Oct. 12, 2025

The Lowman Inn: Idaho’s Back-Door to the Sawtooths

The Lowman Inn: Idaho’s Back-Door to the Sawtooths
Season 2

A mountain bar with a music problem—in the best possible way. Kevin Courtney turned a shuttered roadside stop into Lowman’s community living room: yurts on the hill, live shows all summer, a wood-and-iron patio that frames the South Fork Payette like a postcard—and hot springs in every direction. If you’ve got one free day, this is the Idaho loop.

Brought to you by Old Arms of Idaho — Ambassadors to America’s Heritage, the 24-hour gun show.

  • 00:00 – Why Lowman matters: Idaho as it’s lived, not marketed; Dylan’s setup & sponsor.

  • 01:12 – Where is Lowman? 12 miles long, ~1.5 hours from Boise; what you can see in a day.

  • 02:01 – Hot-spring heaven: Kirkham, Bonneville, Pine Flats, Grandjean—how to plan a soak.

  • 02:40 – Pizza + rafting combo: Payette River Company next door; post-soak eats at the Inn.

  • 03:44 – River colors you won’t believe: South Fork Payette’s emerald glass and clean flows.

  • 04:27 – Backside of the Sawtooths: The Grandjean drive most Idahoans haven’t taken.

  • 05:13 – Fire scars, fast healing: Mushrooms, huckleberries, elderberries—what returns first.

  • 05:51 – What Kevin built: Family-friendly mountain bar, music venue, dog-friendly by design.

  • 06:44 – From shuttered to showtime: 16 years closed → gutted, rebuilt, then the yurts & patio.

  • 07:55 – Five yurts now, cabins next: The hilltop “village” and why it works.

  • 09:04 – Socials that actually help: Instagram is home base; what you’ll see there.

  • 12:03 – Winter Idaho is real: Backcountry ski, soak, repeat—why the Inn still hums in snow.

  • 12:51 – True community center: Pumpkin painting, weddings, Sundays with locals & staff.

  • 15:07 – The patio stage: Doors up, fire going, and… an elk herd wandering by mid-set.

  • 18:02 – Everybody wins or nobody does: Sourdough, South Fork, PRC—why the loop thrives.

  • 24:17 – Kevin’s other hat: Fire board service, volunteers, and how to actually help.

  • 35:33 – Booking the stay: Find the yurts on Airbnb; call if you need a hand.

  • 38:43 – Plan your loop: Horseshoe Bend → Banks-Lowman → Inn → Idaho City (or Stanley).

  • 44:39 – Safety & seasons: Ride smart, drive the speed limit, don’t miss the view.

  • 46:47 – Staff reality & gratitude: A two-person engine room making the place run.

Book a yurt on Airbnb (search “Lowman, Idaho” + “yurt”), follow Lowman Inn on Instagram, and make the Lowman Loop your next one-day reset.

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