Dreaming of a winter wonderland vacation in the US? McCall, Idaho will not let you down! It snowed the entire time we were there, but not so much that it prevented us from doing any activities. It was honestly perfect.
What to do
Snowmobiling
Nothing screams winter wonderland like snowmobiling through evergreens dusted with fresh snow. We rented snowmobiles from Cheap Thrills Rentals, which is only a few minutes drive from Shore Lodge. They have 4-hour, 5-hour, 7-hour, and overnight rental windows for both single and double snowmobiles. We scheduled a 4-hour reservation for one day of our trip once we were already in McCall and they had something available for us. We rented a double seater snowmobile, helmet, and purchased a balaclava as it was so cold.
Cheap Thrills Rentals have the snowmobiles all set up at the launch point from Francis Wallace parking lot and give a quick overview of using the snowmobiles before taking off, we just had to drive there in our rental car. The 4 hours was plenty of time for us to make it to Secesh Stage Stop and back, which is a bar and grill accessible only by snowmobile, snow bike, or vehicle with tracks in the winter. The 27 mile ride up was beautiful, and when we got there we had what seemed like the best grilled cheese and tater tots ever. It’s just a nice, quaint stop that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. We had an early launch time and didn’t feel like the trail was too packed, but always be cautious and mindful of others on the trails.
Snowmobiling Destinations
Some other destination options are Burgdorf Hot Springs and Warren. Burgdorf Hot Springs is of course a natural hot spring, sure to be an excellent adventure, but don’t forget to make a reservation before going. It’s about a 23 mile ride from Francis Wallace parking lot to the hot springs.
Warren is a historic ghost mining town with a restaurant called The Baum Shelter where you can relax and have a bite to eat after the ride, they also have fuel and lodging options. Secesh Stage Stop is about halfway between Francis Wallace parking lot and Warren.
Natural Hot Springs
- Gold Fork Hot Springs – 24 miles from Shore Lodge
- Burgdorf Hot Springs – 30 miles from Shore Lodge
We didn’t make it to the hot springs on our trip, but I found the two above to be the closest to McCall and would’ve fit it in if we could! However, if you’re going in the winter, be sure to check that roads and the springs are open before starting your journey.
Snowshoeing
We rented snowshoes through the concierge at Shore Lodge for a day hike at Ponderosa State Park. It was so nice being able to pick up the snowshoes in the hotel lobby the morning that we needed them, and just load up in the car to head to the park. Ponderosa State Park is a short 2.5 miles from Shore Lodge with multiple trails of varying difficulty. The views are gorgeous here as well since the park is on Payette Lake. We were lucky enough to go out on a day when there were sunny, blue skies.
There are also cross-country skiing trails if that’s more your thing.
Spa Day
The perfect end to a winter trip in McCall is definitely a day spent at The Cove at Shore Lodge. They offer a variety of spa services including massages, facials, body wraps, and scrubs. We indulged in a full body followed by a soak in their private hot springs. They have both an indoor and outdoor heated pool to enjoy after your services, as well as a steam room. You can even have food delivered from The Cutwater while you’re there. I would highly recommend relaxing in the outdoor pool during winter, it’s incredibly dreamy especially during snow flurries.
Where to stay
We stayed at Shore Lodge which sits on Payette Lake and we couldn’t have been happier with it. They offer a variety of room types including standard, lake view, executive suites, and even cottages – perfect if you have a large group. We stayed in a lake view room and it was absolutely magical – it included a king bed, sitting room with a sleeper sofa, large bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the lake of course. The room was plenty spacious for the two of us, but would comfortably work for a family of four as well! It snowed most of the time we were there, so there was a stunning blanket of white snow covering the frozen lake, I’d never seen anything like it.
There is a heated pool and hot tub that overlook the lake as well, we took full advantage even in the snow. Wear the hotel robes out along with your boots and it’s a perfect way to pass the time. Shore Lodge also has a movie theater room that you can use and choose from a variety of their movies.
It’s also worth mentioning that they offer valet service, which we fully appreciated as Floridians in the never-ending snow. All the staff at Shore Lodge were very friendly, too.
Hotel McCall is another lodging option that is on Payette Lake, only 1 mile from Shore Lodge and closer to the main road with shops and dining.
Where to eat
- The Narrows Steakhouse is a fine dining restaurant at Shore Lodge and is priced accordingly, but is definitely a quality spot. The dinner menu has something for everyone – we ate there twice and got the tenderloin steak both times, it did not disappoint. We still dream about their house steak sauce, it’s honestly the best we’ve ever had and now compare everything to it (nothing has lived up so far). They also have a huge selection of wine to pair with your meal. I’d suggest making a reservation through OpenTable if wanting to dine here.
- The Cutwater on Payette Lake the more casual dining option at Shore Lodge and is also tasty. We really enjoyed the French Dip here for lunch more than once, but the breakfast and dinner menus have good options too. Plus it doesn’t require venturing out into the cold.
- The Bar off of the lobby at Shore Lodge is a nice place to relax and enjoy the views with a drink or bite from their limited menu. We found ourselves here in the late afternoon after the days’ activities, looking out at Payette Lake. We even saw some otters playing in the snow-covered lake from here.
- Alpine Pantry and Provisions LLC is a delicious breakfast spot and really close to Shore Lodge. They’re also open for lunch and have a decent size menu.
- There’s also an Albertson’s grocery store in town.
How to get around
We flew into the Boise Airport (BOI) and rented a car to drive to McCall, which is a 2-3 hour drive (113 miles). We were advised to check the weather the day of our return flight in case of any road closures, so keep that in mind. I’d say a car is necessary to explore all that McCall has to offer, especially in the winter.
When to visit
We visited McCall the last week of January and could not have asked for better weather. The winter months seem to be December through February for definite freezing temperatures and the most snowfall, if that’s your goal. Three feet of fresh snow fell while we were there, but the roads were kept clear and we never had any issues getting around. It was a picturesque winter wonderland.
