Cambridge is small, but the country around it is enormous. Within an easy drive you can float one of the great rivers of the West, cast for trout in a mountain reservoir, ride a rail-trail for miles without seeing a car, or climb into high forest that stays cool all summer. Here is how to make the most of it, season by season and interest by interest.
On the water: the Snake River & Hells Canyon
The headline attraction is the Snake River as it carves through Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America. West of Cambridge the river is impounded behind a series of dams — Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon — whose reservoirs offer boating, bass and crappie fishing, and quiet camping along the shore. Below the last dam the free-flowing river becomes legendary whitewater, run by guided jet boats and multi-day raft trips. Our Hells Canyon page covers the gorge in detail. For current conditions and access, the U.S. Forest Service manages the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.
Fishing & alpine lakes
North of town on Highway 95, Lost Valley Reservoir is a local favorite for trout fishing, boating, and lakeside camping, ringed by forest and rarely crowded. The region's rivers and streams hold trout, smallmouth bass, and steelhead in season. Idaho manages some of the best public fishing in the country; check regulations, seasons, and licenses with Idaho Fish and Game before you go.
Hiking, biking & horseback riding
The Weiser River Trail runs for some 84 miles along an old railroad grade, passing through canyon, farmland, and forest with gentle grades ideal for cycling, walking, and riding. For steeper country, the surrounding Payette and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests offer trails into the Seven Devils and the high lakes, with big views and cool air even in midsummer.
Winter in the mountains
When the snow comes, the recreation simply changes shape. A ski and mountain-bike resort in the high country north near McCall offers downhill runs and Nordic trails, while the surrounding national forest opens up for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing. Cambridge itself, sitting lower in the valley, makes a comfortable, plowed-road basecamp for day trips into the white.
Autumn hunting
For generations, autumn in Washington County has meant hunting. The mix of public forest, foothills, and river breaks supports upland game birds — chukar, quail, and pheasant — as well as deer and elk in the high country. As with fishing, seasons and tags are managed by Idaho Fish and Game, and a little research before the season pays off.
Just slowing down
Not every visit needs an itinerary. Some of the best hours in Cambridge are spent on a shaded bench, in a cafe, at the small-town museum, or watching a summer storm roll up the valley from a front porch. The town's calendar of fairs and festivals gives structure to a lazy weekend, and the plan-your-visit guide will help you time your trip. However you like to travel — hard-charging or easygoing — the country around Cambridge will meet you halfway.