Payette Lake expands out to 5,330 acres of glacial waters at 5,000 feet elevation in western Idaho wilderness, with McCall, Idaho’s Shore Lodge holding down lakeside since 1948. Just two hours in the car from Boise, the Shore Lodge is a waterfront refuge amidst the Payette National Forest, featuring a private marina for water sport heydays (boating, paddleboarding, wake boarding, water trampoline and more), a sandy beach for sunning, sports courts, a 45-seat private cinema, a Wine Spectator award-winning restaurant, golf course and full spa.
Majority of the guest suites showcase lake views, with palatial suites that lead out to a private balcony or patio. Also available is the Lake Cottage, a three-suite bungalow with its own private hot tub and boat dock.
All suites are furnished with a king-size bed sporting all the luxuries desired for slumber, large bathrooms with marble countertops and separate tub and shower, a full living room with flat screen TV, in-room refrigerator and more. Outside of the rooms, Shore Lodge is wealthy in the riches of amenities from a 24-hour fitness center to cruiser bikes to rent, complimentary shuttle service to Brundage Mountain 10 miles north, access to the Whitetail Club golf course and beyond.
Dine at the Narrows, a two-time Award of Excellence recipient from Wine Spectator. Open for dinner daily, allow a resident wine captain to steer you toward the best pairing with the cedar plank roasted Pacific bass or the Narrows Northwest Mixed Grill, present proteins of venison, duck and rabbit.
While relaxing lakeside, keep your eyes peeled for Sharlie, the lake’s fictional “Loch Ness monster,”thought to be an ancient Sturgeon of epic proportions that resides in the eight-square mile, cavernous glacial lake. Mental repose and rejuvenation is also offered ten-fold in The Cove Spa, offering massage like the stretching and soothing Vintage McCall massage, facials like the Forest Flora with strawberry rhubarb hyaluronic serum, scrubs, wraps, waxing, a full salon for hair and mani-pedis. One of the town’s best-kept secrets resides at the spa—an indoor and outdoor saltwater immersion pools for the ultimate in Idaho lake forest serenity.
Shore Lodge || 501 West Lake Street, McCall || (800) 657-6464 || shorelodge.com
This story originally ran in our fall Best of the Northwest issue. For more stories like this and in full detail, click here.
