Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomayoplease
Based on the following:
Proximity to national parks
Proximity to the most varied geographical features, mountains deserts, volcanos, mesas, canyons
road connectivity
My pick and recent trip of mine. Bend, Oregon. High desert, close to a variety of mountains, got a few volcanos and somewhat close to the coast
|
Boise is surrounded by some of the most diverse landscapes in the Inland West which includes mountains, deserts, volcanos, mesas, canyons and forests. Southern Idaho is a goldmine for exploring extinct volcanos and ice caves.
The Snake River Canyon is south of the city and is home to the largest population of nesting birds of prey in North America. One of the largest known collections of ancient petroglyphs in North America are in this canyon.
It is close to Boise, but feels like a world away.
The Owyhee Canyonlands beyond the Snake River are a collection of incredible sheer wall canyons with rivers and most of this area is protected by Wilderness classification. IMO, these are among the most breathtaking desert canyons in the west and Idaho shares some of the canyons with Oregon.
Boise is at the base of the largest contiguous forested & mountainous wilderness areas in the Lower 48 which begins in the mountains above the city and extends North into British Columbia.
Idaho has the most miles of whitewater rivers in the nation, and many of these are easily accessible from Boise. The Payette and Salmon Rivers are some of the finest.
Other destinations within a few hours of Boise includes McCall and glacial Payette Lake, Stanley and the Sawtooth’s and White Clouds, Sun Valley, Craters of The Moon, and a lot of Wilderness, including the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness which is the largest classified alpine wilderness in the US outside of Alaska. Hells Canyon, which is the deepest canyon in North America is near Boise and at the border with Oregon. There are also a lot of incredibly beautiful areas in Oregon along and near the Idaho border.
If your idea of fun is a crowded national park, Yellowstone and Teton NP's are within 5 hours drive, but there is so much spectaular beauty closer to Boise without an entrance fee and busloads of tourists.
A longer drive into North Idaho will place a person in the largest interior temperate rain forest in the world which is in North Idaho/BC. Spokane is closer to this than Boise. Spokane is a great option as well when considering landscapes.
The Top of Boise:
by
Sean, on Flickr
by
Sean, on Flickr
by
Sean, on Flickr