An Underrated Idaho City Exudes 'Wild West' Energy With Hot Springs, Unique Shops, And Tasty Food

Buried in the evergreens of Boise National Forest, the wood-paneled walls of Idaho City have slowly succumbed to the passage of time. There are no longer swaggering gunslingers falling from the doors of the rusted old saloons, no more optimistic fortune-seekers arriving to sift gold from the bed of a river. The town's glory days as one of the first of Idaho's boomtowns are long since lost, and the town was entirely tied to the great gold-mining rush that ran through the Boise Basin in the 19th century. The mini mountainous metropolis was home to 30,000 to 40,000 inhabitants at the start of the 1860s according to Britannica. That number dropped to just 1,000 by 1869. Abandoned by thousands of miners and deformed by fire and decay, the city sat for a century as a relic of bygone riches. Today, the city has regained its vitality, though not its population. (Current census statistics place it at fewer than 500 people.) By preserving its historic buildings and keeping their Western vibe, Idaho City has become a timeless beauty reminiscent of the Wild West days gone by.

Less than an hour from the underrated city of Boise, Idaho City is straightforward for travelers to access (as long as they have a car). The two cities are connected by the picturesque Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, a road that winds around the Sawtooth Foothills and is flanked by dense green forest. Boise itself is connected via direct flights to 27 different U.S. destinations, with planes landing daily at Boise Airport.

Idaho City hasn't been turned into a historic park for tourists like some gold rush boomtowns, but there's still plenty of history to learn. As you stroll between the aged, free-standing stores that line the antique lanes of Idaho City, pay attention to the dates painted over the doors. Preserved by the Idaho City Historical Foundation, buildings are still stamped with their 19th-century construction dates. The foundation's three museums add fact to the fantasy the Wild West setting inspires. Visit the Boise Basin Museum, situated within a 150-plus-year-old building, where faded photographs, antique tools, and artifacts tell the tale of Idaho City and its place within the wider Boise Basin.

Outdoorsy travelers should head out to explore the Boise Basin for themselves. There are several hikes trailing around mountainous Idaho City, with several options that only take a short spurt of adventurous energy. Take a leisurely but scenic 1.8-mile stroll around the Buena Vista Loop, dedicate a couple of hours to the sloping 2-mile Charcoal Gulch Trail, or while away an afternoon on the ridges and riverbanks of the 9-mile Crooked River Trail. Recover from your woodland excursion at the Springs Resort, a forest retreat replete with rejuvenating hot tubs and geothermal pools fed by a natural hot spring. You can book a soak in the hot springs for a 2.5-hour period for a reasonable price.

Don't skip a trip to an old-fashioned saloon on a Wild West adventure in Idaho City. Follow the crowds of local punters to the Gold Mine Grill & Saloon, where casual live music rings out around an open-air fire pit. Order a heaping portion of generously basted barbecue or stick to cold beer and stiff whiskey while watching the locals sway along to country staples. For an even more authentic experience in an old-timey saloon, head instead to Diamond Lil's, a museum, saloon, and steakhouse wrapped into one. The wooden bar and hanging historic relics are lit by a low red light — grab a stool, order a drink, and listen to clacking pool balls punctuating the jukebox's country playlist. Before you leave town, make sure you stop at the top-rated restaurant in town on Tripadvisor, Trudy's Kitchen, for a slice of huckleberry pie.

If you're seeking slightly more formal fare, test out contemporary spins on Western cuisine at Arrowleaf. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and offers brunch Friday to Sunday. With an elevated ambiance that conserves its rustic charm, the restaurant's elegant atmosphere pairs well with a glass of Idaho wine (probably produced in Idaho's exceptional wine region, the Snake River Valley). A souvenir bottle of red might not quite sum up a wild vacation in the American West, but Idaho City's plentiful shopping options will do the trick. Outdoorsmen can peruse leather goods, beaver pelts, and carved knives at Path of Tradition or pick up local, handcrafted trinkets under the old-timey awning of Idaho City Trading Post. Even if you don't buy any souvenirs to take home with you, it's well-worth going to Idaho City to wander its historic streets and look at the preserved storefronts.