Posted in Idaho National & State Parks, Nature January 21, 2022 by

7 Lesser-Known State Parks In Idaho That Will Absolutely Amaze You

Currently, Idaho is home to 27 glorious state parks. Each one offers up its own unique scenery and a variety of attractions. If you’re an outdoor lover, it should definitely be your mission to visit them all, especially the ones that tend to get overlooked the most. Looking for a place to start? Check out these seven lesser-known state parks that fly under the radar compared to more well-known parks but still offer up some unforgettable adventures. How many can you say you’ve been to already?

1. Eagle Island State Park
Eagle Island State Park/Facebook
Located eight miles west of Boise, Eagle Island State Park is an oasis. The park is comprised of 545 acres of pure beauty and features a swimming beach, picnic area, and tons of picturesque hiking trails. The park even contains a gigantic waterslide that is open every year from Memorial Day to Labor day. It makes for a wonderful summertime destination.
165 Eagle Island Pkwy, Eagle, ID 83616, USA
2. Lake Walcott State Park
Lake Walcott State Park/Facebook
Located near Rupert, Lake Walcott State Park is absolute heaven for recreation enthusiasts. Featuring plenty of fishing opportunities, a disc golf course, and an abundance of campsites, the fun is truly endless at Lake Walcott. The next time you're looking for a quiet destination to get away from it all, plan a visit to this park. Be sure to keep an eye out for this amazing wildlife refuge nearby.
959 Minidoka Dam Rd, Rupert, ID 83350, USA
3. Hells Gate State Park
Hells Gate State Park/Facebook
Located in Lewiston, Hells Gate is by far one of Idaho's most unique state parks. The park itself sits on a river bottom that was exposed after the Great Ice Age floods over 15,000 years ago. Here you'll also find massive basaltic columns that date back 14 million years ago and remnants of an old Nez Perce village. There's a ton of history to explore here, and you'll definitely want to see it for yourself. Don't let the spooky name fool you: this park is amazing!
5100 Hells Gate Rd, Lewiston, ID 83501, USA
4. Lucky Peak State Park
Allen Baxter/Flickr
Located east of Boise, Lucky Peak State Park is the perfect summertime destination. The park is comprised of three distinct day use units which boast a variety of recreational uses. It's just a 10 minute car ride from Boise, yet the park feels like a serene getaway. We think you'll love it as much as we do.
9725 ID-21, Boise, ID 83716, USA
5. Winchester Lake State Park
JohnJohn101/TripAdvisor
Surrounding the 104-acre Winchester Lake, this park is a popular fishing destination. The lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the park is home to an abundance of standard and yurt campsites. This place is truly the perfect escape from civilization. It feels like a top-secret destination.
Forest Road, Forest Rd, Idaho 83429, USA
6. Massacre Rocks State Park
Linda S/TripAdvisor
Massacre Rocks State Park is a famous spot along the Oregon Trail. It's located along the glorious Snake River west of American Falls. The park is famous for a unique configuration of boulders which have been dubbed "Massacre Rocks" and was often used as a campsite for emigrants travelling along the trail. Many of the emigrants actually carved their names onto a rock that is referred to as Register Rock, which you can see even to this day. This spooky-named park might actually be pretty spooky after dark, too.
3592 Park Ln, American Falls, ID 83211, USA
7. Henry's Lake State Park
luxocchio/TripAdvisor
It's amazing to think that more people don't know about the incredible Henry's Lake located near Island Park. This dreamy mountain lake is an angler's dream come true since it contains a huge amount of Yellowstone cutthroat. The park is also home to a variety of migrating bird species and 83 overnight campgrounds that are perfect for your next adventure! Click here to learn more!
3917 E 5100 N, Island Park, ID 83429, USA

Have you visited any of these lesser-known state parks yet? We’re lucky to have so many unique parks to explore in our state. For example, did you know the oldest state park in the northwest is located right here in Idaho? It’s true!

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The OIYS Visitor Center

State Parks to Visit in Idaho

January 26, 2022
Tori Jane

What are some of the best state parks in Idaho?  

People may not think of Idaho as a vacation destination, but perhaps they ought to. After all, Idaho is home to a whopping 27 state parks, each of which is beautiful and well worth a visit or two (or ten). We think the “best” ones are probably the ones that are most popular (after all, they’re beloved for a reason), but don’t let that lull you into ignoring the lesser-known parks! They’re ALL wonderful. Some of the most popular state parks in Idaho include Farragut State Park, which was once a World War II-era Naval training station (that’s right – a Naval training station in Idaho). Bear Lake State Park is quite literally famous for its amazing boating and fishing opportunities; Yellowstone National Park, however, is probably the most famous (and we bet you didn’t realize part of it is in Idaho). Heyburn State Park is another great one. We’re also fans of Harriman State Park, which you can read more about in this article. 

What are the most popular hiking trails in Idaho?  

According to our friends at AllTrails.com, Idaho is quite the destination for hikers. In fact, it’s got more than 1300 amazing trails to blaze. Even if you did one trail per day, every day, it would still take three and a half years to get through them all! Among the highest-rated and most popular hiking trails in Idaho, there’s Tubbs Hill, which is an easy, two-mile hike that loops around, well, Tubbs Hill. Then there’s the Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail, which is one mile longer than Tubbs Hills but offers one of the most incredible views in the entire state (okay, it might just be THE most incredible, but we digress). The most popular trail in all of Idaho is Sawtooth Lake, via Iron Creek Stanley Lake Trail. This ten-mile trek is worth every single step, we promise. Anyone hoping to fall in love with Idaho is going to want to experience that one!