It's incredible to have so much to do in one small town. The kids love skiing the mountains. Guess we're getting old: our favorite is the lake. We picked a house on the non-motorized part of the lake, and we just hang out there in out boat, lazily fishing. It's really a special place here; we're glad we can stay.
About McCall, Idaho
The resort community of McCall is located only 2 hours north of Boise, Idaho, at the North end of Long Valley. The drive is as famous as McCall which follows the breathtaking beauty of the north Fork of the Payette River - a designated wild and scenic river. Climbing over two thousand feet in elevation from Boise through rugged canyons until coming upon a wide, flat valley ringed by spectacular mountains, welcome to Long Valley! If you are looking for a laid-back, small town with inviting and comfortable vacation homes and golf vacation rentals, McCall is your kind of place. Located on the shore of sparkling Payette Lake, McCall is a wonderful summer playground. Payette Lake offers boating, water skiing, sailing and swimming. Half of the lake is public property with Ponderosa Park located on a large peninsula in the middle of the lake.
A new life as a resort community has put McCall at the hub of several other smaller towns, including Donnelly, Cascade, Riggings, Council and New Meadows. The resort focus is all about enjoying the great outdoors. The abundant water from mountain snows has blessed McCall with beautiful mountain lakes, crystal clear creeks and hundred of miles of wild rivers. A second home here gives you all this and more.
Local History
The original Native American residents of the area first met the Europeans in 1880 as Finnlanders arrived for homesteading. A wild and notorious, rough and tumble town, it grew into a lake port to support the mining and timber industries. The Winter Carnival first began in 1924, as a way of bringing life to the long winters.
An Average Lifestyle in McCall, Idaho
To talk about average lifestyle, we need to realize there are two communities here. Second home owners have created a resort community, drawing people for the year-round recreation here. Then there's the folks who had moved to McCall when it was a quiet, sleepy mountain lumber town. What links both is the commitment to maintain a small town quality of life, enjoying the rugged living that mountain towns demand. Basically, the lifestyle is resort oriented, upscale and active. New life has been breathed into the area, and long-term residents are going out of their way to make McCall welcoming and upbeat. There are new restaurants, historical buildings and a feeling of excitement as the town lives its new life.
Housing
There's a huge range of options and prices available. Large resort-style properties on 155 acres and over 3000 sq feet can go has high as $5million. Big pieces of land (1,400 acres) are still available an hour from McCall for $3million, and you can get a 20-acre building lot near town for $25,000. You can find a four-bedroom log cabin for $170,000 and great cabins for $250,000. There are subdivisions ready to build out, and already established 5-bedroom homes for $500,000. There's a great vacation rental market for your property, with lake front homes going for $145/night in season.
Median Housing Costs: (Census 2000): $151,300
Things to Do in McCall
Skiing
McCall Winter Carnival
Fishing for rainbow trout and coho salmon
Golf
Horseback Riding
Take an auto tour to Warren, an old mining town
Visit Boise and Payette National Forest
Soccer
Hockey
Kayaking and Whitewater Rafting on the Payette River
Mountain Biking
Snowmobiling
Ice-skating
Sledding
Enjoy the Payette Lake activities in 1000-acre Ponderosa State Park
Deer and Elk hunting
Cultural Activities in McCall
McCall Music Festival
Long Valley Museum
Central Idaho Historical Museum
Yellow Pine Harmonica Festival
Community Theater
JugHandle Musical Theater
Community Art Gallery
Near-By Excursions
Cascade (30 miles)
Riggins for whitewater rafting in deep canyons (35 miles)
Location
Valley County, in the heart of Idaho
Elevation: 5,030
Size: 5.9
Distance to other major cities
Boise, Idaho: 100
Cascade, Idaho: 30
Ontario, Oregon: 104 miles
Lewiston, Idaho: 162
Spokane, Washington: 267
Getting To McCall, Idaho
By car along the Payette River Scenic Byway to Boise, 2.5 hours
Weather
Cool Mountain climate
Annual Average Temperature: Jan: 21.9; July: 61.4.
Annual Average Snowfall: 25
Economics and Demographics
Population: 2,084
Median Age, 2000: 42.4
Median Household Income: $36,250
Principle Industries: formerly lumber, now recreation
Higher Education
Boise State University Extension at McCall
University of Idaho Field Campus at McCall