Nestled beneath the peaks of the West Mountains and enshrouded by the Payette National Forest 100 miles north of Boise, the breathtaking Payette Lake, and its sister body of water Little Payette, are known as being Idaho's Four-Season Playground. Set in Idaho's Long Valley, Payette Lake spans more than 5,000 acres with a depth of over 300 feet and has been welcoming visitors since the late 1800s, from Native American tribes and frontiersmen to Finnish settlers. The lake is renowned for its excellent fishing, particularly for mackinaw, along with brown and rainbow trout, and is a favorite among sailors. who come out to enjoy a range of watersports such as canoeing, kayaking, jet-boarding, wakeboarding, and water-skiing. Payette Lake completely freezes over in winter, so ice-fishing and ice skating keep the winter “lake lubbers” entertained.

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