Population: 1,036,500

Area: 83, 557 sq. miles

Time: Mountain Time in the south. The panhandle north obersves Pacific Time.

Geography: Idaho is surrounded by Utah, Wyoming, Montana, British Columbia, Washington State, Oregon and Nevada. The southern portion of the Idaho is fairly flat with areas of rolling hills - excellent areas for farming including Idaho's famous potatoes. The north sits in the Rocky Mountains.

Southern Idaho

Idaho Falls - Idaho Falls is a friendly town which sits about 100 miles from Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Craters of the Moon National Monument. The falls, for which the city was named, no longer exists, but magnificent Mesa Falls is not far away and is worth the trip to see. Also in town is the stately Mormon Temple which sits in the Snake River Valley like a seven tiered wedding cake. The local visitor's center has information for the entire area.

Craters of the Moon National Monument - This is an eerie place set less than 40 miles from Idaho Falls. Over the last 12+ thousand years at internals of 2,000 years, waves of lava have oozed from holes in the earth's crust to form buttes, craters, lava cones and splatter cones. The sooty black wasteland is strewn with sagebrush and bonsai -like trees. This area may be explored on your own and there are ranger led tours of the lava tubes. Remember, the area is well overdue for its next 2,000 year upheaval.

Sun Valley - The well known resort and ski area was the inspiration of Averill Harriman who , at the time, was the chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad. Realizing that his railroad was obliged to offer and maintain passenger service, he felt that an alpine ski area would be an ideal stimulus for tourism and regular business. After the world's first chair lift was opened in 1936, Sun Valley exploded onto the ski circuit and has remained popular ever since. The site is set between the Dollar and Baldy Mountains not far from the sheep ranching village of Ketchum. It was here that Ernest Hemingway completed "For whom the Bells Tolls" in 1939 and was to later live the last two years of his life. His simple grave in the town cemetery.

Sawtooth National Recreation Area - The area is known as much for its spectacular vistas as it is for its solitude. The sharp ridge of the Sawtooth Mountains form a natural barrier along the western front. Hikers and backpackers will find the area free of tourist sites, challenging and beautiful.

Boise - The town grew up from under the protection of Fort Boise which was created in 1862 for the protection and use of the pioneers going west using the Oregon Trail. The town's name is a crude adaptation of the French words "les bois" which means " the woods which perhaps gave the early settlers the notion to plant hundreds of trees in the downtown area and remains as a pleasant addition to the area which is now known as the Greenbelt. The Idaho Historical Museum has some interesting relics of the past including accounts of Confederate soldiers who fled the South after the Civil War and what impact they had on the state. The Old Idaho Penitentiary was constructed in 1870 to hold various desperadoes and served 104 years. Now a museum, there is little to reflect the harsh conditions of its former use.

Northern Idaho

Lewiston - The capital of Idaho for a brief period, the town is the center for paper mills and the famed Lewiston Roundup which is a huge rodeo held during the 2nd weekend in September. The town is an excellent center for journeys down the Salmon River.

Moscow - Although the town has a somewhat unusual name, the original name proposed was Hog Heaven with another name of "Paradise" not considered fully appropriate. The current name was taken at the suggestion of an early resident who had lived in Pennsylvania in a town of the same name. The population is made up evenly of locals and University of Idaho students all totaling about 20,000 people. The good mixture brings a lot of character to Moscow which otherwise might go unnoticed amid the rolling farmland covered with yellow rape, green lettuce and soft golden wheat. The town is very pleasant and inviting and is well worth an overnight stay or more.

Coeur d'Alene - The Coeur d'Alene Resort sits on the site where in 1877, US Army Chief of Staff William Tecumseh Sherman first set up camp. He liked the area so well that he had a fort built here. The present day resort is an imposing structure and prides itself as having the world's only floating golf green. The area fanning out from the resort has a number of boutiques and cafes. During the summer, there is a great deal of activity around the dock including fishing excursions and lake cruises.

Wallace - Long past are the silver mining days of this old town. Today trams can take visitors 1,000 ft. underground to visit an old mine shaft. The tour lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. Narration on the tour is particularly interesting and gives some idea of the history of the region..

Sandpoint - Located in the Selkirk Mountains, this is Idaho's northernmost resort. The quiet downtown area is very pleasing and is made more charming by the Cedar Street Bridge Public Market which is a covered mall filled with shops, cafes and stalls overlooking Sandy Creek.

Hell's Canyon Region - This is the deepest river gorge in the US with an average depth of over a mile! Not far away is the village of McCall which is a small, but good, water sports resort. Also not far away is the Little Salmon River which is known for its wild water. In Riggins is a forest ranger office where it is good to get directions and ask about the white-water rafting opportunities and conditions in the area. The journey down the Salmon River through Hell's Canyon is and extraordinary experience! Mountain goats, old caves, birds and bobcats make the journey more interesting.