Idaho Points-of-Interest

Information sources: A=AAA Travel Guidebook, AC=AAA Camping Book, H= Highways magazine (Good Sam Club), L=loop tours book (Readers Digest, hardbound), X=Xerox copy, T=1992 Texas travel soft-cover book, NOTE: Key to map-location numbering system: 05=2005 trip 06=2006 trip 07=2007 trip 08 = 2008 trip 09=2009 entry NOTE: Info may NOT contain CURRENT phone numbers, prices, times of operation, etc. due to publication dates for info sources. ALWAYS check with the attraction / location / venue for updated info rather than drive to the location and be very disappointed !

IDAHO 2013

(updated 3/13)

ID001 05 Boise (p 272) 13 mile greenbelt pedestrians & bicyclers; Idaho National Historical Museum; Zoo Boise; hands-on Discovery Center of Boise; Boise Art Museum; tour Old Idaho Penitentiary with its famous rose garden; World Center Birds of Prey. ID002 05 Idaho City Route 21, known as Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route, leads to Idaho City and lush Sawtooth Wilderness beyond; well-maintained brick buildings date back to mid-1800s. You can eat, dine, and shop in restaurants & saloons dating back to 1867; Boise Basin Museum recalls its heyday; Warm Springs Resort relaxes bathers in 97F water from hit springs. Also see ID015 05 Idaho Falls ID003 05 Sawtooth National Recreation Area visitors center lends cassette players and taped tours of the mountains keyed to mileposts on Rte 75. ID004 05 Craters of the Moon National Monument (p 273) scenic 7-mile loop; area used in 1960s for astronaut training; visitor center explains craters creation; also ice caves, tree molds, and lava bombs. 13 (HT) volcanic phenomena, cones, craters, lava flows, caves, tunnels, Loop Drive. ID005 05 City of Rocks National Reserve Bleak sage desert, featureless for miles until reaching massive granite outcroppings, some up to 60 stories tall. ID006 05 Twin Falls 1. 212 foot waterfall can be heard for 3 miles; more dazzling view is made while crossing the Perrine Memorial Bridge, 486 feet high; Herrett Museum has pre-Columbian collections from North, Central, & South Americas. 2. Along US30, precursor to I-84, find examples of the struggle between water and lava. 3. Leaving I-84 west of Twin Falls at Exit 141, you seem to literally plunge into an abyss, a sheer walled basalt canyon, at the bottom of which flows the Snake River. As the road reaches the bottom it passes the mouth of Malad Gorge where the Malad River completes its mad plunge from the heights above to mix its waters with those of the Snake River. 4. Malad Gorge State Park is where the river begins its plunge and is accessible from I-84, Exit 147. Entrance is $4 per car. A trail leads to a bridge where you can look straight down 250 feet into the swirling maelstrom of Devils Washbowl at the bottom of a 60-foot waterfall. 5. US30 along the Snake River travel past the small community of Hagerman. Cross the west side of the river. By looking across the river you will note the stupendous sight of millions of gallons of water gushing out of, and not over the top of, the basaltic cliffs. Waters of area rivers sink below the surface near Arco, Idaho and follow underground fissures and faults in lava flows of the Great Rift Zone to the cliffs overlooking the Snake River. Using your car (or toad) drive US30 south of Hagerman to the Hagerman-Wendell Highway; turn left and follow it up to Vader Grade onto the rim; continue to (road)1500 East and turn right; go four miles to (road) 3300 South which will eventually curve to the right and there will be signs on the left leading to the 1000 Springs Preserve. A steep and narrow road will drop down the face of the cliff (safe in a car or pick-up truck). Part way down oyu will pass a row of small springs gushing water. Further down is an Idaho Power facility. Park at the bottom and walk out the dirt path to your left toward the huge waterfall plunging out of the face of the cliff. Its about 100 yards to the base of the falls be careful of poison oak along the path. The actual preserve, owned by Nature Conservancy, is closed but wont hinder your view.

Idaho Points-of-Interest

6. (See region directly prior to this entry) Two fish hatcheries one state & one federal: Hagerman National and State Fish Hatcheries produce literally millions of trout and steelhead each year. Both open to the public. 7. On the east side of Twin Falls is Shoshone Falls, a.k.a. Niagara of the West. The falls are 50 feet higher than Niagara Falls. During late spring and early summer the flow from the Snake River is simply awesome. Theres a lovely park nearby with great views of the multiple spillways. To get to Shoshone Falls, from US93 (Blue Lakes Blvd), take Falls Avenue east to 3300 East (Champlin Road). Turn north and follow the signs to the park. $3 per car. The bridge on Blue Lakes Blvd that crosses the Snake River is in and of itself worth a stop. Hagerman offers a much quieter base of operation, with a tree-lined RV park, several restaurants, a grocery store and other basics. 8. AREA INFO: Twin Falls 93 RV Park, 208-326-5092, www.twinfalls93rvpark.com; Twin Falls / Jerome KOA is north of Twin Falls on US93, 800-562-4169, www.koa.com; Hagerman RV Village, 800-707-4906, www.hagermanrvvillage.com ID007 05 Hagerman Very famous for fossils, including 130 horse fossils dug up near Horse Quarry; Hagerman Valley Historical Society has prehistoric horse skeleton; less than a block away the Visitors Center has displays of camel skull and horse bones still embedded in rock. ID008 05 Bruneau Dunes State Park includes largest single structured sand dunes in North America - - 470 feet high; 5-mile, self-guided nature trail climbs the dune and explains areas geology. 13 (HT) Largest sand dunes in America; Bruneau Canyon. ID009 05 Lewiston (p 274)) Go up Snake River by aluminum jet boat to explore Hells Canyon; daylong tour offer return trip by boat or raft; Hells Gate State Park camping, swimming, excursion boat tours. 13 (HT) Snake River excursions, Luna House Indian museum. ID010 05 Coeur DAlene Museum of North Idaho; Coeur DAlene Lake is reputedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the world; cruises leave from city dock. 223 A Coeur DAlene (A50) Lake Coeur DAlene Cruises leave city dock for 90-minute narrated tour with glimpses of wildlife and local scenery. Brunch, sunset, full-day and other cruises are available. $15.75 for persons over 55 yrs. (RVJ100)> Lake Coeur DAlene Scenic Byway begins at the junction of I-90 & Idaho 97 and follows Idaho 97 south and east along Lake Coeur DAlene to Idaho 3. Byway is 35.8 miles long; allow 1.5 hours. Idaho 97 is a two-lane, winding road with few passing lanes. Special attractions are: Lake Coeur DAlene; Mineral Ridge Trail at Beauty Bay; Caribou Ridge Natioinal Recreation Trail. ID011 05 Sandpoint Vintage Wheel Museum has horse-drawn carriages & antique cars. ID012 05 Koontenai National Wildlife Refuge 4.5 miles driving tour, 3 observation points, & several trails all provide views; (NOTE: drive as close to edge of road as possible to avoid barreling logging trucks.) ID013 05 Craters of the Moon National Monument (A51) Resembles the surface of the moon. 7-mile-loop drive is open mid-April to early November, takes 25 minutes to complete. 13 (HT) Volcanic phenomena, cones, craters,lava flows, caves, tunnels, Loop Drive. ID014 05 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (A53) Gem site Many routes to see scenery, wildlife. Americas deepest gorge. Boat trips from private companies; jet boats. 13 (HT) deepest gorge in North America, spectacular rugged terrain, Rim View Drive. ID015 05 Idaho Falls (A55) Gem site The Museum of Idaho has displays about history of Idaho, mammoth display, Lewis & Clark display, replica of a real 19th century community (Eagle Rock, which became Idaho Falls. $6, allow at least an hour. 13 (HT) Picturesque broad river falls, Sportsmans Island Park and museum, Latter Day Saints Temple. ID016 05 Kellogg (A56) Silver Mountain Gondola ride is supposedly the longest single-stage gondola ride in the world. It takes 19 minutes to go 3,400 feet from base of mountain to upper terminal. $13.95, senior citizens with ID for $9.95 but no age given as to what constitutes senior citizen. ID017 05 Rexburg (A64) Yellowstone Bear World see black & grizzly bears up close from your car. Prices vary see AAA guide. ID018 05 Riggins (A64) whitewater rafting. ID019 05 Salmon (A65) whitewater rafting

Idaho Points-of-Interest

ID020 05 Silver City (A67) Some 75 buildings remain of this once boisterous mining town. First 8 miles of the 25-mile road leading west from Silver City to Jordan Valley, Oregon are rough, winding and narrow. No automobile services in the vicinity. ID021 05 Wallace (A70-71) Sixth Street Melodrama has audience participation during family-style melodrama that reflects the areas mining background. Over 54 yrs = $10 (rather than $12). ID022 Challis 13 (HT) Grand Canyon in miniature; nearby: Ghost Town, Hot Springs, Mt. Borah. ID023 Shoshone Ice Caves 13 (HT) located 18 miles north of Shoshone, which is in general region of Craters Of The Moon Natl Monument and regional lava beds: Shoshone Ice Caves are an ice tunnel enclosed by lava formations.