Whoa baby! Here comes the heat! Here are 12 tips on how to stay cool in SW Idaho

Redfish Lake always will cool you off. Hard to get a campsite sometimes, tho ... 

Lucky Peak will be busy ... 

Salmon River beach scene! Can't beat it! 

Climb a mountain peak in the rooftop of Idaho! Wendy at the top
of Beaver Dam Peak in the Payette National Forest  

Go rafting on the Payette River! 

Hi all,

Here come triple-digit temperatures in the next week, and the long-range forecast calls for continued hot and dry weather.

Here are 12 recommendations on how to stay cool:

• Start super early if you'd like to go hiking, biking or trail-running in the Boise Foothills. That means get out before 7 a.m. 
• Go to Bogus Basin and start your hiking, trail-running or biking trip up there. It should be 15 degrees cooler. Hike or ride the Around the Mountain Trail, Eastside or Sweet Connie. Don't forget that Bogus is running the Deer Point Chairlift on weekends, and they also have food and beverage services and live music.  
• Float the Boise River - Finally!!! Put on plenty of sunscreen, wear a big goofy hat, and float the Boise River with your friends and family. See info. at Ada County Parks & Waterways. Take your time, hang out by the water and stay cool. 
• Find a hidey-hole along the Boise River, set up your lawn chair, take a swim and hang out in the shade. 
• Go swimming, tubing or water-skiing at Lucky Peak, Arrowrock or Anderson Ranch. 
• Go swimming or SUP'ing at a local park or pond. See Boise Parks & Recreation for ideas close to home. 
• Hire a guide, rent a boat or take your own boat and go float the Payette River. The Main Payette River from Banks to Beehive Bend is best for those breaking into the sport. If you'd like to crank up the adrenaline meter and float the South Fork, put a bunch of friends together and hire a guided service. Bear Valley, Cascade Raft and Kayak, and Idaho Whitewater Unlimited all provide quality guided trips on the Payette River. See my post from two weeks ago about 10 SUP and kayak trips on the Payette River. 
• Go camping, fishing, swimming, water-skiing or SUP'ing at Lake Cascade State Park in Cascade or Donnelly.
• Go swimming, tubing, surfing or water-skiing on Payette Lake. Find a place to stay overnight in McCall or go camping in the Payette National Forest. 
• Go camping, fishing, swimming or SUP'ing at Redfish Lake or Stanley Lake in the Sawtooths. Go to recreation.gov to make reservations.   
• Drive to Riggins and hang out on a big beach on the Salmon River. Go swimming, camping and fishing. Get there early. There will be competition for the primo camping spots.  Bring your shade tarp. 
• Backpack or day hike into a high mountain lake and stay cool in the alpine forest environment. See my blog about five of my favorite kid-friendly hikes near Stanley and McCall for ideas. 

Bonus: Paddle to Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls or do loops at Thousand Springs State Park in pure spring water at Ritter Island. See my post about those trips for Southern Idaho Tourism. 

There you have it! Have fun!
- SS