Idaho whitewater, Payette River - North Fork Valley Boise county, Smiths Ferry to Banks section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS V     16 miles   This stretch of Payette River - North Fork in Idaho is 16 miles long and it is classified as a class V section by American Whitewater. The nature scenery of Valley/ Boise County and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream are reasons enough to come here and paddle. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Boise City-Nampa, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. There aren’t any hotels right     nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. The beauty of the Salmon River Mountains is a great plus for this river. There are plenty of other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. The average whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be a bit harder to master in this state than those in other states, so you'd better keep in mind that a large number of rivers in this state are not easy. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way there are lots of good rivers for that around here. Getting your paddling muscles   activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors have a lot of people coming here. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. This stretch has enough mileage for an overnight trip, so pack your camp stove. Briefly about the general area: You're sure to encounter some good folks from Banks here, and there is a great hiking trail nearby called the Big Eddy Trail. This spot, the Salmon River Mountains, has so much outdoors exciting things. Boise National Forest is a nice place to check out, and going for a hike on the Dry Buck Mountain Trail is always a glorious adventure. Payette River - North Fork, Smiths Ferry to Banks road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Payette River - North Fork.   Whitewater Near Payette River - North Fork: Payette River - North Fork, Valley/ Boise County, 5 miles away       Class V - 16 miles long (Smiths Ferry to Banks) Payette River, Boise County, 6 miles away       Class III - 7 miles long (Banks to Beehive Bend) Whitewater Outfitter - Idaho Whitewater Unlimited, Boise County, 9 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Payette River, Boise County, 10 miles away       Class II+(III) - 6 miles long (Beehive Bend to Jet Boat Ramp) Whitewater Outfitter - Bear Valley River, Boise County, 11 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Cascade Raft & Kayak, Boise County, 12 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Payette River - North Fork, Valley County, 12 miles away       Class II-III - 10 miles long (Cabarton Bridge to Smiths Ferry) Payette River - South Fork, Boise County, 13 miles away       Class IV - 4.5 miles long (Deer Creek turnout to Banks) Payette River - Middle Fork, -blank- County, 14 miles away       Class II(III) - 4.5 miles long (Hardscrabble Campground to Lightning Creek Bridge) Whitewater Outfitter - Spence Faye, Boise County, 15 miles away       Whitewater outfitter   Ski Areas Near Payette River - North Fork: Bogus Basin, Idaho , 21 miles away, 1800 foot drop, 7 lifts, 52 runs Tamarack, Idaho , 24 miles away, 2800 foot drop, 8 lifts, 42 runs Brundage Mountain, Idaho , 40 miles away, 1800 foot drop, 5 lifts, 46 runs Soldier Mountain, Idaho , 94 miles away, 1425 foot drop, 3 lifts, 36 runs   Hotels Near Payette River - North Fork: Ashley Inn, Cascade , 17 miles away Hyatt Place Boise/Downtown, Boise , 29 miles away Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowne, Boise , 30 miles away Safari Inn Downtown, Boise , 30 miles away The Modern Hotel, Boise , 30 miles away   Campgrounds Near Payette River - North Fork: Cold Springs - Packer John Mt, Banks, 1 miles away Canyon Campground, Valley County, 1 miles away Big Eddy Campground, Valley County, 1 miles away   Trails Near Payette River - North Fork: Big Eddy Trail, Valley , 2 miles away Dry Buck Mountain Trail, Valley , 4 miles away Little Sage Hen Ridge Trail, Valley , 7 miles away Pine Creek Meadow Trail, Gem , 7 miles away Telephone Trail, Valley , 8 miles away   Public Lands Near Payette River - North Fork: Boise National Forest, Idaho , 13 miles away Cascade State Park, Idaho , 17 miles away Lucky Peak State Park, Idaho , 31 miles away   Golf Courses Near Payette River - North Fork: Terrace Lakes Golf Course, Garden Valley , 8 miles away Cascade Golf Course, Cascade , 13 miles away   Lakes Near Payette River - North Fork Mud Lake, Boise , 4 miles away Lake Cascade, Valley , 17 miles away Horsethief Reservoir, Valley , 20 miles away