Co. (coffee & pastries)
No matter which Idaho ski area you add to your summer vacation itinerary, you’ll be sure to find new memories waiting on every adventure. Before you visit, check your destination’s website for up-to-date operating hours and visitor information.
Feature image credited to Idaho Tourism.
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Published on December 13, 2021
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