Are you wondering if there are any national parks in Idaho to add to your bucket list? Well, I hate to break it to you but there are no national parks in this state. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any natural areas worth visiting here though.
As a matter of fact, 61% of Idaho is owned by the federal government. Only Utah and Nevada has a higher percentage of government-owned land. If you’re interested you can see this interactive map of federally-owned land by state.
Twelve million acres (22%) of this federally-owned land is managed by the Bureau of Land Managment. Then there are six national park service units, two national monuments, 12 wilderness areas, one national historic site, three national historic trails, and one national conservation area! That’s not even including Idaho’s 32 state parks!!
With so many protected natural areas, there really is no need for parks in Idaho to be elevated to a national park status.
There are six NPS managed sites listed below which include national monuments and historic sites. With the help of this Idaho national park guide, you can discover landscapes that vary from volcanic to rolling prairies and learn about native American history.
*Note that part of Yellowstone National Park is located in Idaho, but it equates to only 1% of the park, so for the purposes of this article it won’t be included in this list.
City of Rocks National Reserve
City of Rocks National Reserve in southern Idaho is renowned for its scenic, geologic, and historic significance. As its name implies, the park is notable for its impressive rock formations which are largely made up of granitic rock. These rocks were an important landmark on the California Trail. The park offers excellent rock climbing opportunities, hiking, camping, and inspirational scenery.
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in central Idaho encompass three major lava fields that lie along the Great Rift of Idaho. This park has some of the best examples of open rift cracks in the world including the deepest known on Earth. At the park you’ll see volcanic cones, basaltic lava flows, and lava tubes.
>>See Guide To Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in southern Idaho is significant because it protects one of the richest fossil deposits from the Blancan North American Land Mammal Age. Hagerman is also known for having the largest known concentration of the fossil horse Equus simplicidens.
Minidoka National Historic Site
Minidoka National Historic Site commemorates more than 13,000 Japanese Americans who were imprisoned at the Minidoka War Relocation Center during the Second World War.
Nez Perce National Historical Park
Nez Perce National Historical Park comprises of 38 sites located across Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The sites are strongly associated with the resistance of Chief Joseph and his band, who in June 1877 migrated from Oregon in an attempt to reach freedom in Canada and avoid being forced on to a reservation.