Idaho



Vintage Postcard of Idaho Falls



Idaho is one of those states that I have gone through several times but not toured or stayed in for any length of time.  It is a beautiful state with enormous amounts of wilderness that have not been developed or changed much by human intrusion.   It has the grandeur of several mountain ranges, huge wilderness areas, National Forests, caves, high desert areas, hot springs, a multitude of rivers and lakes scattered from one end of the state to the other.   When I think of how our country must have been when the pioneers first saw it, Idaho is one of the states that I think about.  If you are looking for outdoor adventure land, Idaho is an ideal place to visit.  Sun Valley is perhaps its most famous ski area but there are countless places to explore, hike, fish, hunt or just bask in the sun.






Vintage Map Postcard 



There are many small towns but also cities ranging from 30,000 people to over 200,000 in Boise, the capitol city.  In America it seems every town or city is proud of their own place so there are monuments, museums and “sights to see” everywhere.





Idaho is one of several western states that allow you to see what the Wild West really was like.  There you can follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they made their way through the wilderness to the Pacific Ocean.  The Oregon Trail passed through Idaho and many pioneers struggled to achieve a new beginning along this way.  There were gold miners who tried to find their fortune, ranchers and farmers who settled this state.

 Potatoes are a main crop in Idaho as this
vintage humorous postcard shows.

I do believe that the explorers and pioneers who first crossed and settled this land had a wonderful imagination and sense of humor.  The names of many places in Idaho are intriguing to me.  The Bitterroot Mountains, Hell’s Dam, Seven Devils Canyon, Heaven’s Gate Mountain, Sawtooth Mountains, Lost River Range, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Snake River, Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness are some of the more interesting place names.  The name tells you there must be a story behind the naming of each place. 

If you want to explore Idaho, then explore their website first to see the variety available.  The website for Idaho tourism is http://www.visitidaho.org .