Homedale offers recreation and small-town life
In the northern end of Owyhee County, Homedale is a tiny community offering convenient access to Southwestern Idaho’s natural recreation. “It’s just a very small town. There’s one pharmacy in town and one grocery store, so it has a small-town feel,” says Paige Doyle, an associate broker with Northwest Real Estate with over three decades of experience. “There’s fishing, rafting, and boating. There are several really great golf courses. You can go hunting, horseback riding and hiking to hot springs.” The Snake River flows through the community, offering various activities. The expansive and remote Owyhee Desert is just south of Homedale, providing plenty of room for outdoor fun. Daily necessities are available in town, but when locals need more shopping and dining options, the larger communities of Caldwell and Nampa are about 15 miles away.
A mix of housing styles are available throughout rural Idaho
Cottages and ranch-style homes make up much of the inventory in Homedale. Most of the community consists of streets in a grid formation, with homes close together on small lots. Buyers can also find manufactured and New Traditional houses in this area. Further out from the center of town, properties get bigger, including some small farms that are around 15 acres. The structures on these properties are often traditional farmhouses, and they usually have outbuildings like garages or barns. Homes on lots under an acre cost between $230,000 and $510,000. Larger properties range from $350,000 to $800,000.
Fishing, hiking and swimming in Southwestern Idaho
Several parks and recreation sites offer many ways to enjoy Idaho’s outdoors in Homedale. Riverside Park has a boat ramp where residents can start a day of fishing or paddling on the Snake River. It’s also home to the city pool, a popular spot to cool off during the summer. Sports fields are available at Sundance Park, while City Park has tennis courts, picnic tables and a playground. River Bend Golf Course is a public, par-72 course on the banks of the Snake River. For more adventurous recreation, locals can head south to the Jump Creek Falls Trail or drive about 70 miles to hike Hayden Peak, the tallest mountain in Owyhee County. Southwestern Idaho is full of hot springs; the closest natural springs are about 25 miles away in Oregon, while Givens Hot Springs is a developed site about 20 miles south of Homedale.
Local arenas bring rodeos to town year-round
Multiple events bring excitement to Homedale throughout the year. The Owyhee County Fair takes place each August and features a rodeo, livestock shows, crafts shows and live music. The fairgrounds also host professional rodeos, including bareback bronco and bull riding. Badiola Arena has indoor and outdoor facilities for equestrian and rodeo competitions year-round. These are often youth events such as team roping, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
Casual restaurants and locally owned shops along Idaho Avenue
Idaho Avenue is the main commercial strip in the community, with several restaurants and shops along the street. Frosty Palace is a casual burger joint with a walk-up order window and dine-in seating. Doyle says The Bowling Alley is one of the most popular eateries in town, serving breakfast, prime rib and classic bar food alongside eight bowling lanes. Albertsons is the lone grocery store in town. Other shops include a drug store on Main Street and a thrift shop on Idaho Avenue. Residents can head east for more shopping variety. “There are bigger hubs, like Caldwell, which has a Walmart. And Nampa is huge. So there are lots of areas to go for bigger shopping,” Doyle says. Other national chains like Target, Lowe’s and Costco are in this area.
Homedale schools prepare students for the future
Homedale Elementary School earns a C from Niche and is in the heart of the community. Homedale Middle School and Homedale High School each get a C-plus. The middle school is just outside of downtown on Johnstone Road, while the high school is on Idaho Avenue. High school students can take dual credit courses through Boise State University, College of Western Idaho and other colleges. Classes include physics, environmental science and engineering design. The school also offers career and technical education certifications in several industries.
U.S. and state highways offer commutes through Southwestern Idaho
U.S. Route 95 is the main north-south highway through western Idaho. Caldwell is about 15 miles via Highway 95 and State Highway 19. From Caldwell, drivers can hop on Interstate 84 to head to Boise.
Written By
Matthew Atkins
