Feel like on the moon? – Easy. Come to Idaho and visit the Valley of the Lunar Craters, a unique place on the planet that exactly repeats the relief of its satellite. And in this one of the most sparsely populated states in the country, you can see a canyon deeper than the famous Grand Canyon, a waterfall higher than Niagara, salmon-filled rivers that make their way right in the city center, crystal-clear lakes, deep forests, hot springs and many other natural treasures., which boasts a “gem state” (this is the nickname given to Idaho), rich not only in gold, but also in natural attractions. Needless to say, Idaho is the perfect vacation destination for the adventurous.
Idaho is a mountainous state known for its large deposits of precious metals, including gold, and a special love for potatoes, which are grown here on a national scale. So Idaho is a land of miners and farmers.
- Countryaah – Cities in Idaho: List of all municipalities in the state of Idaho, including cities and towns of Idaho.
The largest city of the state and its capital is the city of Boise, the largest cities are Nampa, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, etc. The area is very mountainous. In the northeast are the Clearwater mountains and, along the border with the state of Montana, Bitterroot, which is part of the Rocky Mountains. In the central part of the state are the mountains of Salmon River, Southout and White Cloud, in the north-central – Lemhi and Lost River.
Feel like on the moon? – Easy. Come to Idaho and visit the Valley of the Lunar Craters, a unique place on the planet that exactly repeats the relief of its satellite.
How to get there
If you decide to vacation in Idaho, you will have to fly with one or two transfers. Avid tourists traditionally choose one of the major cities of the state – its capital or Idaho Falls. The flight from one capital to another (Moscow-Boise) will take about 20 hours with one or two transfers. In Idaho Falls, an air taxi will take you from Sheremetyevo (with two transfers) in 20 hours.
In addition, from Moscow you can fly to other cities in the state: Haley, Lewiston and Twin Falls. In this case, neither the flight time, nor the number of transfers, nor the cost of the ticket will change significantly – a little patience, 20 hours and you are in Idaho!
It is better to travel around the state by car, which you can rent, or by trains. By the way, although the railway communication in the country is very developed, the train ticket is not cheap. However, the undoubted advantage of such a trip is the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful views that the state is famous for, without the risk of getting lost or missing the right turn, looking at the enchanting primordial nature of these places. Although, on the other hand, maybe just getting lost, you will come across unexplored deposits of natural beauties.
You can rent a car for every taste and color, paying for an iron horse from 65 USD per day, and the World Wide Web allows you to book a car at home, sitting on the couch.
Prices on the page are for July 2021.
Weather in Idaho
The climate in Idaho is varied (from +44 ° C in the summer in the valleys to -30 ° C in the mountains in winter), the hottest month is July (up to +38 ° C), but the heat is “easier” with low humidity and cool evenings in the summer months. By the way, the famous American hurricanes do not reach here.
In winter, the temperature does not drop below zero for a long time (although occasionally there are frosts down to -30 ° C, so do not forget a warm jacket when traveling in winter).
Popular hotels in Idaho
Entertainment and attractions
Speaking about the sights of Idaho, first of all, it is necessary, of course, to mention the unique natural objects of the state. The most famous of them are Hells Canyon, Shoshone Falls, Lunar Craters, the World Center for Birds of Prey. Among the attractions here are fishing, excursions by car, motorcycles, bicycles, skiing, rafting, mountaineering, many museums and galleries and, of course, endless photography, admiring stunning views and an extensive collection of experiences.
Hells Canyon
“Devil, or infernal” canyon, which is how the name of this masterpiece of nature is translated, is formed by the Snake River and is located on the border of the states of Idaho and Oregon. The depth of Hells Canyon is 2436 m, it is the deepest canyon in the USA (more than half a kilometer deeper than the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona). Three hydroelectric power plants have been built in the canyon. Interestingly, during their construction, “fish ladders” were provided, allowing salmon fish to climb upstream during spawning. How can you not envy these scaly ones?!
The deepest river gorge in North America has almost 160 km of wild river elements unconquered by man, which attract lovers of kayaking, rafting and other extreme sports. And who likes to spend time in a more relaxed atmosphere – can go fishing.
The rivers of Hells Canyon are teeming with the biggest freshwater fish on the planet – white sturgeon!
Shoshone Falls
Shoshone Falls is located on the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho. This beautiful waterfall is called the “Niagara of the West”. The height of Shoshone Falls is about 65 meters – 11 meters higher than Niagara Falls. The width of the waterfall is 274 meters. Like a hereditary sorceress, the waterfall enchants with its majestic noise, captivating inexperienced tourists for hours to admire it.
Lunar craters
Central Idaho is home to the Craters of the Moon, one of the most stunning national monuments and reserves in the United States. Three lava fields formed by a volcanic eruption occupy almost three thousand square meters. km. The unique landscape was called “Craters of the Moon” because of the similarity with the surface of the Earth’s satellite.
It turns out that you can feel like a conqueror of other planets and a Star Wars hero without going into space.
There were “Moon craters” about two centuries ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. The landscape looks unreal, and the silence of this place is just amazing. Yes, an unforgettable contrast after the Shoshone Falls. 80 sq. km were covered with columns of incredible structure, mysterious caves and space craters. Petrified mutilated trees stick out around, terrifying, for which they were called the Devil’s Garden. Many have preserved not only trunks and roots, but even individual branches.
The caves amaze with their size, fantastic shapes, antiquity, and the fact that even on the hottest day they maintain sub-zero temperatures, some even have ice. It turns out that you can feel like a conqueror of other planets and a Star Wars hero without going into space.
Sunny Valley
Very popular among tourists and lovers of skiing is the Sun Valley resort – Sun Valley, the first winter resort in the United States, modeled on resorts in the Alps.
Here was installed the world’s first chairlift for skiers, designed like a mechanism for loading bananas.
Ski lovers come here from all over the world for the sun (there are 335 sunny days a year), snow, air and silence, and Sun Valley welcomes everyone who wants to be in a fairy tale and believes that a miracle will certainly happen to him.
Today, two ski areas with a total area of more than 2.5 square meters are open for vacationers in the Valley. km, a large number of lifts made with the latest technology have been installed, a huge skating rink is operating, which often hosts ice performances with the participation of Olympic stars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops.
Skiing on the slopes of Sun Valley or lacing up your skates, don’t be surprised if you see Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bill Clinton in your neighborhood. This place has long been chosen by American celebrities – Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe rested here, Ernest Hemingway lived here for the last days. The film “Sun Valley Serenade” was filmed here.
Ski lovers come here from all over the world for the sun (there are 335 sunny days a year), snow, air and silence, and the Sun Valley resort welcomes everyone who wants to be in a fairy tale and believes that a miracle will certainly happen to him.
