Including

Montour

Montour...A Gem County Community

Montour is one of five communities in Gem County, located approximately 10 miles NE of Emmett.

  • Elevation 2,513 ft.
  • Restaurant & Bar: The Triangle Restaurant

The Early Years

In the early 1860’s the Marsh-Ireton Ranch was established as a stage and mail stop along the freight road to the Boise Basin. After the railroad came through the Valley in 1911, the Montour business district and town were platted. They vied for the Boise County seat, but in 1915, the town was incorporated into Gem County with Emmett as the County seat. Dreams of prosperity faded, when in 1941, the new highway bypassed Montour, and shortly thereafter the school closed due to school reorganization.

Around 1970

The last store closed in 1968. In the 1970’s, ice jams along the backwaters of the dam flooded the Valley. The Bureau of Reclamation bought out the landowners and has since turned the area into a wildlife refuge and camping area. A natural landmark is the small butte, generally known as Regan Butte, named after the homesteader who ran cattle there in the late 1800’s.

Today

Montour is home to many Gem County residents who enjoy country living, a rural lifestyle, magnificent views and easy access to Hwy 52. Highway 52 takes residents into Emmett to the south and Horseshoe Bend to the north.

Montour offers fishing, camping, horseback riding and many other outdoor recreational activities. The Payetter River runs through Montour offering canoers a relaxing and scenic journey.

The Montour Campground is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation covering 1.7 miles (1105 acres) featuring a complex of  wetlands and ponds. Located above the Black Canyon Reservoir, camping, fishing and hiking are the most popular past times here. Fish species include small mouth bass and rainbow trout.

  • 14-day Stay Limit
  • Fall, Spring & Summer
  • Maximum Trailer Length: 32 ft.
  • Drinking Water
  • Dump Station
  • Tents Welcome
  • Vault Toilets

Latitude: 43.628101
Longitude: -116.206441

Camping reservations can be made through the Bureau of Reclamation, (208) 398-8211.

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