Information
Landmark: Ann Morrison ParkCity: Boise
Country: USA Idaho
Continent: North America
Ann Morrison Park, Boise, USA Idaho, North America
Overview
Just east of downtown Boise, Idaho, Ann Morrison Park stretches across roughly 153 acres, making it the city’s biggest and busiest green space, where cottonwood trees line the riverbanks.She was named for Ann Daly Morrison, wife of Harry W., the Morrison-Knudsen founder known locally for his generosity.In Morrison, the park offers Boise’s residents and visitors a sprawling place to play-wide green fields, shady riverfront trails, a playground with bright swings, and courts where games echo in the afternoon air.It’s a gathering spot for locals and a starting point for the Boise River Greenbelt, where you can hear the water sliding past just beyond the trees.Ann Morrison Park runs along the north bank of the Boise River, with Fairview Avenue marking its northern edge, and flows straight into the Boise River Greenbelt, a leafy corridor that threads through the heart of the city.It’s just minutes from downtown Boise, yet the river and the shade of tall cottonwoods make it feel worlds away from the bustle.Wide grassy fields stretch across the park, perfect for a soccer game or spreading a picnic blanket, with shady tree groves, still ponds, and winding paths tucked between them.The park transforms with the seasons-spring bursts with blossoms and the chatter of returning birds, summer stretches out across warm, sunlit lawns, autumn scatters gold across the paths, and winter settles in, wrapping the grass in frost and glazing the river’s edge with ice.Back in the 1960s, the Morrison family donated the land, picturing a place where neighbors could toss a ball or meet under the big oak for afternoon picnics.Over the decades, it’s grown into a lively space with swings creaking in the breeze, wide athletic fields, shady picnic shelters, and carefully tended gardens.Boise’s drive to create urban green space and outdoor recreation shines through in its development, adding to the charm of nearby spots like Julia Davis Park, where cottonwoods shade winding paths.Ann Morrison Park draws athletes from all over, with its wide green soccer fields, dusty baseball diamonds, and broad football turf hosting local leagues, school games, and weekend tournaments.You’ll find tennis and basketball courts dotted across the park, free to use, with the sound of a ball thudding against pavement in the distance.Wide, open lawns welcome frisbee tosses, kite strings tugging in the breeze, and easygoing pick‑up games.The park offers several playgrounds and picnic spots, each with slides, swings, climbing frames, and sand pits where kids of all ages can laugh and tumble in the warm afternoon sun.Families and neighbors love gathering under picnic shelters, where sturdy tables and smoky grills make the air smell like summer.From its spot right on the water, the park opens onto the Boise River Greenbelt-a winding stretch of trails where you can walk, jog, cycle, or watch herons glide low over the current.Many visitors hop into kayaks or canoes, while others linger on the bank to watch ducks and geese drift across the glassy water.Little wooden footbridges span the tributary channels, giving you a clear view of the water slipping past below.In the park’s open-air amphitheater, concerts, festivals, and neighborhood gatherings come alive, with the grassy slopes doubling as comfortable seats under the evening sky.In summer, concerts echo across these spaces, and charity runs wind through them, drawing the community together.Scattered cottonwoods and evergreens offer cool shade, while the flowerbeds near the gates burst with fresh color each season.Local wildlife gathers at the park’s ponds, so it’s a go-to place for anyone who enjoys watching ducks glide across the water.At Ann Morrison Park, visitors feel a wide-open space around them, with paths that curve past bright flower beds and grassy fields ready for almost anything.Families spread blankets under the cool shade of thick green leaves, and just beyond, the sports fields echo with shouts and the thud of a kicked ball.Joggers weave along the riverside trail while bright kayaks slip downstream on the Boise River.Birds call from the branches above the shaded path, while the city’s usual buzz fades to a murmur, leaving the park calm but full of quiet energy.Seasonal festivals spark extra energy, as food trucks line the walkways, music drifts through the air, and bright decorations splash color across the lawns.On calm weekdays, the park feels like a gentle retreat-perfect for diving into a book, pausing to breathe under sun-dappled leaves, or wandering along its shaded paths.Ann Morrison Park isn’t only Boise’s biggest park-it’s where the city comes together, a green stretch of lawn and river paths that show its love for fresh air, wellbeing, and a strong sense of community.With sports courts, green hills, and a path down to the river, it’s a place where you can play, unwind, or join in a lively festival.For generations, Boise locals have grown up wandering the park’s shady trails, and it’s still a heartbeat of the city-a spot where the river carries the scent of pine past fields and playgrounds, tying together nature, sport, and community.
