The Great State of Idaho

I recently came across a blog that listed reasons why a person shouldn't live in or visit Idaho. I'm not going to post a link to that blog because they didn't have anything nice to say about our 'Gem State'. I found it surprising that this person was so quick to list reasons why Idaho should be avoided, then I read that they had never actually been to Idaho! So, in retalliation, here are some reasons why I love the state I call home:
There is so much to do here, Idaho offers something for everyone. From camping and fishing to shopping and sight-seeing; rock climbing, mountain biking, and white water rafting to outdoor and indoor theatre. It's hard to be bored in a state that has so much to offer.




I've heard it said that Idaho is a boring drive because 'There's nothing there'. Well, here's a brief discription of the various terain found throughout our state: "Rivers, mountains and farmland dominate the state’s landscape. The panhandle has emerald green hillsides, timbered mountains and pristine lakes. Central Idaho is covered with jagged peaks. The Snake River Plain, with its wide open vistas, irrigated farm lands and vibrant cities forms the character of Southern Idaho." Find more here. I'll admit that there are sections of the interstate where there's not much scenery to look at but, if you're willing to leave the beaten path and venture out, here's some of what you might find:
The City of Rocks. Who wouldn't want to see granite pinnacles in excess of sixty stories tall and 2.5 billion years old?

Bruneau Dunes State Park. The tallest single-structured sand dune in North America rises to 470 feet high. The state park includes opportunities for camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, birdwatching, and viewing the stars at one of only two public observatory's in Idaho.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Established in 1924 to preserve the 750,000 acres of unique volcanic features in this large lava field. You can see volcanic rifts, caves, go hiking, and see spatter cones

Shoshone Falls. At 212 feet, the falls are higher than Niagra Falls and are best viewed during the spring.

Malad Gorge. The Malad River Canyon is 2.5 miles long and 250 feet deep.



Hells Canyon & Yellowstone National Park.
Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America, deeper than the Grand Canyon. In 1975, Congress established the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in west central Idaho and northeastern Oregon.
The world's first National Park, Yellowstone, is located in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.





Did you know...
*Idaho is an invented word, not a derivation of the Indian phrase "E Dah Hoe (How)" supposedly meaning "gem of the mountains."
*Idaho is the 13th largest state in the United States.
*Besides potatoes, Idaho is the #1 National Producer in:

1.Trout
2.Austrian Winter Peas
3.Lentils
*Idaho borders six states; Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. *Idaho also borders another country, Canada!
*We even have Silverwood Theme Park in Coeur d'Alene, complete with roller coasters, a water park, and you can take a ride on an authentic 1915 steam engine train.

*Idaho is called 'The Gem State' because we produce 72 types of precious and semi-precious stones, some of which can't be found anywhere else in the world.
*Clint Eastwood once said: "The Only Tough Part About Having To Film In Idaho Is When You Have To Leave"
*Sun Valley was created in 1936 as America's first destination ski resort.
*Coer d'Alene is home to the world's only floating golf green. The resort was given a #1 ranking in the 'Beauty and Esthetics' category by Golf Digest

One of the things that blog made fun of was 'Dog Bark Park' where you can stay inside of a 30-foot-tall beagle in Cottonwood, Idaho. I think it's kinda cute, but if sleeping inside of a dog doesn't suit your fancy, there are plenty of other lodging options in our great state. We even have a Hilton.

They also poked fun at us for being proud of the fact that Idaho is home to both the Pacific standard and the Mountain standard time zones. So what if we like to pull off the freeway and take our pictures with one foot in one time zone and the other foot in another?

If nothing has interested you so far, there's always the Idaho Potato Museum (Yes, that's right...a museum of potatoes). You can see old farming equipment and learn about the development of the potato industry, purchase some potato lotion at the gift shop, or pick up some potato fudge for a tasty snack!


Here are more pictures of the beautiful scenery found throughout our state:
Sawtooth Mountains

Salmon River

Falls Creek Fall

The Snake River

Boulder Mountains


But, go ahead and think what you want of Idaho. Just because I love it doesn't mean you have to. And if this post hasn't convinced you that Idaho is a place worth living...well, that's just fine with me. No sense in over crowding such a beautiful state!