I want to issue an apology – I severely underestimated how cool Idaho was! I thought it was akin to a mid-Western “travel-through” state and I was sorely mistaken. For the outside enthusiast, waterfall chaser, or mountain climber, Idaho is an absolute playground of opportunities. Oh yeah, and there’s potatoes there for my potato-lovers!
Potatoes
I want to start out with all potato-related experiences as Idaho is known for their potatoes. I am a lover of potatoes in all forms, but I can tell you I wasn’t expecting an ice cream potato. That’s right, Idaho has its very own ice cream potato but thankfully, its not actually potato flavored! It appears to be a staple at some restaurants like the West-Side Diner in Boise, ID and also makes appearances during festivals and fairs. The ice cream potato, itself, is vanilla ice cream. Its molded to look like a potato, and with the use of things like cocoa powder and whipped cream, looks impressively realistic!
If you thought potatoes could only be food, you’d also be sorely mistaken. There’s a unique opportunity in Idaho to sleep inside a potato. This AirBnB looks – hilariously, I might add – just like a large potato dropped onto the ground in a field. The inside aren’t anything particularly sophisticated, but when you need a place to stay, why not stay in a potato?
Then, of course, is the Idaho Potato Museum. If you have something you want to know about potatoes, this is the place to go. Farming machinery, the ties between the potato industry and the railway system, when and why the Russet was developed…its all there! You can get your fill of potato-themed souvenirs to show you’ve been to Idaho. You can also get your fill of potatoes at the attached cafe. They serve waffle fries, potato dollars, regular fries, and of course baked potatoes complete with a baked potato bar.
Nature
Alright, so you went to Idaho and you had potatoes, now what? Well, there’s plenty to do outside in the Gem State. It’s like Colorado meets Montana meets Washington! The Gem State is named such because a fabricated story that its the “Gem of the Mountains”. It came to pass, however, that it actually is a great place to find a variety of precious and semi-precious stones. Its one of two places in the world where you can find the star garnet in abundance. Emerald Creek Garnet Area in Northern Idaho allows you to mine and keep your own star garnet and its the only place in the world you can do that!
Gemstones aside, Idaho also boasts fabulous waterfalls that rival even Niagara Falls. It also has what seems to be a never-ending number of natural springs. Shoshone Falls is just one waterfall that piqued my interest – its taller than Niagara Falls! As for springs, I’d like to visit Hooper Springs. Its not only a naturally carbonated spring you can drink from, but was also a stop along the Oregon Trail. While I don’t quite have a taste for the minerals in spring water, emigrants along the Oregon Trail would add flavoring to it to create a natural soda pop. I’ve never thought about that and I’m absolutely intrigued! Then, of course, there are many hot springs to soak in. Sacajawea Hot Springs is one that seems to be a little less travelled than others in the state. It’s formed where the river meets the springs so temperatures vary along the banks. People have put rocks to make soaking pools in a variety of temperatures along the river.
The list goes on for natural attractions – Craters of the Moon National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, ice caves, City of Rocks. I think I could spend an eternity exploring there. I was also interested in resident grove of ancient cedar trees. These trees are thousands of years old (think 2000-3000). As a result, they are enormous, but there’s one that beats out the rest – the Champion Tree. It’s a giant Western Red Cedar that is 177 feet tall and has a diameter of about 18 feet. It has its only little boardwalk and platform and honestly, really reminds me of the Great Deku Tree in Legend of Zelda. That’s an opportunity I can’t pass up.
Everything Else
Idaho seems to have a little bit of everything, so I thought it only appropriate to group some of these things into “everything else”. One of the coolest things I think I came across was the Hiawatha Trail. Its a bicycle path that goes through several old railway tunnels and while its long – 15 miles to be precise – it looks like an absolutely stunning undertaking. Thankfully, the trail is downhill the entire stretch at about a 2% grade so it does eliminate some obstacles. It promises intrigue and stunning views across its 9 train tunnels and 7 trestles.
For those out there who love a good paranormal thrill, Idaho also has plenty of haunted opportunities. One of those is the Owyhee mountains – yes, the entire group of mountains. Indigenous legends talk about cannibals stealing children and since the 1800’s, there have been paranormal reports throughout.
Another such place is Farragut State Park. There are many reports about the site including apparitions of men walking along the shoreline, clanks of prison cells from POWs, disembodied yells and cries, and orbs. There are busts across the old POW and barracks that are rumored to have faces that move and distort. Even the trails have paranormal experiences, particularly those leading to the water of the lake.
Then, there’s the Sluice Box. I still have no idea what “Sluice” is, but the Sluice Box is an eclectic collection of vintage and antique items. The building, itself, is quite a curious sight to behold and its previous owners had a variety of decorations out front. They’ve now passed and things are looking more “cleaned up” nowadays, but its still an open antique store. In addition to being a cool place for secondhand finds and interesting architecture, its also purportedly haunted. Balls of light among the upper level windows are said to be seen at night.
I think its safe to say that this state is filled to the brim with opportunities to have fun and explore nature. I can’t believe I’ve been sleeping on Idaho all these years, but consider my eyes wide open now! What did I miss? Tell me below!
Leave a Reply