Idaho

[Gib Robinson]

I'm planning a round trip from SF to northern Michigan next August. Going east I thought I would take a northern route through Idaho, either entering from eastern Oregon or coming up from Reno. I'd love to know what routes this LF crowd might recommend and what areas you think are really wonderful to photograph. I would guess I should plan on going as far north as Glacier NP :-). I'm bringing both 35mm & LF so I can photograph wildlife & landscapes too.

[Dave Parker]

There is quite a few areas along that route that make for good shooting, the Snake River Canyon is one that is quite awe inspiring, and of course if you make it all the way to Glacier, you will not be disappointed, I love photographing Glacier and surrounding area so much, I moved here about 10 years ago, one of the subjects in this area that is great to photograph is old tractors, barns, wide sweeping landscapes, water falls, and just about anything else you can think of...Wildlife abounds in this area, often times Elk, Moose, Bears, Mountain Lions, Deer and of course many little animals that are not often seen in other parts of the country, even chances at wolves., The Blues area in NE Oregon is quite a place as well, there are just so many options in this part of the country that make for good subject matter, that time of the year, the fields will be soft golden brown, and sunrise sunset wide angle stuff looks fantastic.

Have a great trip, give me a holler if you do make it all the way to Glacier, perhaps a cup of joe or a nice local microbrew would be in order.

Dave

[steve simmons]

The Idaho state capitol in Boise has a wonderful interior rotunda. If you go north from Boise try and go through Grangeville for rolling farmland and collections of grain elevators. You can cut through to the east and go through Salmon for mountains and rolling farmland. South of W. Yellowstone is Ashland wih a wonderfull collection of grain elevators. North from there is Harriman State Park.

If you go as far north as Lewiston it is an old ag/industrial town. East from there towards Missoula is a very pretty highway along a river.

steve simmons

[Keith S. Walklet]

Great suggestions thus far. Steve's right about the Statehouse. It is a real surprise. While in Boise, check out Mark Lisk's gallery on Main Street. He's been photographing the wilderness here for some twenty years. Terrific work. Couple of recent books include "Desert Waters" and "Salmon River Country."

Really, there is quite a bit of spectacular scenery here.It is spread out to a large degree and picking a route is the hardest thing to do. The circle tour from Boise north to Grangeville and across to Montana via the Lochsa River is special. As is going north via the Payette to Lowman and Stanley, the heart of the Sawtooths, and from there north along the Salmon River to Missoula (where Dave is).

[Dave Parker]

there north along the Salmon River to Missoula (where Dave is).

Hi Keith,

Actually I am just outside Kalispell, I am about 35 miles from the West Entrance to Glacier, but still it is all spectacular areas to photograph...

Somewhere I might suggest to get even more information is a couple of websites I run which a bunch of fanticle National Park and Wilderness area visitors..

One in http://glacierparkchat.com/chat and the other is http://www.nationalparkschat.com

There are a bunch of die hard people that frequent these two chat systems, that could have some great suggestions.

Dave

[Keith S. Walklet]

Well, Dave, you are really is some beautiful country!

BTW Gib, the drive north from where you are is very pleasant. I do laps between here and California and particularly enjoy the section of 95 north of Winnemucca. It splits some pretty country down the middle, with things like the Steens Mountains to the west and the Paradise Valley and Hinkey Summit to the east. But, I've come back (very slowly) via the dirt road that runs north from Gerlach into Oregon, and then across the Steens into the wildlife refuge, antelope preserve, etc and back into Idaho.

[Brian Ellis]

I don't know where it is on your route and may be too far out of the way but if you're coming in through eastern Oregon Steens Mountain is worth at least a day. You can spend a night in French Glen (population 7) at the French Glen Hotel, decent rooms and pretty good food.

[Gib Robinson]

Well, clearly I asked the right group for help. Thank you all. Now I can get out the magnifying glass and take a close look at the details. I'm likely to ask for more specifics as I make my plans.

[eddie]

idaho has great mountains scenes. you might want to hit yellowstone and the tetons on your way out the east side. city of rocks near the utah boarder is great too if you are down that far.

eddie

[naturephoto1]

If you make it to the Yellowstone area, it is worth visiting Mesa Falls in Idaho. There is an upper and lower fall. The falls are about 16 miles from Ashton Idaho and about 51 miles from Yellowstone.

Rich

[Jon Wilson]

Besides the great suggestions already provided, if you go through the Sawtooth Mountains, i.e., Stanley, Ketchum, Sun Valley areas, I especially like Stanley Lake and Petite Lake. The sun comes up in the morning at Petite Lake and there is an awesome sight of the jagged Sawtooth Mountains reflecting on the lake. Jon

[jgsampso]

I went to college in Moscow, just north of Lewiston. If you're there in late August, then you'll be just on the verge of the summer wheat harvest and grass burning season (they grow grass for seed then burn it off every year, or at least they use to). The Palouse area, where Moscow/Pullman is, has a great deal of scenic rolling hills which, from Steptoe Butte, I've seen makes some pretty good photography. If they're burning, which may not really start until Sept, you'll have some good particulate mass in the air for sunsets. Otherwise you may have large swaths of golden wheat fields and many interesting patterns.

I'd highly recommend the Sawtooths, particularly Stanley area if you stay in the central part of the state. Count on hoards of people though. If you have time and equipment, hike and stay overnight at Sawtooth lake for a scenic location, it's particularly nice in the evening IMHO.

http://www.walkaboutgalleries.com/largePics/large3091.jpg

Jason

[Hugh Sakols]

It was while I was living in Pocatello, ID and going through graduate school that I re -developed my interest in photography that was first developed in junior high.

From my somewhat warped perspective, Idaho has much to offer. I would check out Atomic City - the first place (I won't say city) powered by a nuclear reactor. While in the area check out Craters of the Moon National Park ( in Aug it could be quite hot). There you can see a lot of basalt and some interesting craters. It could be really interesting at sunset or sunrise.

[sparq]

I really liked Stanley and the Sawtooth mountains range in Idaho.

http://static.flickr.com/115/289736912_5bd7570789.jpg