THE GOLD MINE

GRILL & SALOON

Best BBQ and drinks around with music every weekend.

HORSEBACK RIDING

Idaho City is home to some of the best horseback riding around. Start your adventure at Legacy Park which caters to horseback riders and provides pens, camping, and RV spaces. This is one of the best horse parks you will ever see.

SLEDDING (SNOW MACHINES)

The Idaho City area is one of the top destinations in the country for sledding. Whether you like to stick to the trail or brap up some extreme climbs you will find every level of sledding here. The summit at Grimes Creek and the Whoop-em-up. When you are done tearing up the 260 Miles of groomed trails stop by The Mine for the best food in town.

New to Boise? Hook up with the folks at Boise Snowmobile Club. These guys and gals know the area better than anyone. Find them here

Sledding in the back country can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. We have partnered with Avelanche Science to provide winter/snow safety classes at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon and in the field. We can’t recommend this crew enough. They are some of the leading experts in the world. Find them here. Tell them your friends at The Mine sent you.

EVENTS

Idaho City is home to many yearly events. We have 2 rodeos (The Jack Pine RoundUp & The Gold Dust Rodeo) held during the summer months. The Jack Pine is the biggest rough stock rodeo in Idaho.

In March, The Idaho City Chili Cookoff brings thousands of people to try the best chili in the state. Up to 20 teams compete for two trophies….The Peoples Choice and The Judges Choice. The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon team was the first and only team in 34 years to win both trophies the same year. It hasn’t been repeated since.

In June, The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon hosts “Bluegrass On The Mountain” which is a day of Bluegrass Music on the Trailer Park Stage located behind it. The first annual is June of 2023 and will take place for 1 day. The event will likely take place over an entire weekend from 2024 forward. The Gold Mine has 7 new cabins facing the outdoor stage that can be rented any night of the week. These are super popular on weekends and especially during ticketed events. www.BluegrassOnTheMountain.com

Idaho City days is one of our biggest and best events. The entire town turns into a street fair/concert. Music is at every bar and on the street. The event starts each Friday with the cowboy poets at the Gold Mine Grill & Saloon, outside on the Trailer Park Stage. The party goes on most of the night around the fire pit on the patio. Saturday is the big day for fun and music. Don’t miss this one…

HOTSPRINGS

Idaho State Highways (The Ponderosa Scenic Byway) is home to no less than 9 hot springs from Boise to Stanley. Locally, “The Springs” is a luxury hot springs serving food and alcoholic beverages. If you want to hang at The Springs y’all better plan ahead. Reservations are required and bookings can be difficult to get without reserving long in advance. If soaking in one of our many roadside springs is your thing, then head North passed Lowman to Kirkham Hot Springs or adventure further for others.

GOLD PROSPECTING

Placer deposits of gold were discovered near Idaho City in 1862 and soon after, additional deposits in surrounding areas. The Boise Basin was divided into several mining districts and it covered an area of 300 square miles. All these districts yielded over 2,800,000 ounces of gold between the years of 1863 and 1959. This was largest gold rush in American history.

Today, a number of “hobby prospector” still search for and find gold in the area. Check out our article to learn how you can get started.

SHOPPING & DINING

Shopping in Idaho City is a blast from the past. Stroll along wood planked boardwalks and take in the history of this old gold mining town. You can almost hear the hustle and bustle of its 7000 gold mining residents as their ghosts whisper in the breeze. The old toy store is a nostalgic walk down memory lane with it’s old board games and toys that we grew up with. If you are interested in gifts, the Trading Post is a must. It is said that the Sluice Box is the most photographed place in Idaho. We can see why… this place is a labyrinth of antique treasures. They make a darn good espresso too! The Town Dump is another little gem that is packed full of interesting Antiques. If you are a history buff, you’ll definitely want to take a historic tour from Rhonda at the toy store and learn about the 1862 gold rush that produced more gold than all of California and Alaska…. COMBINED. A new addition to town is Path of Tradition Knives & Surplus. They have a great selection of knives and other goodies… Walula coffee makes a good cup of joe if you are out walking about town. The best idea is to park and walk about town and end up at the Gold Mine Grill & Saloon, rent a cabin and stay for live music, great food, great drinks and a real good vibe on the patio. 

SKATING PARK

Bring your skateboard while enjoying all that Idaho City has to offer.

RESTAURANTS & BARS

Idaho City has 4 restaurants to serve you all year and one more during summer. 3 of them offer café style dining, famous pies, old school décor with a side of Idaho history. The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon is said to serve some of Idaho’s best BBQ, especially their brisket. Steve’s Famous Mac & Cheese is a crowd favorite for both locals and visitors alike.

The three bars in town offer completely different “vibes”. From the smokey locals hang, the historic old brothel/bar, and the live music bar(The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon)….there is something for everyone in Idaho City.

The least expensive drink prices are, of course, at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon.

HIKING IDAHO CITY HIKING TRAILS

There are few ways to better enjoy the outdoors than to go on a hike in the forested mountains. We’ve put together a list of popular trails near Idaho City that you should take advantage of.

HARLEY DAVIDSON HEAVEN

The Lowman Loop is arguably the most well-known Harley ride in Idaho. Riders start in Boise, head North on Highway 21 beyond Lucky Peak reservoir continuing through the canyon and up to Idaho City. After a lunch and a beverage at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon, riders head North to Lowman turning left on the Banks to Lowman highway towards Garden Valley. Travelling further on, bikers find themselves at the highway 55 junction. Turning left towards Horseshoe Bend it’s a quick ride there and over the hill to Eagle and State Highway 44/State St. Either direction you start from you’ll definitely be glad you stopped at the patio at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon for some dern good BBQ, Mac & Cheese, or a Kobe beef burger on a potato bun.

THE IDAHO CITY 100

Idaho’s biggest and most well-known dirt bike endurance race is the “Idaho City 100”. This grueling dirt bike adventure makes racers cross trails that they will encounter log and river crossings. If you think you have the stones for it, come race the 100. As always, The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon provides music for the event and all events in Idaho City. 

FISHING

Mores Creek is a tributary of the Boise River (Lucky Peak Reservoir). Hwy. 21 runs beside Mores Creek for miles. A short upper stretch of the creek is accessed from Forest Road 380 just short of Mores Creek Summit. The most popular fishing is above Ten Mile Campground, a short drive to from Idaho City. Flyfishers will be well advised to try the North Fork of the Boise. Drive 2.5 Miles North of Idaho City on Hwy 21, Turn Right on Granite Crk Rd and drive about 7 miles then bear left at Rabbit Crk Road. Proceed for 15 Miles. Hang a right in about a mile and then another right on Road Crk Rd then travel 4.5 miles. Make a right on N. Fork Rd which will take you 9 miles to the North Fork of The Boise River. It can also be accessed at Troutdale campground via Arrowrock Rd. Bring a map so you don’t get lost!

Questions about tackle, flies, lures, or techniques on fishing? Big Steve at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon was a fly-fishing guide in Argentina and a 4th generation Idahoan. He’s fished a lot of Idaho water and has forgotten more about fly-fishing than most knuckle-heads will ever learn. Bring your sticks and he might even give you a quick fly casting lesson…

RAFTING

Idaho is America’s destination for Tupper-ware cowboys (Kayakers) and rafters. Idaho City is the gateway to it all. Heading North on Hwy 21, the Payette River system is just less than an hour drive. There you will find Class V rapids and some of the most technical hydraulics on the planet. The North Fork Championship is now the premiere extreme kayak race on the planet. It can be reached by travelling North on Hwy 21 through Idaho City up to Lowman and then West on the Banks-Lowman highway. This competition on Idaho's world-renowned North Fork of the Payette River shows off the talents of the best kayakers on some of the rowdiest whitewater in the world.

MUSEUMS

The Boise Basin Museum represents the history or the Boise Basin which was the most populated area West of The Mississippi during the 1860s and beyond. The Gold Rush in the Basin was of epic proportions. There was more gold pulled out of a 100 mile radius than California and Alaska combined. The museum is largely dedicated to how the area was shaped. Take a tour with Rhonda at the toy store for the real deal.

SKIING

Whether you ski at a resort or in the back country, Boise County (Not to be confused with Boise which resides in Ada County) is home to Bogus Basin, Pilot Peak and other stellar skiing. Bogus Basin is Idaho's Largest resort with 225″ Snowfall Avg, 1800′ Vertical Drop, 2600 Acres, 82 Named Runs, and 10 Lifts. Skiers also hike up many of the accessible peaks off Highway 21 or hitch a ride with a sledder (snow machine rider). 

SLEDDING & TUBING

Steamboat Gulch is just a mile past The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon in Idaho City. Hang a right at the green sign on Route 304 (Bannock Creek Rd). Continue for another 1/2 mile following the signs and you will in for a day of snow-filled fun! We’ll see you at The Mine for the best food and hot cocoa in town!

SNOW SHOEING

Want to experience Idaho on “foot”. Snow shoeing can be found within a mile of The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon. For the more adventurous, one can find snowshoe pert-near anywhere around Idaho City. 

Idaho City offers more than 50 miles of marked trails with about half of those groomed each week. Want a the real snowshoeing experience? Check out the backcountry yurts in the area like the Stargaze Yurt. It’s a 1.5 mile trek parking area up the Stargaze Trail at Beaver Creek Summit off State Highway 21. Get ready for incredible views! 

The loop at Banner Ridge is another exceptional loop. It runs about 2 miles. One of the most popular loops is Whoop Um Up. This family friendly adventure is accessed, as you might have guessed, from the Whoop Um Up parking lot just North of Parking permits are required and should be purchased online and printed off to display on your dashboard before you arrive. Dogs are allowed on all of the trails in the Idaho City Park N’ Ski trail system except the groomed trails at Banner Ridge.

RODEOS

Idaho City is known for its stellar rodeos. The Gold Dust rodeo has been around a long time and started by Jim Haswell who is largely responsible for creating the arena which bears his name. The Jack Pine RoundUp is relatively new to the game but already boasts the largest rough-stock event in the Idaho Cowboy’s Association. Setting arena records in its 2nd and 3rd years. The RoundUp is also one of the main funding sources for The Boise Basin Hunger Project which feeds children in need. The Jack Pine Roundup is one of the associations highest payouts for cowboys and cowgirls.  As always, rodeo headquarters and the afterparty is at The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon.

GUIDE TO IDAHO CITY MUSEUMS

Experience Idaho City's rich gold rush history through its underrated museums. These institutions provide insights into various eras of the town's past, making them must-visit destinations for anyone visiting Idaho City.