Camping Gems - Places to Go in Idaho

Hells Canyon
America's deepest gorge is difficult to reach -- the easiest way to see it is by rafting down the Snake River.  You'll see black basalt walls towering above you on either side, sometimes as high as 7,000 feet.  The views are gorgeous, and the whitewater rafting is some of the best anywhere.

Stanley Lake
Set in the rugged Sawtooth Mountains, this lake is practically perfect.  Its blue waters draw wildlife and birds (there's a popular birding trail here).  This is a fabulous spot for rainbow and lake trout fishing, canoeing, boating, swimming, and hiking.

Boise and the Boise River
Stroll down Boise's streets or white-water raft down the Boise River -- whatever you do, you'll enjoy fair weather.  Boise's setting on the high desert plain means dry, mild weather year round.  Don't miss fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass on the Boise River or the outstanding Boise summer Shakespeare festival.

Anderson Ranch Recreation Area
You'll find picturesque mountains, streams, and forests at the Anderson Ranch Recreation Area (just outside Mountain Home, via Highway 20).  Take your fishing rod, your water skis, or your bird guide, and enjoy a pleasant afternoon.  The area is open year round and has plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Idaho's Wine Country
Taste award-winning wines and the latest vintages in the area southwest of Boise.  Idaho's wine country is filled with idyllic vineyards and wineries.  This region shares the same latitude as the famed wine regions of France, allowing Idaho wine makers to develop award-winning vintages. 

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Sheets of black basalt cover the ground at Craters of the Moon National Monument.  Explore this unusual terrain, viewing the three major lava flows, the sagebrush fields, the Spatter Cones, and the Devil's Orchard Trails.

Bogus Basin Ski Resort
For great winter skiing -- or summer hiking and mountain biking -- head to Bogus Basin, a resort that's just 17 miles north of Boise.  The 2,600-acre resort has 35km of groomed nordic trails and a lift-served tubing hill.  There are hills for every skiing level.  Be sure to check out the evening and night skis. 

Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area
Visit this conversation area and see falcons, eagles, hawks, and owls -- all living, hunting, nesting, and raising their young in the wild.  You can see birds during every season of the year, but visit during spring and summer in the early mornings to see the birds at their best. The area includes an interpretive trail. 

Silver City and the Owyhee Mountains
Looking for an Old West ghost town?  Head to Silver City, a ghost town that's nestled in the Owyhee Mountains south of Boise.  More than 70 buildings are still standing in Silver City, a town that once boomed with silver miners and gamblers.  Silver City is only accessible May - September due to snow in the Owyhees.

Lake Pend Oreille
Pronounced (pond-er-EYE), Lake Pend Oreille offers picture-perfect camping.  Set up your camp in these deep woods and enjoy fishing for kokanee salmon, rainbow, brown, brook trout, and large mouth bass.  With over 143 miles of shoreline, this is a boating paradise.  Not only is Pend Oreille is Idaho's largest lake, it's one of the largest inland lakes in North America.