Your North End Guide: What to know, where to eat in Boise’s hiking and biking neighborhood

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The North End is one of Boise’s oldest areas, dating back to the late 1800s — making it nearly as old as the City of Trees itself.

That age is reflected in the historic homes on Harrison Boulevard that come to life with decorations during Halloween and Christmas, the mini-downtown area on 13th Street that features restaurants and shops, and Camel’s Back Park at the base of the Foothills.

In the North End, you can enjoy the architecture of the 20th century brick-and-timber homes as well as the peaceful, tree-lined roads that are a quick drive from downtown Boise.

Where is Boise’s North End?

Located north of downtown Boise and nestled against the Foothills, the aptly named North End has a homey feel that suggests it isn’t just a five-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The area is bound on the east by the Military Reserve and on the west by 28th Street.

Food and drink in the North End

The North End isn’t just a local neighborhood out of the mind’s eye, either. Hyde Park Pub and Grill on 13th Street was voted in 2022 as the best bar in the Treasure Valley for watching March Madness — it’s pretty cozy even without the sports, too. The bar is also a Green Bay Packers fan favorite when it comes around to the NFL season.

“We’ve always considered ourselves a neighborhood pub first and a sports bar second,” owner John Cornell told the Idaho Statesman. “We cater to not just Boise State, but the Big Ten and the Pac-12 conferences. And I think that has helped our fan base.”

Hyde Park Pub and Grill is part of a block of restaurants unique to the North End. If you’re not in the mood for sports, just across the road is Goody’s, an ice cream and candy store, and a longtime favorite Mexican restaurant, Parilla Grill.

More spots to check out, from a classic American grill to European cuisine:

• North End Pizza - Hand-tossed pizza and beer, 1513 N. 13th St.

• 13th Street Pub & Grill - Comfort food and outdoor seating, 1520 N. 13th St.

• The Royal - Craft beers and cocktail bar, 1607 N. 13th St.

• Apericena - European food with local ingredients, 1520 N. 13th St.

North End shopping and activities

The life and soul of the North End is centered in Hyde Park. A short walk along 13th Street will take you past some of the area’s best restaurants and stores.

Hyde and Seek is among the most eclectic stores, featuring everything from the goofy and wacky to elegant and thought-provoking. A stained-glass owl decoration or giant metal horse sculpture, anyone?

G. Willikers Toy Merchant is another North End quirk. Set up inside the shell of a small white house, G. Williker’s takes kids back to the days before Playstations and iPads. Although it was only opened in 2013, you could easily imagine you stepped back into the 1970s.

The 1-mile-long Harrison Boulevard is a must-see around the holidays. Located on the west side of the North End, leading up to Bogus Basin Road, many houses on the street go all-out for Halloween and Christmas — one resident told the Idaho Statesman last Halloween that he hands out about 3,000 to 5,000 pieces of candy each year.

“It’s nice that it’s a family event,” one trick-or-treater told the Statesman. “There are so many families, and it’s just the atmosphere here is really fun.”

A few more shops to check out, including a grocery as well as running apparel:

• Boise Co-op North End - Natural and organic grocery store and wine shop, 888 W. Fort St.

• Hyde Park Fine Wines - Rare and fine wines, 1304 W. Alturas St.

• Shu’s Idaho Running Co. - Running shoe store owned by runners, 1758 W. State St.

Boise’s biking and hiking capital

If you keep walking north along 13th Street from Hyde Park, you’ll find yourself at Camel’s Back Park. The park sits at the base of the Boise Foothills and includes a steep hill, offering some of Boise’s best views and sunsets.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The North End extends deep into the Foothills and encompasses many of the 190-plus miles of hiking and biking trails, including local favorites such as the Hull’s Pond Loop and the extensive Hull’s Gulch Interpretive Trail.

Some of Boise’s best biking trails, such as Owl’s Roost and Kestrel Trail, also originate in the North End.

Need new bicycle supplies or repairs? There’s Joyride Cycles and Tri Town Bicycles, both in the North End.

Here are a few more trails to check out:

• Red Fox Trail - 1.5-mile all-weather trail

• Crestline Trail - 2-mile non-motorized trail

• Camel’s Back Reserve Trails - Pedestrian-only trails with views of the North End

History of the North End

When you look into the history of Boise, it’s hard not to find the North End at the forefront of the City of Trees’ early days. Fort Boise was established July 4, 1863, as a small service town for nearby miners. The first North End houses — built on a small patch of land between 9th and 13th streets — popped up just 15 years later in 1878.

But it wasn’t until the 1890s that development in the North End truly exploded. Hundreds of small cottages, bungalows and other houses were built over the next six decades, including the development of the now-famous Harrison Boulevard. The street was named after President Benjamin Harrison, who signed the Admissions Act, which resulted in Idaho becoming a state.

Many of Boise’s most influential and prominent figures built houses on Harrison Boulevard, creating wonderfully unique dwellings.

But as Boise grew, the development of the North End began to decline. The North End Neighborhood Association website describes that “missteps by city leaders” resulted in blocks of abandoned houses and buildings in the name of urban development. Former Idaho State Historical Museum director, Arthur A. Hart, described the development as “inhuman” and that it “could be anywhere in the world.”

NENA was founded in 1976. It successfully established zoning laws for the North End and Hyde Park historic districts that led to what we know as the North End today.

Boise's Neighborhood Guides

Over the next several months, the Idaho Statesman will be publishing neighborhood guides. Here are a few:

• North End Guide: Boise's hiking and biking neighborhood

• North Meridian Guide: Idaho’s fastest-growing city

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