8 Undisturbed Towns To Visit In Idaho
Idaho has enchanted adventurers and trailblazers since the pioneering days of the Wild West, when the Gem State was abundant with gems found deep in its foreboding mountains. However, though most of the gems have been acquired and taken, you will find other kinds of gems worth seeing, notably, the undisturbed small towns to visit in Idaho. Beyond other notable landmarks such as the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, as well as the Shoshone Falls, there are destinations like Sandpoint and Stanley that embody the natural beauty of Idaho. At the same time, places like Wallace and Priest River showcase the modern cultures of the Gem State. Feel relaxed and at ease when traveling through these undisturbed towns in Idaho.
Garden Valley
Garden Valley, around 53 miles from the city of Boise, is a wonderful gateway to the majesties found in the shadow of the Sawtooth Mountains. Down the Payette River, you will be thrilled by all the whitewater rafting you can experience. Meanwhile, deep within the Boise National Forest, hunters are permitted to go hunting in the expansive and elusive woodlands in Idaho during the autumn season. Furthermore, at the Terrace Lakes Resort on the Sawtooth Mountains, you can expect a ton of sledding and skiing adventures when winter is at its coldest or greatest in Garden Valley. More surprises and opportunities await in this exhilarating small town, so why not seek out daily and nightly accommodations in places like the Three Bears Inn for a merry vacation in this undisturbed town.
Sandpoint
Let the road and trails point you toward the magnificent small town of Sandpoint. Situated within the Selkirk Mountains and Cabinet Mountains, both of which are part of the Rocky Mountain Ranges, travelers can find all manner of amusing attractions in Sandpoint. At the end of the Long Bridge, which crosses over Lake Pend Orielle and the Pend Orielle River, you will come across the Schweitzer Mountain Resort, which gives you access to some of the most challenging and epic areas in the mountains around Sandpoint.
You can spend more time touring the Bonner County History Museum for its informational displays of the Native Americans in Idaho. Likewise, you can admire the military history of Sandpoint at the Museum at the Brig. Lakeview Park, with its Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society’s arboretum and neighboring the Kaniksu National Forest, is one of many exquisite destinations around Sandpoint. Finally, should you get weary and worn from all the mountain climbing, let your muscles relax and your brain rest at either the Schweitzer, Hotel Ruby Ponderay, or Pend Oreille Shores Resort.
Stanley
Stanley, one of the most pleasant and undisturbed small towns in the Sawtooth Valley, is a three-hour-away getaway from the big city of Idaho City. Stanley is a premier destination in Idaho with its expansive wilderness in the Boise National Forest and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, where you can ride on trained stallions. Among the many mountain peaks surrounding the town you can traverse are Horstmann Peak, Thompson Peak, Observation Peak, Grandjean Peak, and Mount Regan.
Additionally, you can ascend one of North America's most familiar Classic Climbs, Elephant's Perch, with over 25 established routes that give you an unspoiled view of Stanley. Afterward, lounge about at Lake Stanley, Sawtooth Lake, Redfish Lake, the Salmon River, and Saddleback Lakes, which are affectionately called “Shangri La.” Much of Stanley’s indigenous past can be appreciated at the Stanley Museum. Furthermore, you can see a couple of ghost towns from Idaho’s gold-mining period at Custer and the Yankee Fork State Park. There is no need to worry about accommodations, with places such as the Redfish Riverside Inn or Valley Creek Lodge.
Salmon
Leap and flounder and dance like a Salmon once you are near the town of Salmon. Located on the similarly named Salmon River, the town is close to the birthplace of Sacagawea, the Native American woman who helped Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their westward expedition to different locations in yet-uncharted America. At the Lemhi Valley, where Sacagawea was born, one can traverse the Bitterroot Mountain Range, marvel at the Continental Divide, or learn all about Sacagawea and her people at the Sacagawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center.
There are a number of vacant ghost towns for you to tour around Salmon, like Gilmore, Leesburg, and Shoup, which were all products of the Great Depression. One can take photographs of Robert Deurloo’s remarkable sculptures, the Wildlife Bronzes, which are located all over Salmon. Most importantly, you can explore either the Salmon-Challis National Forest or the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Should you wish to see more of what Salmon has to offer, you ought to first book a room in one of Salmon’s splendid lodgings like the Sacajawea Inn, Syringa Lodge, or Salmon River Inn.
Priest River
The pristine town of Priest River, about 22 miles east of Sandpoint on the Pend Oreille River, is yet another photogenic vacation spot in the Selkirk Mountain Range. Whether you are traipsing through the Priest River Experimental Forest for its riveting ecosystems or learning about the interconnectivity of Priest River and its woodlands at both the Priest River Museum and Timber Education Center, you will undoubtedly have an unforgettable experience in this undisturbed small town.
Climb to the top of Mount Roothaan or take photographs of a uniquely carved granite spire called Chimney Rock. Sojourn through the Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars and soak in the refreshing sprays of Granite Falls. Then, on September 9 each year, you can either watch or participate in Priest River’s bicycle race, which goes through the state of Washington in Canada and back to Idaho along the International Selkirk Loop called WaCanId Ride. There are many more adventures to enjoy in Priest River, even in one of the town’s excellent establishments like the Eagle’s Nest Motel.
Wallace
In the US, there are four cities listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And in Idaho, one of those historic places is the small town of Wallace. Originally a silver-mining town in the Silver Valley mining district of the Idaho Panhandle, Wallace’s past is open to all at the Sierra Silver Mine Tour in the Bitterroot Mountains and along the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, the latter discussing a ferocious wildfire that engulfed Wallace in the year 1910.
Visitors to the town might also fancy touring the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum or seeing the unique manhole covers decorated with motifs of Wallace’s mines known as the Center of the Universe. Elsewhere, you can traverse the Route of the Hiawatha and Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, which terminate into idyllic regions of popularity such as the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, and Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in America. Those of you who are enthusiastic about going sightseeing at Wallace can always book a room in resplendent lodgings like the Hercules Inn, Wallace Inn, or the Ryan Hotel.
McCall
The unforgettable small town of McCall, located on the western perimeter of Valley County and about two hours away from Boise, earned its name from town founder Tom McCall. Between Payette Lake’s serene sceneries to the Payette National Forest and the Ponderosa State Park’s diverse and dynamic landscapes, travelers will be amazed and astounded by McCall’s natural views. There are many opportunities for snowboarding and skiing to be enjoyed at both the Brundage Mountain Resort and Tamarack Resort, in addition to snow-sculpting activities when the McCall Winter Carnival occurs at the end of the year. You might want to head over to the McCall Fish Hatchery, which has been in operation since the 1930s, to see the kind of fish that prosper in the high mountains of Idaho. Most of all, you ought to store your belongings safe and sound in one of McCall’s conscientious lodgings, such as Hotel McCall, Nordic Inn, or Shore Lodge.
Island Park
About 35 minutes from the world-famous Yellowstone National Park, the small town of Island Park shares a few amenities with its popular neighbor. Among these natural and captivating attractions is the fact that Island Park is located within the mouth of an ancient volcanic caldera. Far from being a barren and sulfuric wasteland, the region around Island Park is teeming with life, as seen in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Manmade marvels like the Island Park Dam manage the flow of the Crow Creek, while the freer and wilder Snake River finds originate from the headwaters of Big Springs, which you can go waddling about. Visitors will also adore both Mesa Falls and Cave Falls, where artifacts belonging to the Nez Perce Native Americans were uncovered. If you wish to spend a longer and merrier vacation in Island Park as a convenient gateway to Yellowstone National Park, consider booking a room in quaint lodgings like the Riverfront Retreat, the Lakeside Resort & Lodge, or Harper’s Cabin.
It might be difficult to locate the many beautiful small towns in Idaho due to the humungous mountains all over the Gem State, but once you do locate your destination, you will be untroubled and undisturbed in the undisturbed towns to visit in Idaho. Where the Rocky Mountains loom in the background, and historic ghost towns and mines entice those with an affinity for history, these magnificent spots in the Gem State glitter and shine whether in the day or the night, whether in summer or winter. From Garden Valley to Island Park, Wallace to McCall, let the undisturbed towns to visit in Idaho give you a relaxing and remarkable experience in one of the most mountainous states in America.
