This study assessed the nature, determinants and challenges of urban youth political participation in Amhara Regional State taking Bahir Dar City Administration as a case study. To analyze these state of affairs, the researcher used qualitative lead (sequential exploratory) mixed research design. The study is meant to address the specific objectives of the nature and determinants of youth political participation; their tendencies of participation and reason for so; and the challenges to their participations in varied political activities. Both primary and secondary data sources were consulted. To attain the necessary data, the study had employed the questionnaire survey and interview (semi-structured in-depth) techniques. About 115 informants had participated in the study. The questionnaire was filled by 100 sample respondents based on the mathematical formula of sample size determination taking 10 % as confidence level. Three government officials were interviewed selected purposely based on their official responsibilities in relation to the affairs of youth. In addition, 15randomly chosen youths were interviewed taking the data saturation point into consideration. The study was analyzed thematically coupled with simple quantitative description for the purposes of triangulation and back the qualitative data for better representativeness of the samples for whole participants of the case study in point. The study had found that the interest as well as the participation of youth in conventional political activities (voter turnout, party activism and public meetings) is minimal as compared with those activities which are unusual and newer forms of political activities (protest activities and online internet activism). The factors: institutional-structural, psychological and socio-economic were found as the major determinants of the nature and extent of the city’s youth political participation. Also, the study had investigated the challenges of youth participation in the political process as; fear politics, hopelessness to bring political difference, system distrust, repressive measures of the incumbent on which it considers as its possible power contenders, lack of political interest and knowledge, the glaring unemployment bulge and lack of fairness in resource utilizations. All in all, this study had found that many of the city’s youth are engaging in political activities (knowingly, unknowingly or else unwillingly), however more of them show the tendency to participate in the unconventionally practiced and newer forms of participations. Further, the researcher recommends the government, political institutions, civil society organizations and the media to entertain the issues of youth and work with them to create conducive political environment to the youth as part of the decision making process to build sustainable peace, security, development and democratic political culture.