Our McCall Community

Nestled in Idaho’s picturesque mountains, McCall is a vibrant resort town approximately 100 miles north of Boise. As the largest city in rural Valley County, McCall encompasses 10 square miles and has a population of approximately 3,100 residents which can more than triple during the summer months and holidays. Named after its founder, Tom McCall, the city is situated on the southern shore of beautiful Payette Lake at 5,021 feet in elevation and is bordered by towering, pine-covered mountains averaging 8,000-9,000 feet tall.  Originally founded as a logging town, McCall is a destination for outdoor recreation and adventure enthusiasts.

With the highest average snowfall in the state, McCall is known in the winter for its snowmobiling, alpine, Nordic, and backcountry skiing. Area ski resorts boast a combined 2,600 skiable acres featuring vertical drops ranging from 1,800 to 2,800 feet. Its annual Winter Carnival has grown into an iconic Idaho event bringing more than 60,000 people to McCall each year.  Carnival goers are captivated by snow sculptures, Torchlight and Mardi Gras Parades and live music, as well as daily events spanning everything from comedy shows to art auctions and snow bike races to the Monster Dog Pull and more.

In the summer, McCall’s warm sunny days and cool nights provide the perfect setting to enjoy outdoor music, art festivals and lakeside activities. Payette Lake in the summer, is popular for boating, sailing, jet skiing and swimming. The north fork of the Payette River flows through McCall and its world class whitewater is a playground for kayakers and canoers. The river is flanked by soaring pines and lush wetlands and provides excellent opportunities to view deer, eagles, foxes and moose. There also are numerous hiking and mountain biking trails in and around McCall, as well as five golf courses in the area.

 Residents of McCall enjoy a high quality of life with many amenities normally found only in much larger communities, including shopping, dining and cultural opportunities. McCall has an excellent school system (America’s Top 1,000 High Schools), a full-service hospital and medical clinic within the St. Luke’s network, a municipal airport, a municipal golf course nationally recognized for its environmental efforts, and a wide range of city-sponsored recreation and sports opportunities.

McCall is strongly influenced by a large number of second homes and the involvement of seasonal residents in the community. There is strong community engagement from year-round residents and it has long been understood that if a need is not being met in McCall, then there is a ready group of volunteers that will work together to meet that need.