Parks in North & NW Boise
Best with kids in North & NW Boise
The highest Parent Scores in this part of town — the score weighs playground equipment, tree cover, open grass and restrooms.
- 1 Camel's Back Park North End favorite: a playground with bonded rubber surfacing under mature trees, tennis courts, and the famous hill — kids climb it in summer and sled it after a good snow. Hyde Park's treats are a block away. Heated restrooms stay open all year.
- 2 Castle Hills Park Northwest Boise sleeper: the playground was rebuilt in 2025 on bonded rubber, joined by tennis, pickleball, basketball, practice fields and an hourly dog off-leash area.
- 3 Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park A shady 28 acres on the Boise River near the East End — reservable picnic areas make it a birthday-party staple, and heated restrooms are open year-round.
- 4 Julia Davis Park You can stack a whole day here: Zoo Boise, the Rose Garden, the bandshell and the Boise River all live inside the park, with the best mature shade in town. Year-round restrooms make it a reliable winter outing too.
- 5 Ann Morrison Park Boise's big classic park. The interactive fountain (Memorial Day–Labor Day, sunrise to sunset) is a summer ritual — bring towels and a change of clothes. The playground has bonded rubber surfacing, and the huge lawns absorb any amount of energy.
All 46 parks in North & NW Boise
Ranked by Parent Score. 2,674 acres of park land in total.
| # | Park | Shade | Restrooms | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camel's Back Park | Leafy | Year-round | 9 |
| 2 | Castle Hills Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 9 |
| 3 | Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park | Leafy | Year-round | 8.8 |
| 4 | Julia Davis Park | Leafy | Year-round | 8.5 |
| 5 | Ann Morrison Park | Some shade | Year-round | 8.3 |
| 6 | Catalpa Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 8 |
| 7 | Eagle Rock Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 8 |
| 8 | Esther Simplot Park | Some shade | Year-round | 8 |
| 9 | Sunset Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 8 |
| 10 | Veterans Memorial Park | Some shade | Year-round | 8 |
| 11 | Elm Grove Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 7.8 |
| 12 | Willow Lane Park | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 7.8 |
| 13 | Fairview Park | Leafy | Seasonal only | 7.5 |
| 14 | Memorial Park | Leafy | Seasonal only | 7.3 |
| 15 | Primrose Park | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 7 |
| 16 | Willow Lane Athletic Complex | Some shade | Seasonal only | 6 |
| 17 | Gordon S. Bowen Park | Leafy | None | 5 |
| 18 | Boise Hills Park | Some shade | None | 4.5 |
| 19 | Fort Boise Park | Some shade | Year-round | 4.5 |
| 20 | Optimist Youth Sports Complex | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 4.5 |
| 21 | Magnolia Park | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 4.3 |
| 22 | Shoreline Park | Leafy | Year-round | 4.3 |
| 23 | Stewart Gulch Park | Full sun | Seasonal + portable | 4.3 |
| 24 | Aldape Park | Leafy | None | 4 |
| 25 | C.W. Moore Park | Leafy | Year-round | 4 |
| 26 | Hillside Park | Some shade | Seasonal only | 4 |
| 27 | Idaho Fallen Firefighter Memorial | Leafy | Seasonal only | |
| 28 | Kathryn Albertson Park | Some shade | Year-round | |
| 29 | Foothills East Park | Some shade | None | |
| 30 | Cecil D. Andrus Park | Leafy | None | |
| 31 | Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial | Leafy | None | |
| 32 | McAuley Park | Leafy | None | |
| 33 | Owens Park | Leafy | None | |
| 34 | Pioneer Tot Lot | Full sun | None | |
| 35 | Marianne Williams Park | Full sun | Year-round | |
| 36 | Rhodes Park | Some shade | Seasonal only | |
| 37 | Warm Springs Park | Full sun | Year-round | |
| 38 | Hillside to Hollow Reserve | Full sun | Year-round | |
| 39 | Bernardine Quinn Riverside Park | Full sun | None | |
| 40 | Military Reserve | Full sun | None | |
| 41 | Camel's Back Reserve | Full sun | None | |
| 42 | Hulls Gulch Reserve | Full sun | None | |
| 43 | JA KAFF Boise Whitewater Park | Full sun | None | |
| 44 | Kristens Park | Full sun | None | |
| 45 | Laura Moore Cunningham Arboretum | Full sun | None | |
| 46 | Polecat Gulch Reserve | Full sun | None |
Common questions
How many parks are there in North & NW Boise?
The City of Boise lists 46 parks in North & NW Boise, covering about 2,674 acres. 20 of them have playground equipment.
Which park in North & NW Boise is best with young kids?
Camel's Back Park has the highest Parent Score in North & NW Boise at 9 out of 10, based on its playground, tree cover, open grass and restrooms. The full ranking for the area is above.
Which parks in North & NW Boise have restrooms open in winter?
13 of the 46 parks in North & NW Boise have heated restrooms that stay open year-round: Camel's Back Park, Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park, Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Esther Simplot Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Fort Boise Park, Shoreline Park, C.W. Moore Park, Kathryn Albertson Park, Marianne Williams Park, Warm Springs Park, Hillside to Hollow Reserve.
Are there splash pads in North & NW Boise?
2 parks in North & NW Boise have water play: Ann Morrison Park, Fairview Park. Water features run Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Which parks in North & NW Boise have the most shade?
20 parks are rated leafy in North & NW Boise, meaning dense mature tree cover measured from the city tree inventory: Camel's Back Park, Castle Hills Park, Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park, Julia Davis Park, Catalpa Park, Eagle Rock Park, Sunset Park, Elm Grove Park and others.