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Adventure Vacations in the Idaho Rocky Mountains! White Water Rafting, Horseback Riding, Cabins, Campgrounds, Dude Ranches, Gold Prospecting, and Fishing! Idaho's best vacation attractions!
September 06, 2010 |
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Updated 01/07/10
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Idaho is located along many of the legendary trails carved by thousands of travelers in their journey across the growing nation, including American Indians, explorers, gold miners and settlers. Some of the most notable trails have been included here. CALIFORNIA TRAIL - Near Alton - Follows the Oregon Trail most of the way through Idaho, but turns southwest at the Snake River toward California, passing through the City of Rocks. Some of the oldest rocks in the United States and an important landmark on the Oregon Trail. This trail was first traveled on foot in 1840, and then by Wagon in 1844. Thousands of gold miners rushing to California used the trail in the late 1840's. Tracks made by thousands of wagons still remain today. 
CENTENNIAL TRAIL - The backcountry section of this State-wide trail offers sweeping vistas of endless mountainscapes in the wilderness-filled Valley County backcountry. A nine-mile, spectacularly scenic guided hike leads to Rainbow Lake with a comfortable campsite, serene high-mountain lake scenery and good trout fishing. From Rainbow, hikers can access another hidden alpine lake and rugged high alpine reaches of the Salmon River Mountain chain. Leading from Rainbow Lake, the trail takes hikers along the ridgetop and then drops down into the Caton drainage where a little-accessed cirque lake provides more good camping and fishing. The climb out of Caton Lake leads to the Eastern ridge looking down on the South Fork of the Salmon River. The downhill hike leads through more heavily timbered and well-watered rugged slopes to that legendary Salmon spawning water. This is a strenuous three day wilderness hike which can be supported with mule-string supply and also enjoyed for a more relaxing 4 to 5 day journey with camps for multiple nights beside the lakes. Guided hikes and support can be arranged through Wapiti Meadow Ranch, the licensed and permitted outfitter in the area.
GOODALE'S CUTOFF - Fort Hall - This cutoff left the Oregon Trail near Fort Hall, then crossed the Snake River plains to the Lost River, then headed west to join the Oregon Trail again near Ditto Creek south of Boise. Traversed as early as 1852, it became especially popular during the Salmon River Gold Rush in 1862. Old wagon tracks can still be clearly seen near the Craters of the Moon National Monument.HUDSPETH'S CUTOFF - Soda Springs - This 110 mile short-cut trail across the state of Idaho for those traveling the Oregon and California Trails. Follows the more direct southwest course from Sheep Rock in east Idaho to Cassia Creek in West Idaho. It came into use in 1849 as the gold rush route to California and soon became the main route for both the Oregon and California bound travelers. The trail is still visible is several places. 
LANDER ROAD - Wayan - This road was completed in November of 1858. The road was developed to provide a more direct route west from South Pass in Wyoming. Fredrick Lander, pioneering engineer, selected the route which joins the Oregon Trail at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The road is still visible in many places.LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL - Salmon National Forest - This 200 mile segment of the famous 8,000 mile route was followed by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. The route was recorded in journals kept by members of the mapping expedition. Several Idaho sites have been certified as official parts of this famous trail and can be retraced today. Most of this historic trail followed the rivers across Idaho. 
MULLAN ROAD - Coeur d' Alene - Surveyed and built between 1859 and 1862 this road connected the Missouri River with the Columbia River. It was constructed as a military road but used for only a few years due to the difficulties keeping it repaired. This historic road pioneered the course of present day Interstate 90 all the way across northern Idaho.NEZ PERCE (NEE-ME-POO) NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL - Clearwater National Forest - 1170 mile route commemorates the heroic but unsuccessful attempt by the Nez Perce Indians to escape capture by the US Army in 1877. They made their way East, following some of the same route as the Lewis and Clark expedition. The trail extends from Wallowa Lake, Oregon over Lolo Trail to the Bears Paw Battlefield near Chinook, Montana. The Idaho segment of this National Historic Trail is approximately 400 miles long. 
OREGON NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL - Alton - Tjos 2,170 mile trail extends from Missouri to Oregon. America's most famous trail used by fur traders, gold seekers, missionaries and emigrants. The Oregon Trail was used heavily from 1841 to 1861. the Trail used less when shortcuts, such as Goodale's and Hudspeth's Cuttoffs were developed. The Oregon Trail mostly follows the Snake River in Idaho. Much of the trail is still intact and can be seen in many places, the Idaho segment is nearly 400 miles long.
Thunder Mountain Trail - Follow in the footsteps of the last of the Western gold seekers from the Johnson Creek Road, bordering the largest Wilderness in the Lower 48 States, to Thunder Mountain, site of the last great gold rush, immortalized by Zane Gray in his book, Thunder Mountain. This trail climbs two summits and traverses ridgelines that provide unending views of the central Idaho Rocky Mountains, the Salmon River Mountain Range. Comfortable camps are located beside scenic high-mountain trout lakes and rushing streams. This historic wagon road, once busy with supply wagons and ore carts, is now a tranquil, people-free, wilderness-bound track offering up remnants of that by-gone era with moldering cabin remains, evidence of exploratory digs, and the remnants of gold-fever industry. Roosevelt Lake, created by a mountainslide which dammed rushing Monumental Creek and drowned an entire gold-rush town, is one historic highlight on the four to six day guided hike which can be supported by mule string or established camps arranged by Wapiti Meadow Ranch, the licensed and permitted outfitter in the area.
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Historic Trails | Horseback Riding | Hot Springs | Hunting | Museums | Railroads
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