Things to do in Idaho
41 places worth stopping for and 23 places to stay on a road trip through Idaho.
See and do
- Lake
Lake · Stanley
Redfish Lake
A big glacial lake under the Sawtooth peaks, named for the red sockeye that return to spawn.
- Town
Town · StanleyHidden gem
Stanley
Tiny mountain town of about 100 people, with the Sawtooths filling the view from the main street.
Hot pool · SalmonHidden gem
Goldbug Hot Springs
A free chain of waterfall-fed pools on a canyon wall, after a steep 2 mile hike.
Natural wonder · Arco
Craters of the Moon National Monument
A vast lava field with cinder cones, caves and a loop drive, set up as a dark sky park.
- Natural wonder
Natural wonder · AlmoHidden gem
City of Rocks National Reserve
Granite spires and domes in the high desert, a world-famous climbing spot and a quiet place to camp.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Twin Falls
Shoshone Falls
The 'Niagara of the West', taller than Niagara Falls at 212 ft, strongest in spring.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · AshtonHidden gem
Upper Mesa Falls
A 110 ft waterfall on the Henrys Fork, with a boardwalk and platform to view it from above.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Ketchum
Galena Summit Overlook
A roadside pull-out on Highway 75 with a huge view over the Sawtooth Valley and the Salmon River headwaters.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · McCallHidden gem
Burgdorf Hot Springs
A historic backcountry resort pool in the mountains north of McCall.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · DonnellyHidden gem
Gold Fork Hot Springs
Six natural hot pools above Gold Fork River near Donnelly.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · Lowman
Kirkham Hot Springs
Roadside natural pools beside the South Fork Payette River.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · Stanley
Sunbeam Hot Springs
Natural hot springs by the Salmon River with pool access.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · Lava Hot Springs
Lava Hot Springs
A town built around natural hot pools and a cold river for tubing, tucked in a narrow valley.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Island ParkHidden gem
Harriman State Park
A former ranch with trumpeter swans, moose and fly-fishing on the Henrys Fork.
- Natural wonder
Natural wonder · Mountain HomeHidden gem
Bruneau Dunes State Park
The tallest single-structured sand dune in North America, with an observatory open for stargazing.
- Town
Town · WallaceHidden gem
Wallace, the Center of the Universe
A quirky silver mining town with a manhole cover declared the centre of the universe.
Lake · McCall
Payette Lake and McCall
A mountain town on a deep blue lake, with a lively summer scene and winter carnival.
- Lake
Lake · StanleyHidden gem
Alturas Lake
A big sunny lake in the Sawtooth Valley with campgrounds and Sawtooth peaks above.
- Lake
Lake · CoolinHidden gem
Priest Lake State Park
Clear, cold sandy-beach lake near the Canadian border, with family camping in cedar forest.
- Lake
Lake · Stanley
Stanley Lake
A calm lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Range, five minutes off the Salmon River road.
- History
History · ChallisHidden gem
Land of the Yankee Fork State Park
A mining ghost-town landscape with a dredge and visitor centre.
- History
History · ArcoHidden gem
Experimental Breeder Reactor I
The first reactor to produce usable electricity, now a free museum in the desert.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Twin Falls
Perrine Bridge viewpoint
A high bridge over the Snake River Canyon where BASE jumpers launch.
- Walk
Walk · Hagerman
Malad Gorge State Park
A narrow basalt gorge with a footbridge over a roaring river.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · AshtonHidden gem
Lower Mesa Falls
A wide waterfall on the Henrys Fork that you can also view from the road above.
History · Cataldo
Old Mission State Park
The oldest standing building in Idaho, a hand-built mission in a green valley.
- Lake
Lake · StanleyHidden gem
Pettit Lake
A quiet alpine lake in the Sawtooth Valley, near Alturas Lake.
- Swimming hole
Swimming hole · Twin Falls
Dierkes Lake
A canyon-side lake beside Shoshone Falls for swimming and walking.
- Walk
Walk · Cataldo
Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
A paved rail trail running through the Silver Valley and along lakes.
- Town
Town · Idaho County
Riggins
A river town on the Salmon with rafting and fly-fishing.
Roadside oddity · BlackfootHidden gem
Idaho Potato Museum
A cheerful museum in a former train depot, with a giant fake potato chip and baked potato lunch.
- Lake
Lake · Athol
Farragut State Park
Sandy swim beaches on Lake Pend Oreille and big campgrounds in former naval training grounds.
- History
History · LapwaiHidden gem
Nez Perce National Historical Park, Spalding
A visitor centre and museum on Nez Perce history in the Clearwater Valley.
- Museum
Museum · HagermanHidden gem
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
A fossil site famous for the Hagerman horse, with a visitor centre on the Snake River.
- History
History · OrofinoHidden gem
Dworshak Dam
A giant straight concrete dam and reservoir near Orofino.
- History
History · Glenns FerryHidden gem
Three Island Crossing State Park
A river-crossing site on the Oregon Trail with a camp and museum.
- Town
Town · Boise County
Idaho City
A gold-rush mountain town with old buildings and hot springs nearby.
- Geothermal
Geothermal · Soda SpringsHidden gem
Soda Springs Geyser
A man-made geyser, accidentally created in 1937, that shoots up on a schedule.
- Lake
Lake · Cascade
Lake Cascade State Park
A big, warm reservoir in the Idaho mountains with beaches, campsites and fishing.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Moyie SpringsHidden gem
Moyie Falls
A tall waterfall seen from a bridge on US-2.
- Town
Town · Custer County
Challis
A small ranching town on the Salmon River with access to hot springs and trails.
Food stops
Places to stay
Campground · Craters of the MoonHidden gem
Lava Flow Campground
Camp inside a black volcanic landscape.
- Campground
Campground · Stanley, Sawtooth NRA
Redfish Lake campgrounds
Lakeside camp under the jagged Sawtooths.
- Campground
Campground · ChallisHidden gem
Land of the Yankee Fork State Park, Challis Hot Springs camping
68 sites at a hot-springs campground with a gold-dredge ghost-town park.
- Campground
Campground · KetchumHidden gem
Alturas Lake Inlet Campground
Lakeshore camp at the foot of the Sawtooths.
- Campground
Campground · LowmanHidden gem
Kirkham Campground
South Fork Payette camp beside Kirkham Hot Springs.
Campground · Plummer
Heyburn State Park
A lake-and-forest park on Chatcolet Lake with trails and paddling.
- Campground
Campground · Stanley
Sockeye Campground (Redfish Lake)
Forest Service campground close to the lake shore and the Redfish visitor area.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · KetchumHidden gem
Warm Springs Canyon dispersed camping
A designated free dispersed camping area outside Ketchum, with fire rings and no services.
- Campground
Campground · McCall
Ponderosa State Park Campground
Shaded campground on a peninsula of Payette Lake, with trails and a swimming beach.
- Campground
Campground · KetchumHidden gem
Easley Campground
Ten sites on the Big Wood River with hot springs next door.
- Campground
Campground · AshtonHidden gem
Warm River Campground
Spring-fed river camp near Mesa Falls.
- Campground
Campground · LowellHidden gem
Wilderness Gateway Campground
Lochsa riverside camp on US 12 for whitewater and hot springs.
- Campground
Campground · Glenns Ferry
Three Island Crossing State Park campgrounds
82 sites beside the Snake River crossing that Oregon Trail wagons used.
- Campground
Campground · Plummer
Heyburn State Park campgrounds
Lakeside campgrounds beside the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.
Campground · Island ParkHidden gem
Henrys Lake State Park campground
Eighty-three sites 15 miles from Yellowstone's west gate.
- Campground
Campground · Stanley
Sunny Gulch Campground
Salmon River camp near the Sawtooth range.
- Campground
Campground · OrofinoHidden gem
Dworshak State Park campground
103 sites on a huge reservoir in north-central Idaho.
- Campground
Campground · LowmanHidden gem
Mountain View Campground, Lowman
Quiet sites along the Payette river east of Lowman.
- Campground
Campground · American Falls
Massacre Rocks State Park campground
Snake River sites among basalt rocks on the Oregon Trail.
- Campground
Campground · WinchesterHidden gem
Winchester Lake State Park
A small lake camp in the pines on the Camas Prairie.
- Campground
Campground · SagleHidden gem
Round Lake State Park
A small forested lake with a quiet campground near Sandpoint.
- Campground
Campground · American Falls
Massacre Rocks State Park
A river-edge camp among basalt rocks beside the Oregon Trail ruts.
- Campground
Campground · RupertHidden gem
Lake Walcott State Park
A reservoir park on the Snake River with a boating beach.
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Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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