Updated for 2023
If you are unfamiliar with Northern Idaho, you might find it odd that a small town known as Athol is home to a 413-acre theme park known as Silverwood. Unlike most tourist traps, it pretty much stands by itself. You’re driving along highway 95 and all of a sudden, you’ll see a glimpse of a wooden roller coaster out in the distance. As you get closer, you find that this is a world you had no idea existed.
Once the home of the Henley Aerodrome airstrip, Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach Water Park are essentially two parks in one. The original park opened its gates to the public for the first time in 1988 with just a handful of small amusement park rides. Today, it boasts of more than 70 rides, shows and attractions.
Silverwood is beautiful, affordable and safe. Here you’ll find gentle rides for the small set and big, scary ones for the kids that have no fear. The park features an eclectic mix of modern thrill rides and roller coasters and classic carnival rides like the Scrambler and the Tilt-A-Whirl, but somehow, it all works.
Inside the Park
Stunt Pilot, Carousel and Log Flume
One thing you’ll notice right away is how clean and fresh everything looks within the park. Walkways are wide, lined with healthy plants and dotted with flower gardens. It’s really beautiful. Chipped paint and litter here is a rarity. The park is divided into five separate areas:
Main Street
Here you’ll find the iconic Number 7 steam train that leaves every hour on the hour offering tours through the ground’s wooded area. Tour guides point out various “wildlife” critters along the way while looking for Sasquatch. The train rides have changed over the years and the most recent versions are probably the best. Currently, there are three different adventures to experience with actors who tell bad jokes and really engage with their captive audience. While on board, you might witness a robbery and the heroics of your tour guides before pulling back into the station.
Main Street is home to the Main Street Theater (showing old Three Stooges movies), a handful of shops and eateries. The High Moon Saloon presents two different shows daily that you can watch while enjoying a pulled pork sandwich. The “Marvin the Moose Show” features a mounted moose head that answers questions and shares stories about “moose life.” The “High Moon Saloon Variety Show” is brand-new with a cast of six performing a family-friendly vaudeville show.
Magician Nick Norton and the cast of the “High Moon Saloon Variety Show.”
The Theatre of Illusion presents three magic shows each day which are simply amazing. Nick Norton and Isiah Daniels have been honing their craft for over 20 years and it shows. They really enjoy giving a great presentation. I’ve seen them perform many times now and each year the show gets better and better. In the past, these magic men would take turns hosting the show throughout the week, but this year, the two have created a whole new show that they do together. With a little sarcasm, wit and humor, it is a must-see experience.
The theater is also home to Caselli’s Pizzeria serving up surprisingly good pizzas, cheese-filled bread sticks and chicken Caesar salads. They have a great meal deal including a generous personal pan pizza, a bread stick and a beverage. You will want to get here early to get a good seat and if you plan to order food. There are rows of chairs in the front, long tables to dine at just behind the chairs and rows of (unfortunately) hard bleachers behind the tables. While you can pretty much see everything from anywhere in the theater, you’ll be more comfortable up near the front.
At just 30 minutes in length, it’s a bit short for adults and just right for younger and squirmier audience members. Sure, Nick is spooky in the promo picture, but his show isn’t scary. Afterward, the magicians will take pictures and sign autographs for the kids. It’s really a great experience for all ages. The theatre also serves pizza to enjoy before the show if you like.
Other places to dine on Main Street include the Silverwood Coffee Roasting & Trading Co. (espresso and souvenirs), Lindy’s Restaurant (full-service lunch and dinner dining) and the Victorian Coffee House (more espresso, tea and fresh-baked pastries).
Coaster Alley
Most of the park’s main thrill rides can found in Coaster Alley. These include the wooden roller coaster Tremors (where riders climb 100 feet on the first hill before falling 103 feet down into an underground tunnel followed by three more — and through the ride’s gift shop!); Timber Terror, the park’s oldest roller coaster (considered an “air coaster” giving you a brief sensation of weightlessness) and Aftershock, which is totally different from the others. First, riders “hang” instead of “sit.” Second, you’ll climb up 191 feet in the air backwards before being let go. You’ll reach speeds up to 65 mph going through twists and turns as well as going upside down before being pulled up another 90-degree hill and do the whole thing one more time — backwards. It’s a very smooth but frightening ride.
The newest roller coaster to the park is Stunt Pilot which is a tribute to the park’s original stunt shows. While you’re riding it, you’ll loop upside down. Twist to the left, twist to the right, barrel roll and fly through a barn where your picture will be taken. It’s the best ride in the park and the ironically, the fastest one to board too!
Aftershock, Stunt Pilot and Spin Cycle
The two others in this section include Panic Plunge and Spin Cycle. Panic Plunge is sort of like Disney’s Tower of Terror without the tower slowly takings riders up 140 feet before dropping them. Riders reach speed up to 47 mph before coming to a soft landing. It’s safe, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less terrorizing.
Rides similar to Spin Cycle are popping up at different theme parks all across the country, but Silverwood was one of the first to attain this monster. Up to two dozen people can board this 104-foot-tall thrill ride at a time. After getting locked into place, riders facing forward and legs dangling star to spin as the machine rocks back and forth getting higher with every sweep; eventually completing a full circle. And again. And again. And Again. While I was convinced at the time that I never need to do this ride again, now that I’m back home and I’m thinking, maybe one more time…
If you’re not nauseated after riding these coasters, you might want to stop by Chuckwagon John’s for an all-you-can-eat feast including wood-grilled chicken, pulled pork, hot dogs, mac and cheese, corn bread, country green beans, baked beans, corn-on-the cob, salads, watermelon, cookies and beverages.
Country Carnival and Critter Camp
The Country Carnival section of the park features a lot of traditional rides that you would generally find at your local country fair like the Ferris wheel, the Scrambler and bumper boasts. But it is also home to the Corkscrew roller coaster (which came from Knott’s Berry Fair). You’ll also find the Roaring Creek Log Flume and the Thunder Canyon river raft adventure. While you might get wet with the first one, you will most definitely get soaked with the latter.
Critter Camp is home to nine kiddie rides and adventures with inventive names like the Puppy-Go-Round and Frog Hopper. We especially liked the Krazy Koaster which is big enough for adults to ride. The coaster’s track is a simple one, but what makes this ride so much fun is that the individual cars spin as the coaster moves up and down the track.
Boulder Beach
You could easily spend a full day at Boulder Beach alone and if you have the time, I recommend it. As with the other attractions at Silverwood, plan to head over to the slides you really want to experience first before the lines get too long. Even so, there are plenty of other places in this section to relax and cool off at any time of the day.
For the small set, little guys could probably stay entertained all day at Pollywog Park (full of short slides, geysers and a giant water bucket that spills out every few minutes) and Toddler Springs (a splash area featuring a variety of geysers and fountains). The Elkhorn Lazy River is also a favorite for all ages. Just grab a tube, hop on and relax as you go round and round this never-ending “river” of warm water. Even the waterfalls are warm.
For the more daring, I recommend challenging your family to race at Riptide Racer. Similar to those big slides you see at the fair, the six people can race down at the same time using a mat. You have to travel face first and you’ll get a face full of water as you splash down, so if that isn’t your thing (and you wear contacts) you may want to avoid it. Other family-friendly adventures include climbing up the Idaho trail to Avalanche Mountain. Here, your family can board a round raft and zoom down the simulated river rapids aboard the fiberglass terrain. The concept is similar to the Thunder Canyon ride in Country Carnival, but the line is shorter and you’ll already be wet anyway, so you’ve go nothing to lose! The other family raft ride is Ricochet Rapids which is a giant, totally enclosed water slide. The top speed for both is about 20 mph.
Thrillseekers will want to take a trip to the Velocity Peak Body Slides. After climbing up 100 stairs to the top, you are given three slides to choose from that can make a body whip down as fast as 55 mph. One slide is straight, another has hills and the third is totally enclosed.
After sliding, you might want to check out one of the two wave pools, or find a spot on the grass to lay out in the sun to rest and dry off.
This section of the park also features a variety of meal, beverage and snack items like burgers, sub sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken strips and ice cream. Mom and dad will appreciate The Cove, which is a float up bar (located just off the Elkhorn Creek Lazy River) serving tropical frozen drinks and beer. There is also one retail store, Boulder Beach Trading Company selling towels, flip flops, t-shirts and souvenirs.
The only negative thing I can say about Boulder Beach is that there is only one locker option to choose from and is $10. The locker is large and will probably hold all of your family’s belongings, but for us, our clothes were still wet from riding Thunder Canyon, so we set them out in the sun to dry leaving us with just our wallets, phones and keys to lock up. A smaller option would have been nice.
Super Friendly, Safe, Reasonable and Responsible
Silverwood is also one of the friendliest places too. Besides the two employees who barely acknowledged us at a coffee shop (but to be fair it was near closing time) and the poor bored girl resting on her elbow at a sandwich stand over in Boulder Beach, EVERY other employee we encountered here appeared to be having a good time. One employee, whose only job is to sell soft-serve ice cream cones (that are bigger than your head by the way) told me how much she liked her job. When speaking to another employee about how nice the younger employees were at the park, she told me that her son also works at Silverwood. I was surprised to learn that he actually gets “yelled at” by some park guests for referring to them as “ma’am” or “sir” not understanding that he was actually showing them respect. Yeah, good manners can get out of control here.
Even the ride operators are super friendly. While boarding one roller coaster, my wife was politely reminded her that she couldn’t take her bag along on the ride. The ride operator explained how it needed to be stored in one of the nearby cubbies for safety reasons. I’m sure this girl has to remind guests of this fact many times each day, but there was no annoyance detected in her tone. Later at the water park, we heard one teen spout off the same long list of safety rules to riders over and over again without fail or attitude. Amazing.
Super Safe
Safety is paramount at Silverwood. Every ride is inspected every day. Boarding the rides here might take a little longer than at your average amusement park but with good reason. The cast and crew take safety seriously. It’s not just a motto, they really do. Ranging from late teens to early 20s, everyone here knows their job, and they all do it well without a cell phone to distract them. In addition, warning signs are posted liberally near the park’s attractions letting you know the dangers of standing up on a roller coaster and whatnot. Each ride has its own height requirement, and you can count on the employees to measure each child. While you might think that your under-height darling “will be just fine,” she won’t make it on the ride no matter what you say.
Super Reasonable
Another great draw to this park is how amazingly affordable it is compared to similar parks. In some cases, admission is half the price of other parks, and the food is inexpensive enough that the family can splurge on a few more treats. Ice cream cones are HUGE (get get the junior cone if you don’t want a stomachache) and funnel cakes are just $5 before 5:00 p.m. Even so, if you want to save even more money, Silverwood actually allows outside food in the park (within reason of course and no alcohol).
Super Responsible
To some, Silverwood might seem a bit conservative with their rules of conduct, but they are in place to assure that everyone has a good time. Swimsuits are only allowed to be worn in the Boulder Beach section, and they must be modest. People wearing clothing or body art that is deemed by the management as vulgar or rude will be asked to leave. Smoking and vaping is allowed in designated sections of the park only. Unfortunately, some of the park’s staff are a bit too trusting of their guests. We watched two employees tell one man that he needed to smoke in a designated area. He pretended that he didn’t know where that section was, and they nicely gave him directions. They walked away, and then he laughed continuing to smoke right where he was. However, that was the only incident we saw during our visit.
Planning Your Day
Unlike other theme parks, Silverwood opens later and closes earlier than most, so trying to cram everything that the place has to offer in one day can be a real challenge. If you can, visiting for two days will make for a much more relaxed trip. With that said, it is possible to see a lot of the park in one day if you plan things out well. Plus, it your kids are older, you’ll be skipping the kiddie rides. Here are some tips:
- Visit Silverwood’s website and study the map and attractions. Make a list of the things you “have to see” and make those the first things you conquer when there.
- Arrive at the park as early as you can. The lines will only get longer as the day goes on.
- When entering the park, skip the Main Street section and head straight to Coaster Alley, Critter Camp or Country Carnival to take advantage of the shorter lines. (There is a lot to see in Main Street, but it will serve you well to come back and visit later in the day.)
- Spend the first half of your day in Silverwood when the weather is cooler before heading to Boulder Beach. However, be aware that Boulder Beach closes two hours before Silverwood does. You can use this time to try out the rides you missed earlier in the day.
Admission Prices and Stuff
Technically, Silverwood is open from May to October, but the hours vary from month to month. The theme park is only open on weekends in May and September and only open late on weekend nights in October. Boulder Beach is only open from June through August. Silverwood often offers discount promotions for the park and generally, you’ll save more if you purchase your tickets online ahead of time.
The admission price is good for both the theme park and water park. You cannot purchase tickets for just the theme park or just the water park.
Silverwood is located at 27843 N. Hwy 95, Athol, ID 83801. For more information, visit their website, give them a call at 208.683.3400 or send them a note at info@silverwoodthemepark.com.
Lodging at Triple Play Resort Hotel and Suites
As big as Silverwood is, you would think that someone would build a hotel next to the park, but the park is only open for half of the year. We have stayed at the closest hotel near Silverwood and it was still over 12 miles away in Hayden, Idaho. Don’t let that deter you. The drive to the theme park is a quick and easy one.
Triple Play Resort Hotel and Suites is a destination in itself as it features its own indoor water park, bowling alley, go karts, two miniature golf courses, laser tag, a ropes course, bumper cars, bumper boats a huge arcade and more. It’s not the cheapest hotel and shows a little wear and tear, but considering how many families come and go from this place every day, it holds up pretty well.
The non-smoking hotel is very accommodating to families of all sizes and is pet-friendly offering a variety of different room sizes and prices to match including suites with extra rooms and bunk beds. You can even go all out with the Jacuzzi and fireplace suite if you want to splurge. The rooms look and smell clean and include a TV, DVD player, a desk, a small microwave oven, a small refrigerator and coffee maker.
Amenities and Meals
Triple Play offers complimentary parking, a fitness center, high speed internet service and a hot breakfast buffet. The breakfast is similar to the ones that other hotels include with their stays, but the variety of food here was huge including three different juices, cheese omelettes, hard-boiled eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, muffins, bagels, hot and cold cereal, fruit, coffee and something I’d liked calling “the magic pancake box.” Just just push a button and in a minute or two, a freshly-made pancake falls out of the other side. Now, don’t expect a chef in the back preparing gourmet meals, because if you do, you’ll be disappointed. But there is plenty to eat and most of it was very tasty too.
The only real drawback here is that with exception of the pancakes and coffee, everything else is staged against one wall making it difficult for guests to pick and choose quickly. People were constantly getting in the way of others. If the room staged different stations of food around the room, it would have flowed a lot better. Also worth noting, the earlier you get to the breakfast area the better. It only gets busier as the morning goes on and breakfast ends promptly at 10 a.m.
Raptor Reef and Triple Play
Raptor Reef and all of the amusement park attractions at Triple Play are a separate fee, but you can get package deals with your stay that can cut down the cost considerably. (The hotel also offers tickets to Silverwood too.) Similar in concept to The Great Wolf Lodge, Triple Play is actually quite different that will probably appeal more to families with older kids as there is a lot to do. With that said, families with kids of all ages will have a good time here.
Since Silverwood has its own water park, you may want to skip getting a pass to Raptor Reef and just purchase tickets for the other amusements at the hotel. However, if you do get tickets to Raptor Reef, you’ll have more time at the Silverwood to ride the rides and experience the slides back “home.” (Also remember that Boulder Beach isn’t open in May, September or October.) Set at an even 86 degrees, Raptor Reef features a wave pool, a children’s splash play area, a variety of slides and more.
Outside, your family can try out the beautiful and well-kept 18-hole miniature golf course featuring its own volcano. Depending on how well the car trip was, you might want to have some family therapy time on the Bumper Boats or challenge each other for a race on the go karts. Inside, budding daredevils can enjoy the climbing wall or ropes course. You’ll also find a darkened mini golf inside. It’s only nine holes and fairly simple to play, but the glow-in-the-dark atmosphere makes it fun. Next door is the glow-in-dark bumper cars which is fun with its neon lights and mirror-lined walls. There is also a variety of redemption games with game prices that range from just 25 cents to $3 each.
The Downsides
Overall, our stays here have been positive ones, but over the years, they have worked hard updating and improving the activities, but have neglected the hotel. On a recent visit, we were told that there is no housekeeping service, but if we needed anything to call the front desk. In the past, this place would bend over backward to make sure that you got good service, but now, not so much. In addition, a “quiet time” is issued at 10 p.m. but some families ignore that rule. Tripple Play offers ear plugs at the main desk for those who need them. I suspect that they find that an easier solution than dealing with the problem. Still, this hotel is plenty adequate for most families.
Triple Play’s check in time is 4 p.m. and check out time is 12:00 noon. If you purchase a Raptor Reef pass, you can actually start splashing about before your room is ready and since the water park opens at 10 a.m., you can’t get some more slides in before it’s time to leave.
Triple Play Resort Hotel and Suites is located at 151 West Orchard Ave, Hayden, ID 83835. Visit there website or give them a call at 208.772.7900 for more information.
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