64 Awesome & Interesting Facts About Idaho

Let’s talk about Idaho! The weird-looking state in the northwestern part of America is kinda remote, squeezed between Montana and the remote part of Oregon and Washington state, far away from the hipsters in Portland and Seattle. It’s the next in our list of covering all 50 Nifty States and while Idaho isn’t as exotic as Hawaii or Florida or Delaware or Alabama or Maryland or Kansas or Louisiana, it’s next on the list alphabetically for us.

What is Idaho known for?

1. Potatoes! There is no denying that potatoes are very big in Idaho. It’s the official state vegetable of Idaho, and for good reason. Idaho happens to have a climate whose combined characteristics of rich volcanic soil, clean water, and clean air makes it perfect to grow potatoes. There is even an official Idaho Potato Commission that was established in 1937 who make it their responsibility to pimp the good name of the potato to the masses.

2. Boise! Boise is the big-shot city of Idaho, even though only about 235,000 people live here at last count. It’s got some culture downtown, where you’ll find the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho State Capital, and Zoo Boise. Incorporated in 1863, Boise is also the capital of Idaho.

3. Yellowstone National Park! Kinda. Most people would tell you that Yellowstone National Park is in Wyoming but it also stretches into parts of Idaho and Montana. Barely.

4. Idaho is known as the Gem State! More than 240 different kinds of minerals contribute to the creation of at leas 72 types of precious and semi-precious gemstones throughout the state of Idaho. Apparently, the variety is so rich and large that it’s only second to Africa.

What are the official state symbols of Idaho?

5. The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho, made official in 1931. It’s also the official state bird of Nevada and it is so pretty. Isn’t the mountain bluebird a great shade of blue? Admire it, won’t you. Take as long as you need.

6. The Idaho giant salamander is the official state amphibian of Idaho. Not only is it the largest salamander that you’ll find in the potato state, this guy lives almost exclusively within Idaho. Never would’ve guessed a state like Idaho would corner the market on a certain kind of amphibian but that’s just one of the many splendors of Idaho.

7. The monarch buttery has been the official state butterfly of Idaho since 1992, and Alabama, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, West Virginia, and Vermont also have the lovely monarch as a state symbol.

8. The cutthroat trout was made the official state fish of Idaho in 1990. Sounds vicious! We already made this joke before because it’s also the official state fish of Colorado.

9. The Idaho state flag was adopted in 1907 and here is a picture of what it looks like.

10. The syringa has been the official state flower of Idaho since 1931. If you have an issue with the syringa being the official state flower of Idaho then you are encouraged to take it up with the state legislature.

11. The Hagerman horse is the official state fossil of Idaho, and it’s the oldest known representative of the genus Equus, which is basically today’s horses and donkeys. So rad that states have their own fossil.

12. The huckleberry is the official state fruit of Idaho. Believe it or not, the huckleberry compliments the Idaho potatoes; huckleberry is good for digesting starch — which Idaho potatoes have a whole lot of.

13. Idaho has no less than three poet laureates, which is awesome for poetry. CMarie Fuhrman has been the State Poet Laureate since 2021, and Stacy Boe Miller was also appointed the poet laureate of Moscow, Idaho in 2021. Diane Raptosh holds the Boise poet laureate crown, and has since 2013. Brilliant women, all of them, and you should buy their books and support the arts.

14. The Western White Pine is the official state tree of Idaho. They’re pretty prominent in the northern part of the state, and the largest western white pine in the whole world is located near Elk River, Idaho and it’s about 219 feet high.

15. Idaho has an official dance and it’s none other than the square dance, the same one many an American child was forced to learn in gym class in public education schools all across the country. It also happens to be the official dance of Alabama, Arkansas, and Colorado and Connecticut, as well as Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Missouri. And Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon, as well as Tennessee and Texas. And Utah. And Virginia. And also Washington state. It’s also the official folk dance of California, New Jersey, and South Carolina. 

16. “Here We Have Idaho” is the official state song of Idaho. Composed by Sallie Hume-Douglas around 1915, it was originally called “Garden of Paradise” but in 1917, a couple students at the University of Idaho reworked “Garden of Paradise” to honor Idaho for a song contest. Hume-Douglas granted permission for her song to be reused, additional verses were added, and Idaho officially made it their state song in 1931.

Early history of Idaho state facts

17. In 2019, archaeologists discovered a Late Upper Paleolithic site in western Idaho that provided evidence people occupied Idaho as far back as 16,600 years ago.

18. Lewis and Clark passed through Idaho in 1805 during their famous expedition to the Pacific Ocean.

19. Idaho officially became United States territory when the Oregon Treaty of 1846 was enacted.

20. The state of Idaho spent the next decade in territorial limbo between being a part of Oregon and Washington until the Idaho Territory was established on March 4, 1863.

21. Idaho became the 43rd United State on July 3, 1890.

22. The Great Idaho Fire of 1910 was the largest wildfire in United States history. Sadly, 87 people perished. Also sadly, it may not hold the record for much longer, given the state of climate change.

Idaho topography & geography

23. Sawtooth National Forest in Stanley, Idaho is more than 2,000,000 acres of epic landscaping scenery that stretches into neighboring Utah. Pretty much in the heart of the Idaho wilderness, there are nearly 350 miles of trails that go by almost 400 lakes, making this spot nothing short of a hiker’s dream.

24. If you were to travel the length of Idaho from north to south, it would take 479 miles. If you were to drive across Idaho from east to west, it would be 305 miles.

25. Idaho shares a border with six states: Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. It also borders British Columbia, Canada.

26. Shoshone Falls has a 212-foot drop and it is an absolute sight to behold. It isn’t called the Niagara of the West for nothing. In fact, the drop is even steeper than the Niagara Falls you can find back east.

27. The deepest river gorge in North America is Hells Canyon in western Idaho. It’s almost 8,000 feet deep. That’s like two thousand more feet than the Grand Canyon.

28. The lowest elevation point is just 713 feet above sea level, at the confluence of Clearwater River and Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho.

29. There are 44 counties in Idaho.

30. The highest point in Idaho is Borah Peak at 12,662 feet above sea level, just north of the town of Mackay.

31. The Hagerman Fossil Beds in Hagerman, Idaho is literally pretty epic, the left-behind remnants of the ground sloths, saber-tooth cats, and mastodons that hung out here during the Pliocene Age around three to four million years ago. They left behind a lot of fossils, so many that the Hagerman Fossil Beds is a National Monument. It’s basically the richest fossil deposits we know of from this point in the planet’s history.

32. Snake River is 1,078 miles of tributary from the Columbia River that goes westward through Idaho and empties into the Pacific Ocean. It’s the largest river in Idaho.

33. Speaking of rivers, Idaho has like 3,100 miles of them. That’s more than any other United State.

34. Idaho is about 83,569 total square miles, making it the 14th-biggest state.

What are places to visit in Idaho?

35. The Boise Art Museum is a must for anyone living in Idaho. The BAM, as it is affectionately referred to, has been stationed in Julia Davis Park since 1937. The Boise Art Museum has a pretty good collection of modern art, where the art lover can admire works from brilliance like Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, and Reginald Marsh.

36. The Zoo Boise is the place in Idaho for animal lovers who want to see their favorite creatures in cages. They have red panda, giraffes, Komodo dragons, lions, and snow leopards, all awesome animals.

37. Does Idaho have a potato museum? It sure does! The Idaho Potato Museum is located in Blackfoot, Idaho and it is an actual place that really exists. It began in 1988 and has been passionate about informing the public about all things potato-related ever since. You’ll learn everything you’ve always wanted to know about how the potato made its way to Idaho, even if you didn’t even know you wanted to know.

38. The Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park has red pandas too! And penguins! And African lions! And Grant’s zebra! And wallabies! And lots of other critters animal-lovers will love.

39. The ocean isn’t exactly accessible in Idaho, so visiting Boulder Beach Water Park in Athol, Idaho is a sufficient substitute for Pacific Ocean and probably better than some parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Many hundreds of feet of water slides are spread across attractions like the Riptide Racer, Rumble Falls, and Ricochet Rapids. It’s refreshing just thinking about coasting down on a water slide.

40. The Idaho State Historical Museum is also situated in Julia Davis Park. This museum is dedicated to telling the story and history of the state of Idaho through interactive exhibitions and elegant displays, and how Idaho has been shaped and changed over the last hundred years. It’s also pretty kid-friendly.

41. You’ll find the Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho — and it absolutely lives up to its name. Their vision is “sharing the value of clean with the world” and they are not fucking around. They promise a stress-free, easygoing, immersive experience that includes an impressive collection of over 500 vacuum cleaners. And judging from the pictures, it is very very very clean.

42. The Idaho Museum of Natural History is located at the Idaho State University campus in Pocatello, Idaho. Natural History museums are pretty much always cool, and the Idaho one is no exception. It’s been around since 1934, and boosts collections totally over 500,000 specimens in life sciences, earth sciences, and anthropology. It’s super cool and you should visit.

43. The Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial in Boise is a somber tribute and a place for deep contemplation and reflection. Anne Frank had absolutely no connection to Idaho, yet her sharing the experience of being human resonates so much that Boise built this tribute to her in 2002.

44. The Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls — not to be confused with the Idaho State Museum — is a history and science museum that focuses on social, cultural, and environmental aspects of Idaho. What’s particularly notable about the building is that until 2003, it was the Idaho Falls Public Library.

45. Julia Davis Park is centrally located in downtown Boise, Idaho and it’s a big hub of culture that includes the aforementioned Boise Art Museum, Zoo Boise, and Idaho State Historical Museum. You’ll also find the Idaho Black History Museum, and a bandshell where The Velvet Underground once played.

Cool, fun & weird facts about Idaho

46. Twin Falls, Idaho has been name-dropped in popular culture. It’s the title of a Built to Spill song from their fantastic 1994 record There’s Nothing Wrong with Love. It’s also the title of a 1999 film about conjoined twins. Because you know, Twins Falls, Idaho.

47. Speaking of Twin Falls, Idaho, Evil Knievel attempted to jump Snake River Canyon on September 8, 1974. He did not make it, but he survived. This event was quite the big deal in 1974 that dominated the equivalent of several Twitter cycles.

48. The state Capital Building in Idaho is the only state capital in the United States that uses renewable energy to keep the politicians and lobbyists warm and toasty. Idaho takes advantage of the geothermal water that is 3,000 feet underground to create this energy.

49. The very first alpine skiing chairlifts were installed in Sun Valley, Idaho in 1936.

50. There is not a lot in the way of sports in Idaho, especially beyond the college teams Boise State Broncos, Idaho State Bengals, and Idaho Vandals. There are, however, a few professional and high-level amateur sports teams in Idaho. The Boise Hawks play baseball in the Northwest League at Memorial Stadium. The Idaho Falls Chukars also play baseball in the independent Pioneer League in Idaho Falls, Idaho at Melaleuca Field. The Idaho Steelheads play hockey in the ECHL at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

51. Ernest Hemingway wrote parts of his classic For Whom the Bell Tolls in Sun Valley, Idaho. Hemingway liked Idaho so much that he moved to Ketchum, Idaho and lived there until his death in 1961.

Click here to buy For Whom the Bell Tolls!

52. The only blue football field in the world is in Boise, Idaho. The Boise State University Broncos are a NCAA Division I football team with rivalries against BYU and Fresno State and play on what’s affectionately known as Smurf Turf.

53. Did you know that Idaho has the longest floating boardwalk in the world? Idaho isn’t exactly known for its beaches, but the Lake Coeur d’Alene boardwalk is about 3,300 feet long. The boardwalk is not along the ocean, of course, but on top of lovely Lake Coeur d’Alene and provides astonishing views at almost every mile.

54. Idaho has the only United States seal that was designed by a woman. In 1891, Emma Edwards Green made $100 for her creation of the State Seal of Idaho. She got robbed.

55. Your favorite movie Napoleon Dynamite takes place in Idaho. If you haven’t seen it in awhile, you should buy it and see if it still holds up.

56. Despite having less than 300 residents, the town of Island Park, Idaho claims to have the longest Main Street in the world. It’s 33 miles, and it also happens to be the only street in this small town.

57. Philo Farnsworth all but invented the modern television and television cameras. He invented the very first fully functional all-electronic television system in 1921, and basically literally changed the world. Modern life would be very difficult to imagine without Philo Farnsworth, and he grew up in Rigby, Idaho.

58. Wallace, Idaho was declared the Center of the Universe in 2004 by an eccentric mayor. The humble town with a population of less than 800 people has a plaque to make it official and everything.

59. The largest man-made geyser can be found in Soda Springs. It’s been around since 1967. Here is a video of it!

What famous people are from Idaho?

60. Aaron Paul is the Emmy Award-winning star of Breaking Bad and he was born and raised in Emmett, Idaho. He graduated from Centennial High School in Boise.

61. Lana Turner, star of The Postman Always Rings Twice, was born in Wallace, Idaho in 1921.

62. Poet Ezra Pound was born in 1885, in Hailey, Idaho Territory — five years before Idaho became a state. Ezra didn’t stay very long; his mother moved him to New York City, New York when he was about 18 months old.

63. Harmon Killebrew is probably the most successful professional athlete to come out of Idaho. He was born in Payette, Idaho in 1936, and clubbed 573 home runs in his 22-year career, mostly with the Minnesota Twins.

64. Mad Men star Christina Hendricks spent a lot of her childhood in Twin Falls, Idaho and even began her acting journey at a local community theater group.

Cover Image Credit: Image by Jim Black from Pixabay

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