11 Epic Things to do in McCall, Idaho in the Summer

Set amid mountains, McCall Idaho feels like the land of lakes and rivers. This fun and adventurous corner of Idaho is an amazing year-round destination and a great place for a week of summer fun. We spent one week in McCall in the summer of 2021 and packed our days full of sunshine and adventure. Check out our list of epic things to do in McCall in the summer.

See the other places we visited on our one-month US road trip.

Quick Look at Things to do in McCall, Idaho

Best Time to Visit McCall Idaho

McCall is a year-round adventure destination. In the summer you can visit for biking, hiking, and enjoying the lake. The short summer is dry with temperatures in the low 70s. Winter is also a great time to visit with average high temperatures in the upper 30s and lows in the teens. Winter is a great time to visit for skiing and winter sports. The list of things to do in McCall listed here are focused on visiting in the summer.

Map of Mccall, Idaho Things to Do

McCall Idaho Things to Do

Hiking

McCall is a great hiking destination and there are many trails in the areas. Most of the trails have easy footing with flat trails that wander through pine forests. A few of the best hikes include:

• Josephine Lake
• Deep Lake
• Boulder Lake
• Box Lake
• Goose Creek Falls
• Ponderosa State Park

We especially loved hiking down to Goose Creek Falls, which we did with our entire family including kids, grandparents, uncles, and more. The last part of the hike to the falls is pretty steep, but it’s worth it!

White Water Rafting

There are lots of options for white water rafting near McCall, Idaho. We spent a day rafting out of Riggins, Idaho with Mountain River Outfitters. We loved this activity and Hadley had so much fun sitting up front all day and getting knocked around. Our guide was wonderful.

The river trip we did included level 2-4 rapids and the valley was beautiful and the water was cold! This is the exact rafting trip that we did and we highly recommended it.

Rent a Boat

With so many lakes around, the McCall area is the perfect place to rent a boat and get out on the water for the day. There are many options for McCall boat rentals on the different lakes and you can find kayaks, paddleboards, and motorboat rentals. We rented a pontoon boat for the day on Cascade Lake and my daughter also spent a day kayaking with her grandfather.

On our day on the water, we tubed and spent time just swimming and jumping off the boat.

Bike Riding

McCall is a great place to bike. We spent some time almost everyday mountain biking. We stayed outside of McCall in Tamarack Resort where there are a lot of trails and road rides. You can also get passes to the chairlifts to do some downhill biking.

There are lots of local bike trails, including Ponderosa State Park. We did the big loop around the park one afternoon and enjoyed the ride and views of the lake.

Rock Climbing

McCall is a rock climbing hot spot and there are several options for climbing. You can check out climbing options on the Mountain Project. We climbed at the Thinking Spot as a family and enjoyed the views and getting to see the views out towards the lake while we climbed.

Visit Hot Springs, McCall, Idaho

Mccall is home to several amazing hot springs. Some of these are natural springs and some are more developed. All the springs offer a place for a warm soak to relax! There is s small fee to visit several of these hot springs as well. Here are a few of the local hot springs to check out on your next visit:

• Gold Fork Hot Springs
• Bergdorf Hot Springs
• Mundo Hot Springs
• Trail Creek Hot Springs
• Council Mountain

Sunset Cruise on Payette Lake

Lake Payette is located right next to McCall and is a beautiful lake to get out on for sunset. Check out McCall Lake Cruises which offers several options for cruises that also sometimes include live music.

Explore Ponderosa State Park

Ponderosa State Park is located right outside of McCall and is a beautiful place to hike, bike, and explore. You can drive into part of the park and access the trails from here. You can also camp at Ponderosa State Park and can rent canoes or kayaks here. In the winter you can nordic ski and snowshoe at Ponderosa State Park.

Go Zip Lining

During one of the days at Tamarack Resort, my 13-year-olds and their uncle went zip lining. They have a large zip-lining set up with 3,500 feet of zip lining and it was voted Idaho’s number one zip lining experience. This is where they did their zip-lining tour.

Eat out in downtown McCall Idaho

Downtown McCall is a fun place to explore. There are several excellent restaurants and we enjoyed getting ice cream at Ice Cream Alley. McCall can easily get crowded (especially on summer weekends), so you may want to make a reservation.

Swim in one of the lakes

Have we mentioned all the lakes? Lake Payette and Cascade Lake are both large with beaches and plenty of places to explore and jump in. Set aside some time for relaxing or simply end each day with a jump in the lake.

Bonus Activity in McCall: Go Horseback Riding

The one thing my 9-year-old wanted to do on our month-long US road trip was to go horseback riding. I found several options along the way, but decided to go while we were in McCall. We booked a several-hour ride with Ya Hoo Coral. This was a great ride and plenty of time on the trail for two non-horse riding folks! I loved that we got up into the hills with views out over some of the lakes.

Other fun activities to try in McCall, Idaho include golfing, disc golf, and fly fishing

How to Get to McCall, Idaho

McCall is easy to get to with well-maintained roads. Here are a few driving distances to and from popular destinations.

• Boise, Idaho to McCall, Idaho: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• McCall, Idaho to Ketchum, Idaho: 4 hours and 30 minutes
• Portland Oregon to McCall, Idaho: 9 hours

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