Idaho has a bounty of public lands, including large tracts of national forest. All of the state's national preserves and state parks offer a variety of facilities and activities. For more information, contact the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (phone 208-334-4199) or the U.S. Forest Service Intermountain Region Office (phone 801-625-5306).
Boise National Forest, east of the city of Boise, is a huge, 2,600,000-acre/1,000,000-hectare preserve of Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine in a landscape of mountains and canyons. You'll find abundant wildlife there—bighorn sheep and black bears in the forest, salmon and trout in the waterways.
Caribou National Forest is on the eastern edge of the state, overlapping into Utah and Wyoming. It is ideal for drives along the Snake River.
Clearwater National Forest, in the "panhandle" part of the state—east of Lewiston, is another good place for auto tours, with scenic Highway 12 following the course of the Lochsa River. A little farther south is Salmon National Forest, which contains two notable driving routes. The Lewis and Clark Backcountry Byway is a 40-mi/65-km circular route that reaches the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass, where the two explorers crossed in 1805. Nearby is the Salmon River Scenic Byway (Highway 93), which runs alongside the Salmon River.
Sawtooth National Recreation Area, northwest of Sun Valley and part of the Sawtooth National Forest, contains no less than three mountain ranges, several beautiful alpine lakes and more than 60 mountain biking/hiking trails. It is a starting point for excursions on Redfish Lake or float trips on the Salmon River. The Sun Valley ski resort is located at the edge of the recreation area.
Farragut State Park, in the panhandle near Athol, has the state's largest body of water—Lake Pend Oreille. Heyburn State Park, east of Plummer and also in the panhandle, is a special treasure for bird-watchers who want to catch glimpses of herons and ospreys.
Ponderosa State Park, northeast of McCall, has captivating, centuries-old towering pines and lots of wildflowers. Craters of the Moon National Monument, to the east of Sun Valley, is a huge volcanic rock chasm that lives up to its name.
Massacre Rocks State Park, southwest of American Falls, is a landscape of jagged lava rocks dotted with hundreds of species of desert flora.
Skiing
With high mountains and lots of snow, Idaho has what it takes for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. In addition to the famed Sun Valley resort, there are several resorts located around the state that offer a variety of skiing experiences.
Cross-country skiers may want to take advantage of the Park-n-Ski program operated by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. By purchasing a three-day or season pass, you get access to 18 different trail systems, which are maintained by the state and sometimes include such services as warming shelters. Contact the Department of Parks and Recreation for more information. Phone 208-334-4199.
In the northern part of the state, Silver Mountain rises above the mining town of Kellogg, 40 mi/64 km east of Coeur d'Alene. Skiers reach the slopes via a gondola that soars from town to mountain in 20 minutes. Nearby Schweitzer Mountain Resort has a village with a lodge and several condominium complexes, and offers a great view of Lake Pend Oreille. The ski area prides itself in caring for the environment—only biodegradable and recyclable products are used in its food service. Visitors who plan to ski both Silver and Schweitzer mountains should consider staying midway between them, in Coeur d'Alene.
Pebble Creek is located in the southeastern part of the state, 25 mi/40 km east of Pocatello. It has a vertical drop of 2,000 ft/610 m and 45 runs that will suit advanced, intermediate and beginning skiers. Most visitors to Pebble Creek stay in Pocatello.
Bogus Basin (16 mi/26 km north of Boise) has 5 mi/8 km of lighted runs, making it one of the country's largest night-skiing facilities. Soldier Mountain, about 100 mi/160 km southeast of Boise, is a relatively new ski area that's rapidly gaining popularity. And Brundage, near McCall, has deep snow and guided snowcat skiing on untracked powder for the adventurous.
Tamarak Resort (90 mi/144 km north of Boise), in central Idaho's Donnelly, lies in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest wilderness area in the continental U.S. Tamarak Resort has more than 1,000 acres/400 hectares of powder-covered slopes.
Shopping
Browse the shops in Boise and Sandpoint for beautiful handmade furniture. Shop for antiques in the small towns along Highway 95 in western Idaho. Anglers may want to shop for rods and other fishing accessories, especially one-of-a-kind flies. In Ketchum and Hailey, a number of high-end interior designers specialize in luxury home-decor items. Beef-jerky fans never miss a chance to stop at Smokey Davis in Boise, which has smoked its own local meats for more than 50 years.
Jewelry and artwork by local artists are plentiful, especially those made from Idaho gems. Native American artwork and antique turquoise beading are available in most resort towns such as Coeur D'alene. Check local calendars for festivals and farmers markets where you can shop for local crafts.
Day By Day
Though many visitors to Idaho will choose a single destination or activity (white-water rafting, skiing and so on), the following itinerary provides an overview of some of the state's best attractions. It assumes a visit during the warm-weather months, because some roads can be closed in winter.
Be aware that Idaho is a very large state, and much of it is served only by two-lane roads. If you're flying to the region, try to fly into one city and out of another (as indicated below). Though this usually entails greater expense, it will allow you to see more of the state without backtracking over the same route.
Day 1—Arrive in Spokane, Washington, rent a car and drive east on Interstate 90 to Coeur d'Alene. Overnight there.
Day 2—Coeur d'Alene.
Day 3—Stock up on snacks and beverages and plan to spend the day driving. Take Interstate 90 east to Highway 97 (the Lake Coeur d'Alene Scenic Byway) and go south. Pick up Highway 3 and continue south until you reach Highway 6. Take Highway 6 East to Highway 95 South. Make a brief stop in Moscow, home to the University of Idaho, and then continue on to Lewiston to spend the night. If you are traveling in February, plan to stay in Moscow and hear some of the world's great jazz artists at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.
Day 4—Make a one-day jetboat trip to Hells Canyon. See some of Lewiston after you return and spend a second night there.
Day 5—Take Highway 95 south, making a stop at the headquarters of the Nez Perce National Historic Park in Spalding. Continue on Highway 95 to New Meadows, where you'll pick up Highway 55 to McCall. As an alternative, you could take a scenic roundabout route: In Spalding, backtrack to Highway 12 (the Clearwater Canyons Scenic Byway) and go east. Pick up Highway 13 at Kooskia and go south, which leads back to Highway 95.
Day 6—Head south on Highway 55. At Banks, pick up the road that runs east to Lowman, where you'll reach Highway 21 (the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway). Take Highway 21 North up over the Sawtooth Range. If you're running out of daylight, spend the night in Stanley. If not, continue on to Ketchum on Highway 75.
Day 7—Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Day 8—Spend the morning in Ketchum. Then go south on Highway 75 and make a hiking, shopping or lunch stop in Hailey. When you're ready, continue on to Highway 20 and go west. At Mountain Home, take Interstate 84 west to Boise. Overnight there.
Day 9—Boise.
Day 10—Depart Idaho from Boise.
