When I first learned of the existence of petroglyphs in Idaho I raised a questioning eyebrow. Ancient carvings right here in the Gem State? A quick search revealed two petroglyph sites within an hour of Boise: Celebration Park and Wees Bar.
This is a sponsored post. “This is a fishy spot, get those lures in the water!” our guide Mark Troy whispers on the Salmon River. I cast a ¾-ounce “Wobbler” blue-and-silver spoon 200 feet across the river and slowly reel it in as it pendulums across the current.
This is a sponsored post. Fall is such a fabulous time to go mountain biking in Idaho. The cool temperatures are the big thing – you can scale the mountain in thin layers and barely sweat a drop! Plus, the scenery is enhanced by fall colors, brilliant hues that become even more spectacular in the morning and evening sunlight.
This is a sponsored post. Third Wave coffee culture is slowly seeping into the Treasure Valley. The movement—exemplified by companies like Portland, Oregon’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters and San Francisco’s Blue Bottle Coffee—prizes quality over quantity.
This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. If you’re tired of the same old, same old when it comes to brews, wines, and spirits, Idaho is your sanctuary. These days, the Gem State’s beer and spirit companies are experimenting with crazy combinations to give your taste buds a flavor burst.
Fall is the perfect season for hiking in Idaho, especially with kids—the temperatures are crisp and cool, the fall colors are popping brilliantly in the sunshine and the trails generally aren’t as busy as mid-summer. Throw on your favorite flannel, grab a camera and get ready to explore five family-friendly fall hikes across Idaho.
This is a sponsored post. As the temperatures cool and the leaves start changing, many of us begin looking for beautiful spots to find fall foliage. US 26 from Idaho Falls heading east to the Wyoming border offers a multitude of stops to see the changing leaves along the way.
This is a sponsored post. It’s always a wonderful thing to climb a mountain in Idaho and enjoy the spectacular, 360-degree view. But normally, it’s a fleeting moment on top before it’s time to return to the trailhead or your base camp.
This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. Now that school is back in session you may feel as though you missed your window to get outside and make some memories with the kids.
The weather in Idaho is cooling off, people are stocking up on bags of candy like it were the apocalypse and the pumpkin carving is underway. Yes, Halloween is just around the corner and Idahoans are gearing up for a frightfully fun holiday.
This is a sponsored post. From the outside looking in, few outdoor activities are more intimidating than fly fishing. There’s specialty gear to be purchased, nuanced techniques to be learned, casting etiquette to be observed, an almost mystic understanding of the river’s flow, and profound insight into the mind and deep desires of various types of fish - all of which can seem like a bit much to an outsider.
Sara Sheehy worked in partnership with Visit Idaho to create this Travel Tip. Fall is the magical season in Sun Valley. The warmth of summer still lingers during the day, while cool nights remind us that winter is on the way.
Idaho’s unique geological location offers countless hot springs to enjoy. Some are well-known, others are not. Either way, there’s really no better way to “soak up” our state’s magic than to soak in it.
This is a sponsored post. A family’s first backpacking trip is an Idaho rite of passage. Perhaps no other kind of trip can test your bushcraft, parenting skills and a child’s patience, all within a 24-hour window.
Tara Morgan worked in partnership with Visit Idaho to create this Travel Tip. In the midst of September harvest season—when Idaho farmers markets are overflowing with ripe heirloom tomatoes, swollen peppers and perfectly sweet, drip-down-your-arm peaches—it’s difficult for restaurants not to source locally.
This is a sponsored post. One of Idaho's greatest features has to be its awe-inspiring night sky. The twinkling stars and the Milky Way will take your breath away and Idaho's lack of light pollution means you're in a great spot to capture a gorgeous starry night.
This is a sponsored post. With such wide diversity in landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities, Idaho is one of the most underrated states in the West. From the high desert plains to jagged mountain peaks to pristine rivers and streams, no matter what part of the state you find yourself in, we guarantee there’s someplace beautiful to explore nearby.
This is sponsored post. Looking at our little adventure sedan, you’d think we were running a small sporting goods store. We had running shoes, bike gear, and wading boots precariously balanced like adventure Jenga on the back seat and two hardtail mountain bikes on the rear rack.
This is a sponsored post. Finding a family hike suited for everyone can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you have young children. If this scenario sounds familiar consider exploring the Cress Creek Nature Trail in eastern Idaho to keep the whole family happy.
As the fall moves in, bringing with it cooler temperatures and gorgeous color-changing foliage, it may be time to try on a new adventure, one fit for the whole family. All you have to do is hop on a bike and enjoy the 15 mile, downhill ride on the Route of the Hiawatha Trail.
This is a sponsored post. I’m lying on my inflatable camp mattress, afloat in a pool of warmth waiting for the stars to illuminate the evening sky. Thirty miles north of McCall, Idaho, the light pollution is all but gone.
This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. Blue Lake, one of Idaho’s better kept secrets, can be found just outside of Cascade in the Boise National Forest near the summit of Snowbank Mountain and Granite Peak.
This is a sponsored post. This summer Tamarack Resort reopened its downhill bike park, which was once a highly-regarded downhill destination, and started offering lift services to mountain bikers for the first time since 2007.
A trip to the Land of the Yankee Fork, the historic mining region nestled between Stanley and Challis, is unforgettable. Hop in the car for a day-long journey to explore stage stops along an old toll road, mining ghost towns and a 988-ton dredge.
This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. If you’re looking to explore some unfamiliar territory, all you have to do is take a short drive east of Seattle to Idaho, and you’ll be in the heart of some of the Northwest’s most beautiful destinations.