Follow a path to adventure in Idaho

Idaho remains off the radar for most foreign travelers from the UK and Europe.

However, with the post-Covid penchant for wide open natural spaces, there are few better bucket list options.

Travel on Idaho’s 31 scenic byways, more than any other state, where you will find plenty of opportunities for adventurous detours.

Your next epic road trip is waiting.

Direct flights to Idaho are soaring

Over the past two years, several airlines have added new direct flights between Idaho and major cities, making it quicker and easier for travelers to experience the Gem State.

There are flights to Boise, Lewiston and Idaho Falls from major hubs including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas Fort Worth, Seattle and more.

New lodgings

Humbird, a 31-room boutique property at Schweitzer (the largest ski resort in Idaho), will be open for its first summer season in 2022. The property represents a real evolution in the lodging scene in northern Idaho.

In Cascade, Palooza Basecamp, which opened late winter 2022, offers nine modern rooms in a renovated 1940s building, just above restaurant/bar Palooza serving lunch and dinner with a side of axe throwing.

Colter’s Creek Winery has been making award-winning wines with grapes grown in the Lewis-Clark Valley since 2007. In 2021, the winery opened Hattabaugh Hotel located above its tasting room in downtown Moscow. The hotel’s four luxe rooms are comfortably stocked with locally sourced, eco-friendly items. In summer 2022, the winery will welcome the Guest House at the Vineyard to its lodging options.

The Monarch Motel, an intimate and locally owned boutique property in Moscow, unveils its latest renovation—a Northwest-meets-West-Elm-vibe—in 2022.

Idaho’s Scenic Byways: epic, customizable road trips

Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway blends rural tranquillity with unexpected luxury. Sample exceptional wines from the vineyards along the Sunnyslope Wine Trail, stretch your legs on a trail at the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and trace the petroglyphs carved by hunter-gatherers at Map Rock.

Discover pristine wilderness along the Payette River Scenic Byway before tucking into the cosy mountain town of McCall for fun on Payette Lake, and hiking or biking in Payette National Forest.

Explore the southern edge of Idaho on the City of Rocks Backcountry Byway. This route wraps around two geographic stunners—City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park—complete with towering granite domes, renowned for rock climbing as well as historic trails.

Take the Salmon River Scenic Byway to the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park for highlights of Idaho’s frontier-mining history and ghost towns.

Sawtooth Scenic Byway weaves through the forest, transporting you to pristine outdoor recreation in the Sawtooth Mountains, Redfish Lake and Stanley before Sun Valley and Ketchum for world-class skiing and mountain-town charm.

Thousand Springs Scenic Byway is aptly named for all the water you’ll encounter along the route—from stunning Shoshone Falls and Blue Heart Springs to the impressive Snake River canyon. Other must-dos include exploring Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument and Thousand Springs State Park.

Follow the frontier path of Western Heritage Historic Byway for a glimpse of Idaho’s rich mining and homesteading history. Trace historical rock carvings at Celebration Park, Idaho’s only archaeological park, or watch raptors at Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, North America’s deepest gorge, is a source of breath-taking views, historic homesteads and petroglyphs etched into the canyon walls by early Native American settlements.

For a road trip like no other, travel Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway, which takes you along the caves, cinder cones and vast lava flows of Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve and on to Idaho’s tallest peak, Mount Borah.