Silverwood Theme Park
27843 US-95
Athol, ID
A Victorian mining town turned amusement park, with wooden coasters, a steam train, and a water park in the north Idaho forest.
Silverwood is the largest theme park in the Pacific Northwest, set in the forested lake country of the northern Idaho Panhandle at Athol. Behind its Victorian mining-town front gate wait roller coasters, a steam train, an included water park, and a full day of family rides, an unexpected pocket of amusement-park energy in a region better known for its mountains and lakes.
The park grew from one man's vision. Gary Norton, an aviator, opened Silverwood in the late 1980s, and its early identity leaned on aviation and an antique-airplane collection before it grew into the coaster-and-water-park destination it is today. That origin still shows in the park's homespun, personal character.
What Guests Love
- A pair of classic wooden roller coasters plus modern steel thrill rides
- Boulder Beach, the included water park, for hot summer afternoons
- The Silverwood steam train and its lighthearted train-robbery show
- The old-timey Victorian Main Street and a full slate of family rides in a forest setting
Worth Knowing
- This is a seasonal park, open mainly in the warm months plus a Halloween season in fall; it is closed in winter
- Summer weekends and hot days are busiest, so arriving early helps with parking and lines
- The water park is outdoor and weather-dependent; pack for both sun and mountain-afternoon showers
- It is a full-day destination, so plan accordingly and wear comfortable shoes
Details
Athol, ID
Learn about Silverwood Theme Park
From an airfield to a theme park
Silverwood opened in 1988, the creation of Gary Norton, a pilot who first imagined the site around aviation and a collection of vintage aircraft. The early park paired an airstrip and airplanes with a re-created Victorian mining town, a nod to north Idaho's silver-mining history.
Over the following decades the park added roller coasters, a steam railroad, and eventually the Boulder Beach water park, growing steadily into the largest amusement park in the region. It has stayed independently run, which gives it a different feel from the big corporate parks.
That history is part of the appeal. Silverwood is a park built by one family's ambition in an unlikely place, and it wears its handmade, north-Idaho character openly.
The rides
The park is anchored by two classic wooden roller coasters, one of them known for a stretch that dives underground, alongside modern steel coasters that deliver bigger thrills. Around them spin a full complement of family and children's rides.
The Silverwood steam train is a signature, chugging out into the woods for a lighthearted train-robbery show that has been a park tradition for years. For younger visitors, a dedicated children's area keeps the rides gentle.
Boulder Beach and a full day out
Included with the park is Boulder Beach, an outdoor water park of slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river, a welcome cool-down on a hot north-Idaho afternoon. Combined with the rides, it makes Silverwood a genuine all-day destination rather than a quick stop.
In the fall the park turns to a Halloween season of haunted attractions, giving it a second, spookier life once the summer crowds thin.
When to go
Silverwood is a warm-season park. It opens for the summer, when the water park is running and the days are long, and adds its Halloween season in the fall. It is closed through the winter.
Summer weekends and the hottest days draw the biggest crowds, so an early start helps. Because the water park and much of the park are outdoors, plan around the weather and come ready for both sun and the occasional mountain-afternoon shower.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Athol
Farragut State Park
About 6 miles south
A large state park on Lake Pend Oreille, the site of a WWII naval training station, with trails, beaches, and a museum.
Coeur d'Alene
About 20 miles south
A lakeside resort city with a famous floating boardwalk, beaches, and the gateway to the Silver Valley.
Lake Pend Oreille
About 10 miles east
Idaho's largest and deepest lake, ringed by mountains, near the town of Sandpoint.