{"id":12056,"date":"2021-08-04T10:02:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T14:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/?p=12056"},"modified":"2022-11-18T06:58:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-18T11:58:25","slug":"united-states-idaho","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/united-states-idaho\/","title":{"rendered":"Idaho: Natural Beauty and Boundless Recreation"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Idaho may be one of least well-known states even though it\u2019s an outdoor paradise. It reminds me of Colorado when I lived there as a child. Then I could go almost anywhere in the mountains, anytime of the year, and it wasn\u2019t crowded. I don’t know how long it\u2019s going to last in Idaho, but for now it\u2019s a real treat to experience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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My friend Mike and I spent a week in Idaho as part of a 16-day, 3000-mile Rocky Mountain Road Trip<\/a>. Our visit just touched the surface of what the state offers. You can spend many months exploring its many mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and other natural wonders.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When To Go <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Anytime is good to visit someplace in Idaho as it has a diverse climate. Most places, except high altitudes in the mountains, can be very hot in the summer and quite cold in the winter. The best months depend on the activity you want to do.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Where to Go<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We started our trip crossing from Montana on US 2, not far from the Canadian border.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When we crossed the border, we had a filling lunch in Bonners Ferry at Mi Pueblo Authentic Mexican Food<\/a> run by a family originally from Honduras.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Generally, you travel north and south in the northern part of the state, as it narrows and culminates in a sideways panhandle. In the southern part, where much is high desert and relatively flat, travel tends to be east and west. The map below indicates where we went, which certainly didn\u2019t include all the top attractions of the state.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When we were in Yellowstone National Park, we visited the nearby Upper and Lower Mesa Falls in Idaho. You can get information on them here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Coeur d\u2019Alene and Spokane, Washington<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We traveled through mostly forested land to the city of Coeur d\u2019Alene. In English, it means “heart of the awl.”\u00a0 An awl is a pointed tool used to pierce leather. The name was given to the Native Americans living there by French trappers and traders, who bought leather from them. On the way we passed by Ruby Ridge<\/a>, where in 1992 federal law enforcement sought to apprehend a fugitive named Randy Weaver. No one knew it then but this was the beginning of the American militia movement.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We decided to sleep in Spokane, only a half-hour drive from Coeur d\u201dAlene. This is the largest city in the region with a population over 200,000. I wanted to check it out because I\u2019d never been there. It had attractive, middle-income and affluent neighborhoods and a sizable downtown with some streets filled with homeless camps. We stayed by the campus of Gonzaga University, whose basketball team made it to the last NCAA finals. The area had a number of restaurants and bars and we had cappuccinos in Hatch beaker + <\/a>burr<\/a> in the Saranac Commons<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In the morning we drove to Coeur d\u2019Alene Lake, going east on Interstate 90 and turning south on Highway 97. The Lake stretches about 25 mi \/ 40 km with some scenic overlooks. However, much of the 135 mi \/ 220 km shoreline is private property with houses and condos.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Next to the lake is the smooth asphalt Trail of the Coeur d\u2019Alenes, which runs 75 mi \/ 120 km over a former Union Pacific Railroad route. It\u2019s used by cyclists, skaters, walkers, skiers, snowshoers and naturalists. The lake is a great spot for boating, fishing and water sports.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Moscow<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After hanging out at Coeur d\u2019Alene Lake for a few hours, we eventually made it to Highway 3, then south on US 95 for a pretty drive to Potlatch Junction. Then we proceeded south to Moscow, where the main campus of the University of Idaho is located. This is a good place to take a break. We ate a late, tasty lunch at the Mad Greek<\/a> and had cappuccino across the street at the crowded Bucer\u2019s Coffeehouse & Pub<\/a>. The most interesting thing about the city was the huge silos in the middle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We continued south on US 95 to Lewiston, where the elevation dramatically drops about a mile, from 8,500 ft \/ 2600 m to 3,300 ft \/1000 m.\u00a0 Around 9pm, we rolled into Grangeville, where we spent the night.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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White Bird & Hells Canyon<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The next morning we drove a few minutes to White Bird and stopped at Killgore Adventures<\/a> to see if there were rafting or jet boat opportunities for the day. No luck, but we saw their off-road vehicles on a trailer and found they were available. We rented a new Polaris UTV (utility task vehicle with side-by-side seating, as opposed to an ATV, all-terrain vehicle, with straddled seats like a motorcycle) and headed to Hells Canyon. For over 15 miles \/ 25 km, we were on a dirt road with ranches and farms on each side. We saw grazing horses\u2026<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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and even charming mailboxes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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After an hour of driving, we arrived at Snake River, the border of Idaho and Oregon, the heart of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From there we located trails being reclaimed by nature and leading to remote abandoned cabins.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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