Designated as a scenic byway, the 33-mile Banks to Lowman Road by the South Fork of the Payette River offers year-round recreation opportunities.

View elk herds, camp among Ponderosa pines, and soak in natural hot springs. Alternatively, play in the snow during the winter or paddle the rapids in the summer. The paved Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway also allows access to undeveloped areas of the Boise National Forest.

During the winter, elk viewing is at its peak.  Look for the herds dining at their winter range in the five-mile stretch east of Garden Valley near the Danskin river access site.  Permanent viewing scopes at the Gallagher Flat Wildlife Viewpoint, along the highway on the north side of the road, enable close-up views of wildlife.

Boise National Forest campgrounds offer camping and day-use options.  Visitors can easily access natural hot springs next to the river at two of the campgrounds. Check out the small hot springs on the side of the highway across from the Hot Springs Campground near mile marker 14. There is a soaking pool with enough room for three to five people. During the winter the short, steep trail to the hot springs is snow covered, so tread carefully.

Pine Flats Hot Springs is a large area set into the rock cliffs next to the river at Pine Flats Campground. Hot water cascades into several pools, providing many soaking options. Pull into the campground located between mile markers 28 and 29, then walk a quarter-mile down a steep trail to the river. In the winter, the campground and hot springs are accessed by Nordic skiing or snowshoeing into the campground, walking or snowshoeing carefully downhill to the springs.

During the spring and summer, rafting and kayaking through the challenging rapids of the river offer an adrenaline-filled day trip.  For inexperience boaters, it is best to go with an outfitter to ensure a safe journey.

The highway turnout at Staircase Rapid, about two miles east of Banks, is a popular place to watch boaters run the difficult Class IV rapid.

Access to the Deadwood Reservoir in the Boise National Forest is via Scott Mountain Road, a rough dirt road open after the snow melts (generally by mid-summer).  The road starts on the north side of the byway a few miles before the Deadwood River.

Driving the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway takes about four hours round-trip when accessed via the Payette River Scenic Byway, Idaho Highway 55 from Boise to Banks.  Expand the adventure by enjoying the outdoor activities along the way during a full-day outing or a weekend of camping.  Food services, gasoline, and accommodations are available in Crouch and Garden Valley.  A day trip driving loop is to continue from Lowman to Boise on the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, Idaho Highway 21.

Natalie Bartley is a Boise-based author of the recently released mobile app travel guide, Boise’s Best Outdoor Adventures, available at sutromedia.com/boise  and the trail guidebooks Best Easy Day Hikes Boise and Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest, available at amazon.com and at local outdoor retailers or bookstores.