https://www.blm.gov/visit/search?field_location=100033&field_activities=All&search_api_fulltext=
As part of the review of BLM sites suitable for astronomy, let’s take a look at Idaho specific sites. Out of the states in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho has the most number of sites when compared with Oregon and Washington. There are 237 sites in Idaho that are managed by the BLM.
There is 1 field office location:
There will be some sites that are only Day Use areas, in which we will not be recommending astronomy as the sites are designed to be used during the day only.
- Pink House Day Use Pavilions
- Elevenmile Day Use Area
- Kilpatrick Day Use Area
- Eightmile Day Use Area
- Tower Creek Pyramids Day Use Area
- Egin Lakes Campground/Day Use Area
- Harper’s Bend Recreation Site
- White Bird Gravel Pit Recreation Site
- Skookumchuck Recreation Site
- Lucile Recreation Site
- Jump Creek
- Swan Falls Picnic Area
- Challis Bridge Recreation Site
There are some sites that are designed as a boat launch, and others that are only accessible from the water. These sites could work, but aren’t necessarily the ideal spot.
- Bruneau River Launch Site
- South Fork of the Snake River: Conant Boat Access
- South Fork of the Snake River: Lorenzo Boat Access
- South Fork of the Snake River: Byington Boat Access
- South Fork of the Snake River: Menan Boat Access
- Mineral Ridge Boat Launch
- Windy Bay Boater Park
- Murtaugh Boating Access
- Popcorn Island
- Jarbidge River Launch Site
- Birds of Prey Scenic Float
- Payette River
- Killarney Lake Access
- Payette River: Chief Parrish
- Payette River: Confluence
- Payette River: Deer Creek
- Mica Bay Boater Park
- Red Road Bridge Boat Access (Henry’s Fork)
- Upper Salmon River
- Henrys Lake Boat Access
- Oxbow/Brownlee Reservoirs
- Magic Reservoir
- Bruneau Wild and Scenic River
- South Fork Owyhee Wild and Scenic River
- Snake River Vista Recreation Site
- Owyhee River Wilderness Area
- Crystal Lake
- Owyhee Wild and Scenic River
- Battle Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Little Jacks Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Bruneau River Take-Out
- Mackay Reservoir
- North Fork Owyhee River
- Hammer Creek Recreation Site
- Island Bar Recreation Site
- Shorts Bar Recreation Site
- Pine Bar Recreation Site
- Old Lucile Recreation Site
- Payette River: Beehive Bend
- Payette River: South Fork
- Blackwell Island Recreation Site
- Jarbidge Wild and Scenic River
- Blackfoot River
- Payette River: North Fork
- Summit Creek Recreation Site
- Coeur d’Alene Lake
- Henry’s Lake Wilderness Study Area
- Cottonwood Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Deep Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Lower Salmon Falls Creek Wilderness Study Area
- Lower Salmon River
- Duncan Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Thorn Creek Reservoir
- Snowhole Rapids Wilderness Study Area
- Pink House Recreation Site
Certain areas are designed and maintained as ATV or OHV vehicles and wouldn’t be the most ideal spot for astronomy.
- Clay Peak
- Fossil Creek OHV Trail
- Rabbit Creek OHV Trail
- Croy Creek Recreation Area and Trailhead
- St. Anthony Sand Dunes
- Hemingway Butte OHV Trailhead
- Weiser Dunes
- Stinking Springs ATV and Mountain Biking Trail
- 8th Street Trailhead
- Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site
- Little Gem
There are a few campgrounds listed, which could make for a good base of operations if one is passing through the area and are far away from light pollution.
- Huckleberry Campground
- Blackfoot Reservoir Campground
- Kelly Island Campground
- Birch Creek Campground
- Silver City Campground
- Morgans Bridge Campground
- McClendon Spring Campground
- McFarland Campground
- Sage Hen Flats Campground
- North Fork Campground
- Williams Lake Campground
- Hawkins Reservoir Campground
- Goodenough Creek Campground
- Pipeline Campground
- Cutthroat Trout Campground
- Trail Creek Bridge Campground
- Big Cottonwood Campground
- The Forks Campground
- Juniper Grove Campground
- Redpoint Campground
- Graves Creek Campground
- Agency Creek Campground
- Maple Grove Campground
- Morgan Creek Recreation Site
- Cottonwood Recreation Site
- Joe T. Fallini Recreation Site
- Steck Park
- Lower Herd Lake
- Wolf Flats Recreation Area
- Shoup Bridge Recreation Site
- Orphan Point Saddle
- Crater Lake
- McKay’s Bend Recreation Site
- Morgan Bar Recreation Site
- Tower Rock Recreation Site
- Smokey Cubs Recreation Site
- Heart Mountain Springs Recreation Site
- Milner Historic Recreation Area
- East Fork Recreation Site
- Lud Drexler Park
- Cove at CJ Strike Reservoir
There are other sites that are designated trailheads and trails that would work great for cameras and tripods.
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- California National Historic Trail
- Mineral Ridge Scenic Area and National Recreation Trail
- Hulls Gulch Interpretive Trail
- Ridge to Rivers Trail System
- Cress Creek Nature Trail
- Sun Peak Picnic Area and Trailhead
- North Menan Butte Trail
- Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail
- Idaho Centennial Road/Trail
- Lake Creek Trailhead
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Lava Trail System (Hell’s Half Acre)
- Jimmy Smith Lake Trailhead
- Big Lost River Access Trail
- Miller Gulch Trailhead
- Twenty Mile Trail
- Hulls Gulch Interpretive Trail
- Blue Creek Bay Recreation Site and Trail
- Lookout Mountain
- Lost Lake
- Balanced Rock
- Dickshooter Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site
- Garden Creek Recreation Site
- Red Canyon Wild and Scenic River
- Wilson Creek Travel Management Area
- Big Jacks Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Upper Lake Creek
- Lower Hull’s Gulch Trailhead
- John C. Pointner MWS
- Sheep Springs Overlook
- Gamlin Lake
- Beauty Bay Recreation Site
- Henry’s Lake Wilderness Study Area
- Fish Lake
- Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area
- Mirror Lake
- Payette River Corridor
- Wickahoney Creek Wild and Scenic River
- West Fork Bruneau Wild and Scenic River
- Ridge to Rivers Trail System
- Discovery Hill
- Delaney Creek
- Cedar Creek Reservoir
- Sheep Creek Wild and Scenic River
- Fish Creek Reservoir
- Silver Creek (North and South)
There are a few picnic areas:
There are a lace for sledding:
There is a hot springs:
Areas that also would work include but not limited to the following areas. Note, that there may not be electricity nor designated areas for camping or telescope use. Make sure to research appropriate lodging and make the proper safety precautions.
- Craters of the Moon National Monument
- Dedication Point Overlook — even the image used by BLM has the Milky Way. So a great spot!
- Lava Wilderness Study Area
- Bruneau Canyon Overlook
- Little Lost Lake –Hike there, but some potential for camera and small telescope.
- Borah Peak Wilderness Study Area
- Appendicitis Hill Wilderness Study Area
- Little Deer Wilderness Study Area
- Shoshone Wilderness Study Area
- Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir
- Black Canyon (II) Wilderness Study Area
- Petticoat Peak Wilderness Study Area
- Deer Creek Wilderness Study Area
- Goldburg Wilderness Study Area
- White Knob Mountains Wilderness Study Area
- Crystal Lake Wilderness Study Area
- Hell’s Half Acre Wilderness Study Area
- Great Rift ISA Wilderness Study Area
- Little Boulder Recreation Site
- Hawley Mountain Wilderness Study Area
- Morgan Creek Recreation Site
- Celebration Park
- China Cup Butte ISA Wilderness Study Area
- Deadman Hole Recreation Site
- Tingley Spring — backcountry site so carry in, carry out
- South Fork of The Snake
- Eighteen Mile Wilderness Study Area
- Pole Creek Wilderness Area
- Gooding City of Rocks
- Little Wood River Wilderness Study Area
- Halverson Bar/Lake
- Big Southern Butte Open Mid-May to October
- Lower Herd Lake
- Wolverine Canyon
- Crater Peak
- Bayhorse Recreation Site
- Burnt Creek Wilderness Study Area
- King Hill Creek Wilderness Study Area
- North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area
- Grandmother Mountain Wilderness Study Area
- Big Jacks Creek Wilderness Area
- Worm Creek Wilderness Study Area
- Box Creek Wilderness Study Area
- Great Rift Backcountry Area
- Bonneville Point
- Sand Mountain Wilderness Study Area
- Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area
- Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
- Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness Area
- Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness Area
- Marshall Mountain Wilderness Study Area
- Sand Butte Wilderness Study Area
- Black Butte Wilderness Study Area
- Little Jacks Creek Wilderness Area
- Cedar Butte Wilderness Study Area
- Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway
- Black Canyon (I) Wilderness Study Area
- Selkirk Crest Wilderness Study Area
- Gooding City of Rocks East Wilderness Study Area
- Bear Den Butte Wilderness Study Area
- Shale Butte Wilderness Study Area
- Little City of Rocks Wilderness Study Area
What do you think? Did we miss anything? We have a list of great astronomy sites for the Pacific Northwest and other US states, so check those out too. Let us know in the comments below or via social media. We post articles regularly, on a weekly basis, so come back next week for more articles like this.
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