If you're looking for an amazing RV escape near Boise in Idaho, you'll find one at Lucky Peak Lake. It's hard to believe such a tranquil spot exists only a twenty-minute drive away from the Idaho state capital, but it does. Lucky Peak Lake is a reservoir created when the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Lucky Peak Dam back in the 1950s. The twelve-mile-long stretch of water nestles between a range of foothills in southwest Idaho at an altitude of over three thousand feet. It's the perfect spot to park your RV for fishing, swimming, boating and water sports or just to have a serious chill out away from the city stress and bustle.
Lucky Peake Lake is bordered in parts by the Lucky Peak State Park. There's lots of wildlife in the area so keeping a pair of binoculars close at hand is a must-do. You could be fortunate enough to spot bald and golden eagles as well as smaller red-tailed hawks. If you're an avid bird watcher you'll definitely want to make a visit to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Park which is just a one hour drive from Lucky Peak Lake. If you're a keen walker or cyclist or want to take a drive through some scenic countryside, head to the Boise National Forest. There you'll discover two and a half million acres of incredible forested landscape to spend some great outdoor time in.
You'll be heading for the hills when you leave the suburbs of Boise behind and motor in your RV towards Lucky Peak Lake on the I84. It's a brief ten-mile drive during which you'll need to take the junction onto highway 21 and head north. The US Army Corps of Engineers campground at Lucky Peak Lake is located four and a half miles off H21 along Arrow Rock Road. You'll find it's a steady drive with a few twists and turns as you start to climb higher and higher.
If you've been camping out in the Sawtooth National Forest or visiting the hot springs in Featherville, you can either take the three and a half hour route through the mountains, it's a more challenging but very scenic drive, or take the shorter two-hour drive along highway 20 and the I84 to get to Lucky Peak Lake. If you do take the shorter route, don't worry, there'll still be plenty to see as you'll be driving along the borders of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Park. Once you've arrived at the COE campground at Lucky Peak Lake, you'll find there are no internal roads to contend with. All you need to do is pull into your pitch and park.
Macks Creek Park is a first-come-first-served campground and day-use site at Lucky Peak Lake. Campsites are very limited, there are in fact only fifteen pitches and amenities are primitive or better said, non-existent. What the park lacks in facilities, you'll soon find is greatly compensated by the tranquillity and unbeatable lake views. Stock up well before you go as the nearest stores are a ten-mile drive away.
On the plus side - the site is hosted during the open season and there are public use grills and fire rings. If you roll up in your RV at the Macks Creek Park and find all the campsites have been taken, you won't have far to go to find another pitch. There are over seventy campgrounds in the nearby Boise National Forest.
Boise National Forest is an immense wilderness just begging to be explored. The forest has over five hundred multi-use trails for hiking, cycling and horse riding as well as more than two-hundred lakes, so don't expect to see it all in one day. If you enjoy rafting or canoeing over whitewater, you can do just that on the Payette River which surges during springtime. Beautiful scenery is everywhere you look and your eyes won't tire of the awe-inspiring pine and fir-covered peaks.
Lucky Peak State Park is a two-hundred and forty acre public recreational area right next to Lucky Peak Lake. If you travelling with your dog, take them to the Discovery Park. The Boise River runs through the park and there they can enjoy an off-leash swim. For families, not pets, Sandy Point has a good stretch of beach with water jets and toys. If you want to go boating but don't have a craft, you'll find boat rentals and water sports equipment for hire at Spring Shores Marina.
Located along the Boise River, the Boise Whitewater Park is an area of the river which has been adapted to cater for fans of whitewater sports. There you can surf, kayak or canoe over fast-flowing rapids or paddle board around Quinn's Pond. There are urban surf related activities every day as well as SUP yoga classes. Many whitewater events are held in the park throughout the year.
One way to see as much of the stunningly scenic Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Park as possible is to drive the fifty-six mile long loop route which runs around the park. There are lots of places to park up and get out of your vehicle to view an innumerable number of different species of raptors, birds, mammals and reptiles. There are also multiple opportunities in the park for hiking, cycling and horse riding.
If you want to take a swim with the beauty of nature all around, you'll find a swim beach at Robie Creek. The authorised swim area is marked by a string of buoys to prevent accidents as Robie Creek is also a popular spot for boating. It's also idyllic for paddle boarding. The location is serenity itself. There is a small day-use area with picnic tables and primitive vault toilets at Robie Creek. Parking there is limited.
If visiting the Lucky Peak State Park is on your RV vacation agenda, take your bicycle. In the park you can join the twenty-five mile long Boise River Greenbelt. While you may not want to cycle all the way back to downtown Boise, that's where the asphalted trail terminates, there's a lot to see along the way. Stop off at the MK Nature Center which has underwater observatories for viewing aquatic life or for a refreshing drink at one of the restaurants at Brown's Crossing.
