Perched on the Main Salmon River, this 26-acre historic estate gets its name from the legendary Polly Bemis—a Chinese immigrant who came to the town of Warrens (now called Warren) in 1872. The Bemis log cabin is now a museum and a National Historic Site. It’s only accessible by jet boat or via whitewater rafting trips. Salmon River jet boat tours include a stop at the Bemis Ranch, and bring you up close to the region’s other historical sites and homesteads, including the Buckskin Bill Museum.

The Sacajawea Historic Byway offers a chance to experience central Idaho’s rich history and high-country scenery. Over 135 miles, you’ll experience the homeland of Sacajawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman who played a major role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s Corps of Discovery as both a negotiator and guide. The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center, located along the byway, hosts everything from Dutch oven cookouts to traditional tribal gatherings.

Many Basque people immigrated to the American West in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and their history is on prominent display at this Boise museum, the first dedicated to preserving the Basque legacy in the U.S. Learn about shepherding in the West and the special carvings called arborglyphs that the herders left on aspen trees, and listen to oral histories from members of the local Basque community. The museum even offers lessons in Euskara, the traditional Basque language.

In January 1943, a military aircraft crashed along the southern shoreline of Loon Lake in the Payette National Forest. Though the crew survived, they were stuck in the wilderness for 15 days. Now more than 80 years later, the aircraft’s remnants still sit among the towering conifer trees. You can reach what’s left of the plane via a 12-mile loop trail through the forest. Most hikers recommend trekking counter-clockwise around the loop to arrive at this well-preserved crash site.

Just two months after the Japanese military attacked on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued an order that resulted in the internment of nearly 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans. Many of those forced to leave their homes were sent to Minidoka, a “war relocation center” in Jerome, Idaho. Today the desert site remains as a testament to their legacy, as well as to the importance of civil liberties.

Idaho’s first archaeological park was established along the Snake River in 1989. Home to a unique basalt landscape that includes round and smooth “watermelon rocks” carried here over hundreds of miles by a catastrophic Ice Age flood, the park is also known for its petroglyphs ranging from 100 to 10,000 years old.

The oldest building in Idaho resides at Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park. Catholic Jesuit missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe constructed the Mission of the Sacred Heart (a.k.a. Cataldo Mission) between 1850 and 1853. Perched atop a hill, the mission served as a stop for westward settlers, traders, and other travelers. Today, the mission and the overall park help educate visitors on the complex history between the missionaries and Indigenous people.

The creation site of the Nez Perce people, Heart of the Monster shares the story of how these Indigenous people came to be. The tale involves Iceye'ye (coyote) tricking a monster that was eating all of the animals into swallowing him. Iceye'ye was carrying with him five stone knives and used them to carve up the monster from its inside, releasing all of the animals. The monster’s remains turned into many Indigenous tribes, including the Nez Perce.

Imagine quenching your thirst with cold, carbonated water straight from a natural spring. You can do just that at Hooper Springs, one of several natural soda springs found in southeastern Idaho. This particular spring has been attracting parched souls for over 160 years, including early emigrants along the Oregon Trail and the California National Historic Trail. The spring’s sparkling and clear waters remain free to sample (bring a cup!).

Every day, over 120 million gallons of clear water flows from the ground at Big Springs, one of the largest springs in the country. Near the spring is a log and stone cabin built by German immigrant and cabinet maker Johnny Sack. Sack began building his home in 1929 and it took him three years, using basic hand tools to do most of the work. Along with the cabin, there’s a small water wheel that Sack built to harness hydropower from the springs for electricity.