best time for Idaho?

[term]

The wife and I are planning to retire in the West. We have not spent any time in Idaho and would like to spend a couple of weeks in the area. I'm about to set my vacations for next year and was hoping for some help on the best time of the year to visit. We're just planning to stay and motels take your time and get to know the area some. any help would be great thanks.  Term

[oxnam]

Really depends on what vacation activities you want to pursue...
What would you like to do when you come out here?

[term]

OXNAM: Thanks For the response. We're not really looking for an activity based vacation So to speak. Probably fly into Boise And rent a car. Planning on spending 8 to 10 days Seeing some ground we have not seen. We have spent quite a bit of time in the west but none in Idaho and very little in Montana. We hope to rectify that over the next year or so.

[Ray_G]

Term,

Right after Labor Day would take you out of the bulk of other vacationers.  The weather is usually quite nice, although in some higher elevations you could see some snow if conditions are right - not usual where hard roads are.

The Southern half of the state is more arid than above the middle.  You will find plains, hills and mountains with sage type high desert to Alpine forests.  The Northern areas have more timbered mountains than the Southern parts.  Plenty of rivers to be seen North to South.

You might check out the websites for Idaho Fish and Game and visit Idaho.  If there is anything specific, we'll try to answer.  By the way, that Oxnam is a pretty good feller and a fine shot.

[Lost Arra]

term: I just got back from a backpacking trip in Idaho in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Had a great time and saw beautiful country.

They had an Elk Hunting Expo in Boise when we were there but we were in the mountains at the time. The Elk Expo might be an annual thing. There are also quite a number of shoots in Idaho I saw advertised.

send me a pm if you want more info

sunrise from my tent on our last day in the high country:

 

Action shot by my daughter

 

[Tim]

My wife and I made the same trip a few years back.  We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Boise the first night.  The next day we headed up the north west side of Boise through Horseshoe Bend on up to McCall.  McCall has some incredible scenario.  There's a great place on the water to have lunch.

The next day we headed up and out the east side of Boise on our way to the Sawtooth Mountains where we took an all day back country horseback ride.  We stayed in Stanley at a small hotel were we watched the sun set while enjoying a sulfer hot spring hot tub.  Nice!

The next day we headed south through Ketchum and and back to Boise.  It was a short 4 day trip but and incredible time.  You could make the same loop but extended it north up to Coeur d Alene or south towards Pocatello.  Any place out there is gorgeous over the next few weeks!  Take your fly rod!

Tim

[term]

Thanks. Just tbe type of help i was looking for. We really appreciate it. Term

[bretto]

Just had a friend move up near Coeur d Alene it sounds beautiful up there. Hope to make the trip up to see him in the next year or two.

Enjoy Your trip. Any trip west of Lap Land sounds good to Me. If Your wondering about Lap Land that's a nickname a old great uncle of a buddy of mine called Kansas. He said it was where Missouri lapped over into Colorado.

bretto

[oxnam]

If you are wanting to get a feel for the country and have 8 days to 10 days to travel around, I would make a big loop.  Fly into Boise, head north to Riggins -> Lewiston -> Coeur d'Alene, ID -> Missoula, MT -> Bozemen, MT -> (through Yellowstone) West Yellowstone, MT - > Idaho Falls, ID -> Twin Falls, ID (say hi to Ray_G ;-) ), maybe swing up to Sun Valley or head on back to Boise.  

That loop would probably take 20 hours of driving but could easily be spread over your time period.  At a leisurely pace you'll get a great feel of the larger cities and small/microscopic towns as well as the variety of topogrphy the state has to offer.  As a bonus you will see some of western Montana and Yellowston National Park.  

If you wanted to cut some time off the loop, there is a town called Grangeville between Riggins and Lewiston.  From there you can head east along the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers over to Missoula.  A beautiful winding drive but you better take Dramamine if you get car sick.

There is plenty of  beautiful scenary, fishing, and hunting along the way to keep most people entertained.  During the early fall would be a great time to make the trip.  The temperatures should be accomodating without the weather hassles of some of the other seasons.  Unfortunately, many of the incredible colors of spring and summer will have turned brown by this time.

[Canyon]

If you are looking to move somewhere consider going there when most would consider it is at its worse.
Doing so will help you decide if you can tolerate the nastiest time. For example Phoenix is great temperature wise in February-Not so in July. Conversely Fairbanks is nice in June but January has it a bit cold for most.

[term]

Thanks again!! Just the info I needed.  Sometimes hard to get what you want from publications. Term

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Originally posted by oxnam:
If you are wanting to get a feel for the country and have 8 days to 10 days to travel around, I would make a big loop.  Fly into Boise, head north to Riggins -> Lewiston -> Coeur d'Alene, ID -> Missoula, MT -> Bozemen, MT -> (through Yellowstone) West Yellowstone, MT - > Idaho Falls, ID -> Twin Falls, ID (say hi to Ray_G ;-) ), maybe swing up to Sun Valley or head on back to Boise.  

That loop would probably take 20 hours of driving but could easily be spread over your time period.  At a leisurely pace you'll get a great feel of the larger cities and small/microscopic towns as well as the variety of topogrphy the state has to offer.  As a bonus you will see some of western Montana and Yellowston National Park.  

If you wanted to cut some time off the loop, there is a town called Grangeville between Riggins and Lewiston.  From there you can head east along the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers over to Missoula.  A beautiful winding drive but you better take Dramamine if you get car sick.

There is plenty of  beautiful scenary, fishing, and hunting along the way to keep most people entertained.  During the early fall would be a great time to make the trip.  The temperatures should be accomodating without the weather hassles of some of the other seasons.  Unfortunately, many of the incredible colors of spring and summer will have turned brown by this time.

DITTO My Wife and I make this trip in the spring and in the fall either time is awesome.

[Mike Mecredy]

The boise area,  several small towns surounding it to the north and the south.  Lots of good hunting with a late archery season in that zone ( # 39).  Anytime of the year, sometime there's heavy snow in the winter/early spring.

[Jerry Bellmyer]

I just spent 8 weeks in Northern Idaho...best summer I ever had...I will retire in 16 months in Sandpoint Idaho or NW Montana....it was amazing