Top 5 Must-Visit Parks in Boise for Outdoor Fun and Relaxation

With city officials in Boise making it a goal to have every household within 10 minutes walking distance of a park, there are a lot of them to check and there is likely one near you! Parks and Recreation managers over 97 parks in the city, including the Boise River Greenbelt and Camel’s Back Reserve. 

57 of those parks have playgrounds and eight of them have splash pads, misters or interactive fountains to keep cool during the hot summer months. You can see our blog post on those here. 

Let’s break down some of our favorite playgrounds that have something for everyone. 

Castle Hills Park 

This park is a small neighborhood park in northwest Boise. It has a brand new playground, tennis courts, basketball court, practice fields and a dog off-leash area. 

The new playground was built with accessibility in mind. There are amenities for kids who use mobility devices and include the ability to play with other kids. The playground features are designed for ages five through 12. It also has a synthetic surface material installed under the playground, which makes it easy for wheelchairs to navigate and is a soft surface for all users. 

Restrooms are available at the park and there are drinking fountains as well. Castle Hills Park is located at 5350 Eugene Street. 

Boise Whitewater Park 

The Boise Whitewater Park is for those who are a little more adventurous in spirit. The facility is located on the Boise River, and features an adjustable wave for kayakers and surfers. There are three in-river wave structures with something for all skill levels, and a plaza with viewing posts. 

The waves are open from sunrise to sunset every day. It is located near Quinn’s Pond and upstream from phase two, which opened in 2019. The second phase includes three structures located downstream from the original. The structures create waves for all skill levels, but the current configuration of the adjustable wave at phase two is an expert feature. 

The plans at the Whitewater Park are always under development and are constantly being improved. You can read the FAQ about the park here. 

You can also see live webcams of the waves here. 

Golda Harris Nature Preserve 

The Golda Harris Nature Preserve is located north of the East Parkcenter Bridge and south of Warm Springs Avenue. This one is for the nature lovers, as there is a wide variety of wildlife available to potentially see while visiting. 

There are natural pathways, seating, interpretive signage and wildlife viewing areas within the preserve. Because of the plants and wildlife, only service animals are welcome. You can only access the area using the Greenbelt on bike or foot. 

Golda Harris Nature Preserve is part of the “Ribbon of Jewels” named for prominent local women. The Harris family donated approximately three acres to the City of Boise for the preserve. Golda Harris was active in the community and cared for and opened her home to those who were less fortunate. She moved to the Boise Valley from Fort Smith, Arkansas with her family in 1934. 

Laura Moore Cunningham Arboretum

The Laura Moore Cunningham Arboretum in east Boise has a capacity of 900 trees, which does not include the permanent plantings. Right now, there are 90 different species of deciduous trees and over 20 species of conifers. 

The arboretum is named for Laura Moore Cunningham, a city benefactor, volunteer and gardener. When she died in 1963, she gave the City of Boise acreage south of her home on Warm Springs to establish the arboretum to grow trees for city parks. The City commissioned local artist Stephanie Inman to create a series of new signs to commemorate the park in honor of Cunningham. The signs were installed in 2015. 

Parking is available at nearby Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park. 

Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park

This park is located on a five acre site on the Boise River Greenbelt west of downtown Boise. It features an open grassy area, public art, trees, restrooms and benches to watch the river and observe memorials for fallen firefighters and 9/11. 

The Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial park has a plaza to honor Idaho’s fallen firefighters. It features a life-size statue and a memorial wall with the names of firefighters who died in the line of duty. The statue was created by Idaho artist Agnes Vincen “Rusty” Talbot in 2008. 

Also at the park is an art piece that includes a 10 foot beam from the World Trade Center. The beam is a centerpiece of a memorial to honor emergency responders lost on 9/11. Steel from the World Trade Center has been incorporated into memorials across the country. Boise’s sculpture was completed by artist J. Amber Klinsky in 2013.

If you’re up for a challenge – the City of Boise released a Park Playground Checklist for 2025. The checklist has all playgrounds listed for you to check off, along with information about Boise’s parks and amenities. 

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