Looking for the best places to paddle in Boise?
We are Boise locals and will share all of our best places to paddle in Idaho’s capital city.
We paddle out in the world. So, of course, we love to paddle in our own backyard. With a river running right through the middle of the city and several bodies of water in our city parks, Boise is a great city to paddle.
Read on for our 5 Best Places to Paddle in Boise.
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#1 of the Best Places to Paddle in Boise: Esther Simplot Park
Esther Simplot Park is an expansive 55-acre park with over 23 ponds for fishing, swimming, and wading. One of the key features of the Esther Simplot park is this string of ponds, Esther Pond I and II.
The two Ether ponds connect to each other and then to Quinn’s Pond to create a 50-acre circuit for paddling.
There is really no better place to spend the day paddling in Boise, especially if you are new to paddling. The flat water makes it perfect for inexperienced paddlers. Or if you are just out to spend some time in the sun and paddle a little, then Esther Simplot Ponds are your place.
Location of Esther Simplot Park
From the Idaho Capitol Building, Esther Simplot Park is an 8-minute drive from downtown Boise. There is a fair amount of parking at Esther Simplot Park. But be aware that on a hot weekend day in July, you will need to arrive fairly early to get a spot.
#2 of the Best Places to Paddle in Boise: Bernadine Quinn’s Riverside Pond
Just next door to Esther Simplot Park and Pond is Quinn’s Park and Pond. This 31-acre park holds a local favorite, Quinn’s Pond.
The pond covers 21 acres and is open to all kinds of paddling: kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, canoes, kayaks, and pretty much any small craft.
We love to kayak there, but the most popular form of paddling these days is the standup paddle board (SUP).The park is located right next to the greenbelt and has small canoe docks.
Location of Bernandine Quinn’s Riverside Park
Quinn’s Park is located just north of the Boise River between Fairview Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway. There is a parking lot just off 31st Street, which is the closest parking to the pond.
Of course, since Quinn and Esther are connected, you can park at the Esther Simplot Park. However, if there isn’t parking available at Esther, we recommend trying the parking lot off of 31st as it is less known and often, less busy.
#3 of the Best Places to Paddle in Boise: Boise Whitewater Park
Adjacent to Quinn’s Pond is the Boise Whitewater Park. The Whitewater park has two phases. The adjustable wave of Phase 1 is open to all modes of surfing and paddling.
The park does have a schedule. Four days a week the park has green wave days, which are more conducive to surfing; while three days are wave/hole days for kayaking.
Phase 2 of the Whitewater park is downstream closer to Esther Simplot Ponds. Here the wave feature is set for expert paddlers. If that doesn’t describe you, the area also has in-river boulders for intermediate use and river use above the wave for beginner use.
Renting for Esther and Quinn’s Pond and the Whitewater Park
As locals, we bring our gear, but if you need to rent to paddle either Esther or Quinn’s Pond, Idaho River Sports is conveniently located between the two ponds.
Idaho River Sport has the largest supplies in the region. But to say this is a popular spot in Boise to get your paddle on is an understatement. So plan to get your gear early or call ahead to reserve.
The cost to rent is $25.00 for the first hour and $5.00 for each additional hour.
#4 of the Best Places to Paddle in Boise: the Boise River
On a hot summer day, there is nothing like floating the Boise River. Why floating in inflatable tubes is the lazy person’s way to spend the day, lots of people (including us) also spend time on the river paddling kayaks and SUPs.
Paddlers put into the Boise River at Barber Park and paddle approximately 6 miles to the pull out at Ann Morrison Park. The paddle takes 2-3 hours.
And allows you to experience how the river is truly the heart of Boise as you paddle past the Idaho Shakespeare Festival grounds, Downtown Boise, and Boise State University.
The Boise River is only open for a limited time in the summer for floating and paddling. Depending on the snow melt, it typically opens in mid-June and remains open until the end of August or first of September.
Logistics of Paddling the Boise River
If you don’t have someone running shuttle for you, you will want to grab a seat on the Boise River Raft and Tube Shuttle bus. Boise River Raft and Tube, located at Barber Park, who runs the shuttle is the same company who rents kayaks and rafts.
The tickets for the shuttle bus are only $3 and are available to purchase where you rent gear or can be purchased (cash only) on the shuttle.
Shuttles run continuously Monday-Thursday 1 p.m.-8 p.m., Friday 1 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-9 p.m.
Parking at Barber Park or Ann Morrison Park
We recommend parking at Ann Morrison and then taking the shuttle to Barber Park where you can rent gear and then start your float back to your car. Alternatively, there is parking at Barber Park so you can park there, float, and then shuttle back to your car.
Be aware that parking at Barber is very limited and does cost $7 per vehicle. Parking at Ann Morrison is free and while there is more parking, you may have to walk a bit further to get to the shuttle pick-up point.
Two ideas to help with the parking congestion is to get dropped off at Barber Park or to ride a bike out to Barber and make a full day of it.
Renting Kayaks for the Boise River
If you don’t have your own gear, you can rent at Boise River Raft and Tube. Just like Esther Park, the rental shop is right next to the water at the put-in at Barber Park.
The cost to rent a kayak for 3 hours (i.e. the time it will take you to paddle the river) is $50. But be aware that Boise Raft and Rental does take a deposit.
Boise River Raft and Tube does not rent SUPs at this time. However, one of the great things about renting from the Boise Raft and River is after you are done paddling, you can simply pull your kayak out of the water, walk it to their shuttle pick-up spot (and gear return) and they will take it from there.
Or if you would prefer to experience the Boise River with a guide managing all the details of gear and where to go, there is a tour to paddle the Boise river. The tour starts in Garden City, a suburb right next to Boise, and takes you to the best swimming holes and wildlife spotting places on the river.
#5 of the Best Places to Paddle in Boise: Lucky Peak Reservoir
Lucky Peak Reservoir is a 10-minute drive or a 30-minute bike ride from Downtown Boise. Known to locals as just “Lucky Peak,” the lake is perfect for a day of padding. The lake has two main areas: Discovery Park and Sandy Point.
While these two areas are technically connected like Esther and Quinn’s Pond, we like to list them separately because they have a slightly different vibe.
Discovery Park
Where the Boise River touches the water of Lucky Peak is Discovery Park. The park has some lovely shade and picnic spots. But more than that, Discovery Park is an excellent flat area to spend a day paddling.
Paddlers should enter the river at the west point of Discovery Park. From there, many like to paddle up toward Sandy Point and the Boise River Diversion Dam.
While Boise has many beautiful outdoor spots, paddlers here are treated to the Black Cliffs. Made of volcanic columnar basalt, the Black Cliffs are well-known by climbers in the area.
So a paddle here gives you a great vantage point.
Sandy Point
At the base of the dam is Sandy Point. This 34-acre area has all the things you need for a day at the lake: a great beach, easy access to the water, spots for picnics and even some sand volleyball courts. Sandy Point also has a disc-golf course.
Sandy Point is a particularly great place for families to paddle. The water here is so flat and the bay keeps younger kids always in view.
Please know that no hard bottom boats are allowed in Sandy Point. We have inflatable kayaks and those are all good. But if you have a hardshell kayak, you’ll want to skip Sandy Point and head down to Discovery Park.
Do I Need A Parking Pass for Lucky Peak?
Lucky Peak is a 10-15 minute drive from downtown Boise. The easiest route is on Warm Springs Avenue. Because Lucky Peak is part of a state park, if you drive you do need to pay the $7 motor vehicle entry fee or have an Idaho State Park passport sticker.
Where to Rent at Lucky Peak
Paddleboard Idaho is at Sandy Point beach. Don’t let the name sound like a limitation. Paddleboard Idaho rents both SUPs and kayaks. They charge $20 for the first hour and $5 each additional hour.
Paddleboard Idaho also has some delicious shaved ice. So plan for a little of that before or after you paddle.
New To Paddling, What to Bring
Here is our list of must-haves for a day paddling in Boise
- A life vest. Idaho Code requires that all people on watercraft have a life jacket. And yes a SUP is considered a watercraft. If you are over 14, you don’t have to be wearing it, but you do need to have it accessible on the craft.
- Sunscreen. Yes, there are mountains all around us, but don’t be fooled. Boise is a high desert climate. Definitely apply that sunscreen.
- Water. See our disclaimer above.
- A Water-Proof bag. For those keys, your phone, your money, a waterproof bag is a must. Even a really good ziplock bag can do in a pinch
- Water shoes. We are big fans of the Chacos. And our summer Chaco tan is our proof.
- And finally, if you are bringing an inflatable kayak or SUP, an air pump.
Paddling in Idaho
Outside of the city of Boise, Idaho has lots of places to paddle, including the North Fork of the Payette River, Lake Cascade and Payette Lake and Little Payette in McCall.
If you are looking for a unique Idaho experience, we recommend kayaking or paddle boarding Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls. Located on the Snake River, Shoshone Falls is known as the “Niagara of the West.” You can rent gear from Awol Adventure and paddle on your own or take a guided kayak tour. The tour starts with a boat ride so you don’t have to paddle the entire way to the falls.
But for now, we hope our guide for wear to paddle in our hometown of Boise, Idaho gets you out and on the water in our hometown.
Boise is our hometown so we have lots of ideas for how to experience this great city in the Pacific Northwest. If you are in Boise in the Spring, you should definitely come to Boise’s Music Festival, Treefort.
If you are here in summer or fall, we definitely recommend a bike ride and have the complete list of Boise urban bike rides. Or if you are here in the winter, Boise has one of the best budget ski resorts in Idaho.
However, Boise isn’t the only place we love to paddle. If you love to discover new places in a kayak, you should check out our most popular post on how to paddle the Wailea River in Kauai without a Guide.
We’ve also used kayaking as an alternative to way to experience a popular destination. One of our favorite paddling experiences was exploring the canals of Venice on kayaks.
