May 8/19 - we drove up from Boise through Horshoe Bend, Banks and then turning right onto the famous trail from Banks to Lowman, and then on through Stanley, Challis and to Salmon. A truly spectacular drive, winding up and down along the river. (winter driving must present an interesting challenge, I would think!). Magnificent scenery all around, good roads throughout, not much traffic, truly a drive to enjoy at a leasurely pace, and "smell the roses" on the way. We took about seven hours for the drive - but were moving at a leasurely pace, stopping often to admire nature's handiwork, and some food in Stanley. Loved the drive - can recommend. See more..
4.5Pend Oreille Scenic Byway(12 reviews) - Beautiful Stretch Of North Idaho Spent 1-2 hours Scenic Drives
Highway 200 in Idaho is a great scenic byway. Most of it passes by the north end of Lake Pend Oreille before getting to the Clark Fork River Valley. Lots of scenic pullouts and parks to stop at. There are a few small towns to get through before getting to the Montana state line. Sam Owen campground and Cabinet Gorge are 2 of the best places to stop along the way. This is the first time I had been in this part of Northern Idaho and am glad I went. It is a very beautiful stretch of road.See more..
Absolutely gorgeous area with tree lined canyons and the Payette River winding its way beside the road.See more..
4.5Nez Perce National Historic Trail(7 reviews) - Great drive from the Montana border all the way to Washington Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Scenic Drives Take your time and enjoy this great ride along the river....plenty of historical markers along the way.See more..
Old Whitebird Grade receives very little traffic, so is a fun, safe ride. I started at the White Bird Battlefield parking area. Clean pit toilet available, no water. Just switchback up with great views of the valley and the mountains beyond. It is just over 7.5 miles, 2000 ft elevation up. A few cow catcher grated on the way. I was intimidated by the unrelenting grade on the downhill, so I braked a lot. Route rejoins the current grade at a large pullout. There is roadwork on that part of the grade, so I don’t recommend getting in the lanes with the semis there, just turn around! This grade gets very hot in summer, so plan with the weather. No water available. Can get food, water in the little town of Whitebird if you start there, probably adds just a few easy miles.See more..
4.5Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway(4 reviews) - Contrasting Landscapes and Unique Beauty Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives
On our recent trip to Ketchum Idaho, we drove the Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway, which goes from Challis Idaho to Craters of the Moon National Monument, and back to where it intersects highway 75 between Shoshone and Bellevue Idaho. There are many types of scenery and landscapes along this route, ranging from the majestic Sawtooth Mountains, forests and lakes to the contrast of the relatively flat and unpopulated Snake River Plain. We found the about 140 mile drive interesting, and amazing in the contrasting views.See more..
4.0Western Heritage Historic Byway(1 review) - Interesting Historic Sites and Beautiful Scenery Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives
This is a scenic and educational driving tour to historic sites in the town of Kuna and along the Snake River. We visited in July and it was oppressively hot; spring or fall would be better if your plans are flexible. It took us about half a day to drive along the river from Walter's Ferry to Swan Falls Dam on Warren Spur Rd., Sinker Rd., Victory Lane and S. Swan Falls Rd. We stopped at Celebration Park where there is a historic railroad bridge and a trail to a petroglyph site, and also at Swan Falls Dam. There are picnic areas and river access at both of these sites. Restrooms are also available at those sites and at Walter's Ferry recreation area and Dedication Point trail head (overlook of Snake River Canyon). There are educational signs at several locations along the way. The route goes through the Birds of Prey Conservation Area, so take binoculars for spotting the eagles and hawks that nest in the canyon walls. One could easily spend an entire day exploring this area! Note that the museum at Swan Falls Dam is only open on Saturdays.See more..
