This is a relatively short, easy hike. It can be tricky to find and easy to miss so make sure you…read morefollow the directions on the website. There are a couple of small signs at the trail head. The hike itself is a little overgrown at certain points but nothing you can't get through. I wouldn't bring young children here though. Watch out for the stinging nettles! My boyfriend and I made the mistake of wearing shorts and we kept getting stung. My legs still ache a little. The bottom of the hike is pretty bushy and shady but the top leads to a nice hill with wild flowers, views of the wheat fields, and a great vantage point to view the surrounding area. We didn't see any wildlife besides a few birds (which were chirping beautifully throughout the hike). If you're looking for a simple place to go and relax, you should give it a try! It's now maintained by the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute--remember to keep it clean! There's a cute little guest book about 10-15 minutes into the trail where the actual PCEI sign is.

This place is a birding Mecca in the spring. I counted 21 species in an hour and still had a few…read morecalls I could not recognize. Well maintained trails. Quiet venue except for oodles of singing birds! Leashed pups only, please, for good reason.

Pulled off on the spur of the moment based on the giant sign offering a fossil dig. We were not…read moredisappointed!! The owner Kenneth will allow you to dig fossils and garnets for extremely reasonable rates. He'll even give you basic instructions on digging techniques and fossil identification. Kenneth is extremely knowledgeable about the geography and history of the area. He's a very fair and friendly guy. Great family activity as the kids will not go home empty-handed. My wife and I had a great time digging for garnets with nothing but our bare hands and a butter knife. We still brought home far more than expected after only an hour or so. So much fun and the opportunity to get your own unusual souvenir. Beats a key chain or a T-Shirt any day!

If you want to find fossils, this is the place. You are guaranteed to find something, and the owner…read morewill instruct you how to remove and "cure" them. He was even kind enough to let us camp for the night! This experience was one of the highlights of our week-long trip to the area. They also maintain a motocross track adjacent to the dig; the vibe is friendly and welcoming.

If you're looking for a beautiful, remote, shaded hike, this is a great place to come. The first…read morepart runs near a creek, so you have the beautiful sound of running water traveling alongside you. Then, switchbacks up to the top, completely shaded, which makes a middle of the day hike totally possible, even when it's kind of toasty outside. Didn't do the whole 8 1/2 miles, but found the switchbacks up to be moderately intense, not bad. A few tips: Get there by taking Trail Creek Road out of Ketchum, and then turning down Corral Creek road (dirt road) for about 4 miles. There's a parking lot at the end, and even a bathroom, which was amazing for how few people were on this trail. Oh, and no cell service out here, but that goes without saying...

Stunning views for minimal effort. Be warned, depending on the conditions it may be necessary to…read morenavigate fallen trees, but nothing too extreme. Road conditions coming up were relatively well maintained with some tighter areas due to fallen tree debris. For reference, there was an old Prius at the trailhead parking. The drive up also offers its own breathtaking views. Well worth visiting and stopping at each of the upper/middle/lower falls outlooks.

We took family and friends up to the falls during a historically rainy spring/summer and it was…read moreamazing! While the water was till very muddy from runoff, the volume was very exciting and powerful. Trails are pretty well maintained, but there are a few spots where nature took its course. (people taking shortcuts doesn't help). We only had time to see the upper and middle falls, but plan on going back to see the lower falls this month. The history of the wagon road was really cool - you could almost envision the wagons on the first part of the trail. Boy, life is so much easier now! All in all, very well worth it!

I have renamed this favorite spot of mine Paranoia Falls. Lean closer and let me tell you the…read morestory of the time me and my sister decided to explore here... Upon researching a map of the area around Kingston Idaho I came upon some interesting waterfalls and decided to further investigate using Google. The photographs although very few were very pleasing and my interest was piqued when someone commented that there was a case behind one of the waterfalls thus the trip was born. I called up my sister and told Maggie that we were going to go on a trip to see some waterfalls so we packed our cameras and set up for this wonderful adventure. After a 50 minute drive down Route 90 we came upon Forest Road nine and proceeded to take that approximately 25 miles until we sold yet another tiny sign which we almost passed that said Shadow Falls. We proceeded up this treacherous array of mountain switchbacks so tiny that at times the tires touched the side of the cliff which was not protected by a guard rail. Clutching the dashboard with eyes wide with terror I watched her every move as we slowly climbed the steep grade and were greeted with logs across a river water was running across the logs so she had to go on it to get across and then the went skiing for about 10 feet and we landed on the other side of this treacherous muddy pass. Several heart pounding moments later we arrived at a vacant car pull off and it was beginning to get dark. A large mousse with a massive horns walked right by us and disappeared into the forest. We proceeded to walk up a path which was promised only 200 yards away and was greeted with waterfall number one the name was fern falls. We enjoyed this first waterfall thoroughly. There is a small foot bridge over it and I got to take many fabulous photographs. Then we proceeded to shadow falls which was promised to be nearby however we got maybe about 50 steps into the darkening forest and were stopped in our tracks by a low rumbling growl which seemed to be coming from all directions. Now here we were alone in the forest. The sounds of much larger mammals was present as we heard the ever growing presence of crackling underbrush and snapping forest floor twigs. It was then that we had a come to Jesus meeting about if we should continue up the hill and yes we did continue and were within eyeshot of shadow falls when all of a sudden a distinct growl not far from us came thundering from the trees and we were instantly paranoid. With no other human being inside and the sun setting unusually fast we tore off running down the hill after a failed test of the bear spray which I had a death grip on. My 250 pounds sister was so scared she blew right by me and like an Olympic runner left me in the dust the only thing I remember at that point was seeing her britches falling off of her and if you have ever dropped a pan of fresh baked bread and dropped it on the floor you will understand what I was now looking at!!!! With my heart pounding at least 180 bpm I caught up with her near the small dark parking spot and I recall slamming open the doors throwing in everything and the next thing I knew the jeep was in reverse. We were gone. Recommendation - do not go alone. Do not go in a small car with low clearance. Go early the sun sets very fast way up in that mountain. Take bear spray and possibly a baseball bat.

A beautiful set of falls with a great setting for family pictures. Go north from Prichard for 15…read moremiles on NFD Rd 208 the on a nice dirt rd travel 4 miles to a parking area for a short hike. The pictures do not do it justice.

These trails aren't just for winter sports. I've made it here during the summer to take my…read moremountain bike for a ride. I parked at the Sno-Park Parking lot where one would go during the winter months. Here you have a couple of dirt roads to choose from for off-road options. I decided to do some climbing and went for NFD Rd 64--to get to this road from the parking lot, ride your bike further up the valley a few hundred yards (their's a trail), and then take right. This road is fairly nice. There are lots of rock on it, but no potholes. It is a fairly uphill jaunt from the get-go. As I was approaching the top of the valley, I eyed a side road. The sign on it said (6400 500), so I don't know which is the name of the road, but I decided to take it, because it looked tiny and way less traveled (in fact it was closed to motorized vehicles). Nice. Yeah, this trail ended up being the high-point of the day. It wasn't single track, but it was close. I must admit I had the willies when I saw a half-eaten deer leg within the first minute of climbing (the rest of the ride I kept thinking of the cougar, bear, or zombie which was eyeing me from the bushes as I rode by). I love to climb. I love burning my quads like Hades. It felt good to be riding. Unfortunately, this side road only lasted a little bit before I made it up to the top of the ridge/mountain. Here this trail ties back up with one of the major dirt roads again. There are some decent views here. I then took the little road downhill. Man, I'm must be a total old fogie, because wow---I think I rode the breaks the entire way down! The road was steep, and I hit some high speeds within seconds. There were also rocks to watch out for as well. In other words, I rode it like an old person (which I am I suppose). But it was fun. It's the kind of fun, where you just have to yell with abandon (I think I did a few times--with a smile). These trails are definitely good for snow activities, and I'd say they are decent for bike riding. I don't know if I'd come here to do some straight-up hiking though. I'd save the Cascades for that. NOTE: Be careful on this road in the winter. This is the infamous scene of where my truck and my crew rolled down a mountain just over a year ago!

Nice and moderate trail suitable for kids ages 4 and up to hike on their own. Can get up and around…read moreand back down again in a couple hours. Good views from the very top. A few sights along the way including rather unimpressive looking depressions in the ground where miners of yore apparently went digging for minerals. Also, a shallow cave representing the same such activities.

We visited during covid times and were looking for a place to get out and about and socially…read moredistance. A server at a local restaurant suggested we check this out. We're always looking for shortish loop hikes and this seemed perfect, although perhaps more elevation gain than my partner preferred. There is a parking lot and bathroom at the bottom, including some trash cans and picnic tables. Plenty of benches along the trail to take a break and admire the scenery. The interpretive activity was too complicated for us to figure out even with the help of our smart phones. A some point you can veer off the trail and peak inside a small cave. When you reach the top you can take some pictures and take in the view. It does seem like it might make any trip to the area complete and is a great way to burn off some excess energy if you feel like you've been stuck in the car for way too long, like me.

For my first visit to the northern peninsula of Idaho, I decided to make a stop in the town of…read moreCoeur d'Alene. Coeur d'Alene has a charming downtown waterfront and it's here where you'll find this Tubbs Hill Trail. I believe hiking along Tubbs Hill represents the city of Coeur d'Alene well. It's an easy 2 mile round trip loop that oversees the harbor from a distance. Basically, it's a perfectly fine nature trail. There are 26 or 27 posted marker signs along the trail to guide you (including a halfway point). It's absolutely impossible to get lost, lol. To be specific on where Tubbs Hill Trail officially begins, you can find the starting point right next to the Rotary Harbor House (which looked like a relaxing spot to grab some fish tacos and catch views from the pier). Since the hike is a loop, if you begin by going off to the right hand side, there are spots along the way to descend down the rockside and go swimming in Lake Coeur d'Alene. I noticed a lot of people were relaxing and lounging out on the rocks while taking refreshing breaks in the water. If this sounds enticing, then remember to bring your bathing suit and a towel, lol. The first part of the hike offers panoramic lookouts of not only the boats docked beside the waterfront, but also the historical landmark - Hotel Coeur d'Alene. Eventually you wrap your way around in a circle getting to enjoy the great outdoors. It's a chance to breathe in fresh air from the lake without having to work hard. There's barely any incline/decline along the 2 mile path. It took me one hour to complete the hike. Lastly, parking can be difficult in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Independence Point is a popular area to park, but they do charge by the hour and every spot was occupied when I arrived in the middle of the day. I resorted to parking on a sidestreet next to the Coeur d'Alene shopping district. Though, cars on side streets are only permitted for 2 hour intervals at a time. Overall, Tubbs Hill Trail was a pleasant hiking activity. Pair it with maybe taking a cruise out on the lake or walking around the Boardwalk Marina (the "world's longest floating boardwalk" if you can believe) and you'll discover the best of what Coeur d'Alene has to offer.

Beautiful place to hike near the lake with plenty of scenic views and places to rest.read more

My 84yr old mom wanted to "do a big river trip" and booked a 5-day trip down the Snake River for…read moreus. The food was great, the views amazing, the cellphone-free environment much appreciated. The best part? The company. The oars staff were friendly, highly-capable, and were the most entertaining part of the trip. I've never talked so much my whole life, but these guys were a hoot. We saw a few people get drunk, beligerant, and not wearing PFDs across the river one day. Some of the other river guide companies do not operate a tight ship. I'm so glad we went with OARS because my stress level was zero other than the rapids. The 5-day down the Snake River was perfect as you really get into the groove of rafting that 3rd day. I just wish I could have stayed on the river longer!

I took my 3 nephews on a rafting trip down the Salmon River for 6 days and 5 nights June 6 - 7…read moreusing the O.A.R.S. Dories company for our guide. It was a terrific adventure, but what made it so great had a lot to do with our guides and their friendly, hard working and professional manner. The team leader was Caroline who was so impressively competent. All the other guides deferred to her easily and she made intelligent decisions to keep the trip safe from high and fast water as well as comfortable with well chosen camp sites and interesting hikes and things to see. While she took charge readily, she did it with a smile and a great sense of humor. I like to joke around a bit and Caroline was right there making me feel comfortable and joking right back with me. We shared some wonderful conversations that made the trip even more special and memorable. I probably will never see her again, but I will always remember how capable, kind and personable she is. Her 3 other guides were Caiden, Shane and a trainee John Evans. I was so impressed with how open and friendly they all were. We had lots of time to just talk and relax both on the river and in camp. They all joined in our group like they were one of us talking about their lives and things they liked when we asked. Always smiling and friendly. They didn't ever monopolize the conversation or become too opinionated. They just joined in and flowed with the group just like the river we were floating on. Every day they spent arduous time setting up camp and then breaking camp the next morning, cooking really tasty meals 3 times a day and tending to all of our questions and needs. They truly never complained. They would put us first when we needed something always with a no problem attitude. I never heard one of them complain or act in a way that was unbecoming of the job they were doing. For 6 straight days to do all that work with never a complaint was amazing to me. I believe they all love what they do and take the job as a treat to be out in the wilderness riding the rapids and sharing with people an amazing adventure in the wilderness. I'm 71. I may never do a trip like that again just because of my age and stage in life, but if I do, it will for sure be with the O.A.R.S. team and I hope I'm lucky enough to get to reconnect with any of those wonderful guides.