6 Most Scenic Drives in Idaho

The case for Idaho can be made almost entirely from the driver's seat. The Sawtooth Byway runs 116 miles through jagged peaks between Shoshone and Stanley. The Northwest Passage Byway, the state's longest at 202 miles, traces the path Lewis and Clark took through the Clearwater Canyon in 1805. The Thousand Springs route drops past Shoshone Falls, which is taller than Niagara. And the Lake Coeur d'Alene Byway winds 36 miles along a lake whose name means "heart of the awl." Below are six drives worth clearing a day for.

Sawtooth Scenic Byway

This route lives up to its name. Situated along jagged peaks, Sawtooth Scenic Byway is 116 miles of road that winds around the Boulder Mountains and through the lower reaches of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Starting in the town of Shoshone on State Highway 75, the byway continues onto the Shoshone Ice Caves, Magic Reservoir of the Big Wood River, and Silver Creek Preserve before hitting Bellevue. From there, you will next hit the towns of Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley before finally ending in Stanley. But if you don’t stop at all, it will take about 2 hours and 16 minutes.

While going along, don’t be surprised if you spot local fauna like elk, deer, and antelope hugging the roadway. Notable recreational activities for those sore from driving include visiting the Sawtooth Botanical Garden in Ketchum and riding horseback with Mystic Saddle Ranch, which offers Horseback and Pack Trips that ride out of Stanley.

Payette River Scenic Byway

The Payette River Scenic Byway runs 114 miles through southwestern Idaho, connecting the towns of Eagle and New Meadows. Now State Highway 55, it was officially designated a Scenic Byway in 1977 and traces a route first opened up by the area's 19th-century mining trade. Today it is better known for the river itself, a popular whitewater run, and the string of small mountain towns along its route.

It’s best to start in Eagle, located just outside the capital of Boise. Going northward, you will pass through the towns of Horseshoe Bend and Banks. The latter is on the outskirts of Boise National Forest, a haven for outdoor activities. Further north is Smiths Ferry and eventually Cascade, gateway to Lake Cascade State Park, perfect for hikers, swimmers, campers, boaters, and other outdoorsmen. After going through the towns of Donnelly and McCall, you will close out your journey in New Meadows, nestled next to the Brundage Mountain Resort.

Teton Scenic Byway

The Teton Scenic Byway covers 67 miles with near-constant views of the western face of the Tetons. It begins on State Highway 31 in Swan Valley, then switches to State Highway 33 at Victor. The town of Victor is worth a stop for Linn Canyon Ranch, which runs guided horseback tours into the surrounding valley. A few miles up the byway is Driggs, home to the Grand Teton Distillery and a reliably quiet alternative to Jackson Hole on the other side of the range. Continuing north to Tetonia, State Highway 32 meets the Ashton-Tetonia Trail, a 30-mile rail-trail open to bikes, horses, and hikers in warmer months and snowshoers and skiers in winter. The byway closes out along State Highway 47 in Ashton, in the potato country at the southern edge of the Yellowstone plateau.

Thousand Springs Scenic Byway

Rugged, awe-inspiring, and communal, this roadway has it all, featuring mountainous, forested terrain with deep canyons. Measuring approximately 65 miles, the byway starts and ends at Interstate-84. If you decide to drive out of the town of Bliss, you will head southeast down US 30 through Hagerman, Buhl, Filer, and Twin Falls until reaching State Highway 50 and Interstate-84 again. Alternatively, you can drive north to Interstate-84 via US 93 from Twin Falls.

Almost immediately, Thousand Springs State Park opens up. The park is made up of six individual units with fishing, camping, hiking, rafting, and kayaking. Farther down, you cross the Perrine Bridge over the Snake River Canyon, with views of the river, waterfalls, and lakes below. Be sure to take a break at Shoshone Falls, right next to the small town of Twin Falls. The falls also offer picnic areas, a boat ramp, hiking trails, swimming spots, and playgrounds.

Northwest Passage Scenic Byway

History buffs would do well to consider following this next route. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark crossed this part of the Clearwater country in 1805 and 1806, and the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway now traces much of their route. It is also the state's longest byway at 202 miles. The surrounding landscape, including the Clearwater River Canyon and Camas Prairie, still looks much as it did then. Beginning in the aptly named Lewiston next to the Montana border, the road mostly travels along US 12 but also switches south to State Highway 13 at Kooskia to Grangeville about midway through.

Hells Gate State Park, right outside Lewiston, kicks off the route with fishing, mountain biking, camping, and wildlife viewing along the Snake River. The next town, Spalding, is home to the Nez Perce National Historical Park visitor center, a good first stop for anyone wanting context on the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) tribe, whose ancestral territory this still is. Closer to Kamiah, the "Heart of the Monster" is a small basalt mound at the center of the Nimiipuu origin story, and now marked as part of the National Historical Park.

Lake Coeur d'Alene Scenic Byway

This drive is the ideal way to experience one of Idaho's most beautiful lakes, whose English translation means “heart of the awl.” Spanning 35.8 miles and drivable all year, the two-lane road stretches from where Interstate 90 and State Highway 97 combine in the north and winds all the way down south until reaching State Highway 3.

Summer on the byway opens up the lake for birding, cycling, boating, camping, and fishing. Fall turns the surrounding Panhandle forest into a strong stretch of color, and the route is drivable year-round. In either season, the Mineral Ridge Trail toward the north end of the byway is the payoff hike, a 3.3-mile loop climbing to an overlook with a clear view down the entire length of the lake.

A Quieter Pace in Idaho

What ties these six byways together is how much of the state they move you through without filler. The Sawtooth and Teton routes deliver you to the edges of two different mountain ranges. The Northwest Passage and Coeur d'Alene drives follow rivers and lakes that shaped both the Nez Perce and the early American West. And the Payette and Thousand Springs routes do a surprising amount of work in under 150 miles each. Idaho is still mostly public land, still mostly empty, and still cheaper to explore by car than almost any state in the Mountain West.