The Payette River Scenic Byway meanders through foothills, mountain valleys, canyons, forests, and wide-open valleys with expansive vistas. Visit Lake Cascade, with its beauty and wildlife, and enjoy Payette Lake among the mountains and trees. Easy access to rafting, kayaking, camping, and fishing make this a trip for everyone.
- Length
- 112 mi / 180.2 km
- Time to allow
- 2.5 hours to drive or 2 days to experience the entire byway
- Fees
- Expect to pay fees at the various attractions along the way.
Who looks after this road
- Donnelly Chamber of Commerce · 208-325-4166
- Cascade Chamber of Commerce · 208-382-3833
We publish 7 places that sit on this road, listed in the order you meet them. This is not a route and not a drive time — it is the names, so you can put them into whatever navigation you already use.
“Off” is a straight line from the place to the road, rounded. It is not a driving distance, and the road itself is a simplified centre line, so treat a mile or two as noise.
Tamarack ResortID3 miles offSki or bike
Lodging resort above Lake Cascade
- Kind
- Ski Areas
Lake CascadeID2 miles offLake
reservoir
- Swimming
- Lake swimming listed among park amenities
- Boating
- Six boat ramps with life jacket loaner stations
- Fishing
- yes - rainbow trout, perch, coho salmon, smallmouth bass
- Camping
- 279 campsites in 10 campgrounds; group camps and yurts
- Season
- Park open year round; winter camping only in boat-launch lots
- Cost
- $7 per vehicle or Idaho State Parks Passport
Bogus BasinID9 miles off
No guide of our own yet — the name is here so you can find it.
Bogus BasinID9 miles offSki or bike
Nonprofit Boise hill; extensive night skiing
- Kind
- Ski Areas
- Bike park in summer
- Summer bike park
BoiseID8 miles off
In our guide: 3 lakes · 3 animal attractions
Zoo BoiseID8 miles offAnimals
In Julia Davis Park
- Hours
- 10–5, last entry 4 (day shown)
- Season
- year-round
Roaring Springs Water ParkID7 miles offFun park
season mid-May to mid-Sept; 2026 passes sold
- Season
- Seasonal