BLM Sites For Astronomy Idaho

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:

  1. Salmon Field Office (BLM)

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.

  1. Pink House Day Use Pavilions
  2. Elevenmile Day Use Area
  3. Kilpatrick Day Use Area
  4. Eightmile Day Use Area
  5. Tower Creek Pyramids Day Use Area
  6. Egin Lakes Campground/Day Use Area
  7. Harper’s Bend Recreation Site
  8. White Bird Gravel Pit Recreation Site
  9. Skookumchuck Recreation Site
  10. Lucile Recreation Site
  11. Jump Creek
  12. Swan Falls Picnic Area
  13. 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.

  1. Bruneau River Launch Site
  2. South Fork of the Snake River: Conant Boat Access
  3. South Fork of the Snake River: Lorenzo Boat Access
  4. South Fork of the Snake River: Byington Boat Access
  5. South Fork of the Snake River: Menan Boat Access
  6. Mineral Ridge Boat Launch
  7. Windy Bay Boater Park
  8. Murtaugh Boating Access
  9. Popcorn Island
  10. Jarbidge River Launch Site
  11. Birds of Prey Scenic Float
  12. Payette River
  13. Killarney Lake Access
  14. Payette River: Chief Parrish
  15. Payette River: Confluence
  16. Payette River: Deer Creek
  17. Mica Bay Boater Park
  18. Red Road Bridge Boat Access (Henry’s Fork)
  19. Upper Salmon River
  20. Henrys Lake Boat Access
  21. Oxbow/Brownlee Reservoirs
  22. Magic Reservoir
  23. Bruneau Wild and Scenic River
  24. South Fork Owyhee Wild and Scenic River
  25. Snake River Vista Recreation Site
  26. Owyhee River Wilderness Area
  27. Crystal Lake
  28. Owyhee Wild and Scenic River
  29. Battle Creek Wild and Scenic River
  30. Little Jacks Creek Wild and Scenic River
  31. Bruneau River Take-Out
  32. Mackay Reservoir
  33. North Fork Owyhee River
  34. Hammer Creek Recreation Site
  35. Island Bar Recreation Site
  36. Shorts Bar Recreation Site
  37. Pine Bar Recreation Site
  38. Old Lucile Recreation Site
  39. Payette River: Beehive Bend
  40. Payette River: South Fork
  41. Blackwell Island Recreation Site
  42. Jarbidge Wild and Scenic River
  43. Blackfoot River
  44. Payette River: North Fork
  45. Summit Creek Recreation Site
  46. Coeur d’Alene Lake
  47. Henry’s Lake Wilderness Study Area
  48. Cottonwood Creek Wild and Scenic River
  49. Deep Creek Wild and Scenic River
  50. Lower Salmon Falls Creek Wilderness Study Area
  51. Lower Salmon River
  52. Duncan Creek Wild and Scenic River
  53. Thorn Creek Reservoir
  54. Snowhole Rapids Wilderness Study Area
  55. 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.

  1. Clay Peak
  2. Fossil Creek OHV Trail
  3. Rabbit Creek OHV Trail
  4. Croy Creek Recreation Area and Trailhead
  5. St. Anthony Sand Dunes
  6. Hemingway Butte OHV Trailhead
  7. Weiser Dunes
  8. Stinking Springs ATV and Mountain Biking Trail
  9. 8th Street Trailhead
  10. Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site
  11. 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.

  1. Huckleberry Campground
  2. Blackfoot Reservoir Campground
  3. Kelly Island Campground
  4. Birch Creek Campground
  5. Silver City Campground
  6. Morgans Bridge Campground
  7. McClendon Spring Campground
  8. McFarland Campground
  9. Sage Hen Flats Campground
  10. North Fork Campground
  11. Williams Lake Campground
  12. Hawkins Reservoir Campground
  13. Goodenough Creek Campground
  14. Pipeline Campground
  15. Cutthroat Trout Campground
  16. Trail Creek Bridge Campground
  17. Big Cottonwood Campground
  18. The Forks Campground
  19. Juniper Grove Campground
  20. Redpoint Campground
  21. Graves Creek Campground
  22. Agency Creek Campground
  23. Maple Grove Campground
  24. Morgan Creek Recreation Site
  25. Cottonwood Recreation Site
  26. Joe T. Fallini Recreation Site
  27. Steck Park
  28. Lower Herd Lake
  29. Wolf Flats Recreation Area
  30. Shoup Bridge Recreation Site
  31. Orphan Point Saddle
  32. Crater Lake
  33. McKay’s Bend Recreation Site
  34. Morgan Bar Recreation Site
  35. Tower Rock Recreation Site
  36. Smokey Cubs Recreation Site
  37. Heart Mountain Springs Recreation Site
  38. Milner Historic Recreation Area
  39. East Fork Recreation Site
  40. Lud Drexler Park
  41. Cove at CJ Strike Reservoir

There are other sites that are designated trailheads and trails that would work great for cameras and tripods.

  1. Oregon National Historic Trail
  2. California National Historic Trail
  3. Mineral Ridge Scenic Area and National Recreation Trail
  4. Hulls Gulch Interpretive Trail
  5. Ridge to Rivers Trail System
  6. Cress Creek Nature Trail
  7. Sun Peak Picnic Area and Trailhead
  8. North Menan Butte Trail
  9. Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail
  10. Idaho Centennial Road/Trail
  11. Lake Creek Trailhead
  12. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
  13. Lava Trail System (Hell’s Half Acre)
  14. Jimmy Smith Lake Trailhead
  15. Big Lost River Access Trail
  16. Miller Gulch Trailhead
  17. Twenty Mile Trail
  18. Hulls Gulch Interpretive Trail
  19. Blue Creek Bay Recreation Site and Trail
  20. Lookout Mountain
  21. Lost Lake
  22. Balanced Rock
  23. Dickshooter Creek Wild and Scenic River
  24. Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site
  25. Garden Creek Recreation Site
  26. Red Canyon Wild and Scenic River
  27. Wilson Creek Travel Management Area
  28. Big Jacks Creek Wild and Scenic River
  29. Upper Lake Creek
  30. Lower Hull’s Gulch Trailhead
  31. John C. Pointner MWS
  32. Sheep Springs Overlook
  33. Gamlin Lake
  34. Beauty Bay Recreation Site
  35. Henry’s Lake Wilderness Study Area
  36. Fish Lake
  37. Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area
  38. Mirror Lake
  39. Payette River Corridor
  40. Wickahoney Creek Wild and Scenic River
  41. West Fork Bruneau Wild and Scenic River
  42. Ridge to Rivers Trail System
  43. Discovery Hill
  44. Delaney Creek
  45. Cedar Creek Reservoir
  46. Sheep Creek Wild and Scenic River
  47. Fish Creek Reservoir
  48. Silver Creek (North and South)

There are a few picnic areas:

  1. Poison Creek Picnic Site
  2. Swan Falls Picnic Area
  3. Killarney Lake Picnic Site

There are a lace for sledding:

  1. Gooding/Camas County Line

There is a hot springs:

  1. Goldbug Hot Springs
  2. Sharkey 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.

  1. Craters of the Moon National Monument
  2. Dedication Point Overlook — even the image used by BLM has the Milky Way. So a great spot!
  3. Lava Wilderness Study Area
  4. Bruneau Canyon Overlook
  5. Little Lost Lake –Hike there, but some potential for camera and small telescope.
  6. Borah Peak Wilderness Study Area
  7. Appendicitis Hill Wilderness Study Area
  8. Little Deer Wilderness Study Area
  9. Shoshone Wilderness Study Area
  10. Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir
  11. Black Canyon (II) Wilderness Study Area
  12. Petticoat Peak Wilderness Study Area
  13. Deer Creek Wilderness Study Area
  14. Goldburg Wilderness Study Area
  15. White Knob Mountains Wilderness Study Area
  16. Crystal Lake Wilderness Study Area
  17. Hell’s Half Acre Wilderness Study Area
  18. Great Rift ISA Wilderness Study Area
  19. Little Boulder Recreation Site
  20. Hawley Mountain Wilderness Study Area
  21. Morgan Creek Recreation Site
  22. Celebration Park
  23. China Cup Butte ISA Wilderness Study Area
  24. Deadman Hole Recreation Site
  25. Tingley Spring — backcountry site so carry in, carry out
  26. South Fork of The Snake
  27. Eighteen Mile Wilderness Study Area
  28. Pole Creek Wilderness Area
  29. Gooding City of Rocks
  30. Little Wood River Wilderness Study Area
  31. Halverson Bar/Lake
  32. Big Southern Butte Open Mid-May to October
  33. Lower Herd Lake
  34. Wolverine Canyon
  35. Crater Peak
  36. Bayhorse Recreation Site
  37. Burnt Creek Wilderness Study Area
  38. King Hill Creek Wilderness Study Area
  39. North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area
  40. Grandmother Mountain Wilderness Study Area
  41. Big Jacks Creek Wilderness Area
  42. Worm Creek Wilderness Study Area
  43. Box Creek Wilderness Study Area
  44. Great Rift Backcountry Area
  45. Bonneville Point
  46. Sand Mountain Wilderness Study Area
  47. Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area
  48. Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
  49. Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness Area
  50. Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness Area
  51. Marshall Mountain Wilderness Study Area
  52. Sand Butte Wilderness Study Area
  53. Black Butte Wilderness Study Area
  54. Little Jacks Creek Wilderness Area
  55. Cedar Butte Wilderness Study Area
  56. Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway
  57. Black Canyon (I) Wilderness Study Area
  58. Selkirk Crest Wilderness Study Area
  59. Gooding City of Rocks East Wilderness Study Area
  60. Bear Den Butte Wilderness Study Area
  61. Shale Butte Wilderness Study Area
  62. 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.

Be the first to comment on "BLM Sites For Astronomy Idaho"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*