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General Information
Nickname: Gem State
State bird: Mountain Bluebird
State flower: Syringa
Capital: Boise
Date of admission to the Union: 3rd July 1890
Population: 1,293,953 (2000)
Population density: 6.0/sq km
2000 total overseas arrivals: under 50,000
Time: Mountain (GMT - 7) in the greater part of the State; Pacific (GMT - 8) in the north. Daylight Saving Time is observed.
The State: The contrasting terrain of Idaho includes Hell’s Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America; Clearwater National Forest; and two of the finest big-game hunting areas in the USA – Chamberlain Basin and Selway.
The State capital, Boise, comes to life during the summer months with a lively festival and the Western Idaho Fair in August. It is also home to the World Center for Birds of Prey; the Basque Museum and Cultural Center and the Boise Art Museum. Attractions to the southeast include the massive Shoshone Falls; the Shoshone Indian Ice Caves; and historic Fort Hall.
The upmarket Sun Valley resort area in the centre of the State offers skiing and wintersports as well as a range of summer activities. In the nearby hills is a wide choice of hot springs, including the Warfield Hot Springs and Russian John Hot Springs. The Craters of the Moon National Monument is a huge lava field with a maze of tunnels and caves. There are plenty of camp sites available nearby. Sawtooth National Recreation Area is home to the Sawtooth and White Cloud mountains and the Smokey and Boulder ranges. Further north, the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway offers travellers a chance to trace the ‘Corps of Discovery’ expedition route along the Clearwater and Lochsa rivers, in the land of the Nez Perce Indians, who are recalled by the Nez Perce National Historical Park.
In the north of the State, the resort town of Coeur d’Alene is home to the world’s only floating golf green, which is situated on a lake where visitors can also hire canoes or take a boat cruise. The Wallace Mining Museum is situated to the east of Coeur d’Alene. Also on offer in this area is the Sierra Silver Mine Tour and the Oasis Bordello Museum. Visitors can also ride up Silver Mountain on the world’s longest gondola.
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