For everyone ready to comment how Yellowstone is in Idaho: Yes, I already know about this. The portion of Yellowstone is so incredibly small and insignificant, so I did not count it for this video. I think we can all agree that no one visits the ‘Idaho section’ of Yellowstone, because the important points of the park are all in Wyoming. Anyway thanks for commenting, I should have addressed this earlier in the video.
As a 6th generation Idahoan, I appreciate how well you explained everything in this video, very well done. We don't have any national parks, because we don't want any 👍
I prefer that Idaho doesn’t have a national park. I live in Western Montana, and I never visit Glacier National Park! Too many visitors, too many tourists! National parks draw too many people who actually trash the park more instead of preserving it. I spend more time in the Bitterroot mountains and the Rattlesnakes mountains than anywhere else, and they’re just as beautiful as Glaciers!
I’ll have to agree, the one time I went to glacier, it was too busy to even find parking. I also took a trip to the bitterroot’s this year and it was amazing
My dad grew up in St Ignatius--the Mission Range are among the most picturesque mountains in the world. But I do like Glacier. I get what you mean, but it’s a great park, imo.
This 1000%. A national park is just “branding” that attracts tourists and federal regulation, which is almost always diametrically opposed to the wants of the local population.
Having spent a lot of time in the Sawtooths, White Clouds, Hell's Canyon - Idaho's got it right. As long as the area has a protective designation like wilderness or NRA, you get the wild places without the tourist crowds, overdevelopment, or permit complexity.
Idaho resident here. Let's keep it that way. Not having a national park keeps us off the map. Let Utah and Colorado have the traffic jams in their beautiful places.
As a Utahn, I feel you. While the parks are a point of great pride and are no doubt a boon to the economies of the southern towns that otherwise might be doomed to irrelevance or ghost town status, as a local they basically have become no-go zones anymore. Especially before the anniversary in 2016, my family loved to take vacations to these parks, but ever since the number of people going there continued to rise year after year, we just don't visit them anymore. We're so incredibly lucky that we have so many monuments and public lands that are just as incredible as the parks (with substantially smaller crowds), but the loss of easy access some of the beautiful hikes and landscapes (think angel's landing or Sunrise Arch) is certainly a bitter pill to swallow. I've been to each of the 5 places talked about here in this video, and I just shudder to imagine how they might change if given national park status. Much like the rest of the state as a whole, I think it would be better off if they kept their low profile, known only to locals and neighbors.
Idaho native here, great video. There is one part of the story I'll add: the SNRA was largely created in response to mining activities in the White Clouds. A company known as ASARCO had claims in the white cloud mountains and was gearing up for an open pit mine below Castle Peak, in one of the most beautiful alpine regions in the state. Photos of the claim got out and there was a lot of public outrage over the damage that had already been done. This created a pretty strong push to protect the Sawtooths and White Clouds. You have a decent list of park candidates. Personally, I think that Craters of the Moon is unique, but not really up to the scenic quality of most national parks in the west. Along with the Sawtooths and White Clouds, some other park-worthy spots are the Bighorn Crags, Lost River Range, and Pioneer Mountains. And if Hell's Canyon became a park, the Seven Devils would be a worthy inclusion. Other beautiful areas that come close are the Lick Creek Range, Bruneau River, Boulder Mountains and Tango Peaks, among many others. I love these places but I hope none of them ever become National Parks. Even just seeing the difference in crowds between something like Grand Teton (super busy) vs the nearby Wind River Range (which is not only more beautiful, but possibly the most beautiful mountain range in the contiguous US, and pretty quiet) shows the draw that the park system has.
I personally hope all the old ranching families will one day be able to come back to all those regions, along with all the old logging and mining families. I am perfectly fine with small independent mines but big mines owned by outsiders are almost always bad, so I still dislike the white clouds becoming wilderness. Take care and God bless
@@michaelthomson8065 The sad thing is that most people don't realize that, and the new people coming to the state don't behave the proper way like the old families do. For the old families, it was alright to hunt on their land without permission, etc., like an unwritten version of the Swedish everyman right. The expectation for the people passing through was behave correctly. Now the new people close off the land and do not take proper care of it, and for those new folks who do not own property they do not behave correctly when on somebody's land. We just need to trust in God that He will fix things, and we need to do our part as well. Have a good day
Hello From Idaho !! We don't want the federal system in our state, we have great state parks and we like it that way. Parks should have never been nationalized and they should be returned to the states where they properly belong.
This video makes me feel happy that I moved from national park filled Washington to Idaho 30 years a go. I live 50 miles from Hells Canyon and I visit that Rec. area most summers. I now car camp in some amazing places in Idaho and I never run out of places to see and many within 20 miles of my home.
@@TopoTravelers I didn't grow up in Idaho. Spent my first 8 years in California, then grew up on an island in Washington's Puget Sound and spending parts of 7 summers working on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska and going up and down the Inside Passage several times. I began in Idaho backpacking and then camping in the back country with a boy scout troop, then as I got older, dayhiking in the back country and then tenting. I recently got a used Subaru Forester for car camping. Much easier than sleeping in the back of a Subaru Outback. But I'm nearly 80 so I won't have long to camp and I always go alone.
@@PatrickThreewit Oh I thought you said that you live 50 miles from the rec area not the canyon itself. My family is from weiser river country on the Idaho side and basically all of Baker county on the Oregon side, so the canyon is near and dear to our hearts. It is a tragedy how all the old families there were chased out by the feds, but the grace of God they may come back one day again.
Idaho resident since 1979. Moved here from So. California where I grew up. Having had a love for National Parks all my life, I am a 100% convert to "The Idaho Way." I believe that the National Park designation will destroy the normal natural beauty of the land more than it will benefit it. I have spent lots of time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks over the last 45 years. I have also hiked in the Sawtooth Range, Copper Basin area, and elsewhere in the Teton National Forest. I rock climbed in City of Rocks before it became a National Monument. All of these non-NP areas are much more "primitive" than the highly tourist-oriented NPs. Thank you for this great video. We Idahoans can only hope that it doesn't trigger a surge of people deciding that they need to visit more National Recreation Areas and National Monuments. We love them the way they are.
Great video, I totally agree with you that the support has probably never been there to make this happen. I think the only way you could end up with a national park is if it is a small one, just because the people of Idaho enjoy their freedom and the economic benefits that not having a park give. However when it comes to national monuments, I would not be surprised to see a few pop up in idaho in the next few decades. Maybe we would see some in truly unique areas such as the patches of "North American inland temperate rainforest" that exist in the Rockies, or maybe some places in the Panhandle(which is mostly NFS/BLM land already. Also for anyone that loves fall, the Selway-Bitterroot Range in the panhandle has some of the most beautiful fall landscapes I have ever seen.
Years ago I had the pleasure of backpacking 6 days in the Sawtooth mountains,and 9 days in the Bitterroot Selway Wilderness area.Then went to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.Breathtaking scenery,and abundant wildlife. Personally,I prefer to seek out seldom traveled;and less crowded areas.The wilder,the better
That sliver of land is known as the Zone of Death, where you can literally get away with murder, due to a lack of population that could make up a jury.
I'm from Idaho and didn't know who Frank Church was. I always assumed he was a mountain man due to the Frank Church river of no return wilderness near Salmon. Great Video!
National monuments are NOT supposed to be grand landscapes. The Antiquities Act states that national monument status only include the amount of land necessary to protect the monument. Use the first National Monument of Devils Tower as an example. Almost as soon as the law was written it started being abused as national monuments are created solely by executive action. The push to make the Tetons a national park had huge push back from the residents of Wyoming and failed several times so it was very quietly designated a national monument. The resulting fight over that resulted in an agreement that the Antiquities Act can never again be used in Wyoming. Recently we have seen a trend where liberal presidents have designated truly massive areas of land as national monuments and completely ignoring the clear language of the law. Then the next conservative president gets into power and shrinks the size back to the legally allowed area and on and on. Frankly I'd be very happy if the Feds stayed far, far, away and let the states control their land. They already control the vast majority of western lands without a constitutional basis for doing so.
I’m not sure the Sawtooths are Idaho’s best mountain range 😉 - you are definitely overstating them, and yes they’re fantastic. The Lost River Range n Pioneer Mountains offer plenty of eye candy as well. The Bitter Roots are criminally underrated, but its most scenic portions are in Montana. There is more. 🤫 And there are some amazing river canyons and lakes you haven’t mentioned here. We’ll keep those quiet. Idaho may actually be the most beautiful state in the L48. PS Idaho = the king of Wilderness Areas in the L48. Plenty fine to keep it at this designation.
Oh don’t worry, I’ve been to all of those places too as a native Idahoan. For the sake of this video I figured I’d keep it to places that either had a chance of becoming a park in the past, or were some type of federal designation already. I’ll be making a deep dive into idahos complete geography sometime soon, and I’ll talk about those places in that video.
@@leestamm3187 Are you sure about that? Are we talking National Wilderness Areas? If so, you’re off target. Hopefully this reference works for you: www.fs.usda.gov/land/staff/lar/LAR2020/LARTable07.pdf Idaho contains roughly 4.2 million acres of Federal Wilderness Area versus 5.1 million in California. California is nearly twice the area of Idaho. Both are beautiful states n I’ve seen all but 1 NP in Cali (Channel Islands) and many of the Wilderness Areas. I’ve hiked a solid 100 plus miles of the Sierras as well. Idaho may not have the gorgeous coastline of California, but it’s so much more wild. Cali’s land wildlife is to be desired compared to Idaho. I’m not going to argue about Cali’s coastal wildlife and birdwatching; at times awesome. And the great trees of California - unreal. Idaho is also proof on a myth that needs to end online with folks unfamiliar with geography: the Sierras are not a better overall mountain range for hiking compared to the Rockies. The Rockies is a massive mountain range from New Mexico to Northern BC. When folks start understanding the breadth and seemingly endless hiking trails, perhaps better arguments can be made down the road. But I’ve grown tired of Sierra lovers comparing mountain hikes to the Front Range of Colorado (such a small part of the Rockies) or Yellowstone, which is rarely hiked by most- spectacular backcountry. Idaho’s Central Rockies are sublime and proof that the Greater Rockies Northern BC to New Mexico have 100x the offerings of the Sierras n naturally, again, it’s a much larger mountain range. I think the Rockies is the second largest mountain range by area: distant second to the Andes.
Idaho has many national forests which is good enough. I lived in northern Utah for a while and loved going up to Idaho. I currently live in southern California and would love to move to Idaho.
Good video. Strong work. I grew up in NE Oregon and have lived in the Boise area for the past 14 years. I would be one who’d be in favor of making one National Park here, but otherwise understand the reasons other Idahoans would not.
Lol, a fancy national park within smelling distance of Gary, Indiana, also known as "the butth*** of America". Taller dunes in a non-industrial setting can be found further up the shore at Sleeping Bear. Which is a national Lakeshore, exactly what Indiana dunes should still be.
We have lots of protection. Wilderness areas, National Forests, National Monuments, National Recreation Areas, BLM land, Wild and Scenic Rivers. They just don't draw the crowds that a National Park does.
National Parks have become so very crowded in the last few decades that I believe that Idaho would be better served not having any of its wonderous lands designated as such. I have been to the Sawtooths many times and believe the character of the spectacular scenery and natural places there would become ruined by a huge increase in tourism. As would the National Park designation have on the other areas you mentioned in your video.
Idaho definitely did it right! Being mindful of all the destruction as well as the wildlife conflict we all hear about daily coming from Yellow Stone by so many disrespectful visitors that do not belong. Utah is rapidly on the verge of becoming as bad as or worse than Yellow Stone, or any other overly used lands primarily due to the greed of political and tourism industry elites that are only interested in revenue and not preservation. Too bad Utah didn’t have the strength and integrity to follow the path of Idaho back when it was possible. Once again I reiterate that Idaho did it right! Thank you for this video and I hope it helps keep Idaho on the right path.
You probably already knew this, but hetch hetchy was damned after Yosemite was a national park, so park status does not necessarily give 100% protection. It was San Francisco's version of what Los Angles did to the Owens valley.
Yeah, I am just making the assumption that a park would have decreased the odds of 3 dams. However, you’re right, and it very well might have happened anyway
@@TopoTravelers The hetch hetchy was put in a long time ago, so a park might have blocked all three. LA ruined owens valley 100+? years ago, so unless they discovered gold fields in a NP, doubt major development would happen.
@skylerrash9154 yes, the point is your state is completely irrelevant to anyone but y'all. You're great in your own mind at least. Enjoy that I guess lol
@brandoncassidy5451 We in Idaho are happy to avoid the influence of bureaucratic outsiders who seek to steal our natural sovereignty and openly exploit our most precious lands to line their Government pocket. Idaho is so Great that there is a movement for some portions of Eastern Oregon and possibly Eastern Washington and Northern California to join us and become Greater Idaho.
The claim that the western edge of Yellowstone National Park pushes into eastetn Idaho is insignifucant is incorrect--excellent deer and elk hunting as well as black huckleberry picking make it a secret way of exploiting the best aspects of Yellowstone without having to pay exorbitant entrance fees and fight crowds to view stinky geothermal displays and a canyon not nearly as deep as the Snake's Hells Canyon on the wester edge of Idaho. Besides, there are dozens of places in Idaho more scenic than Yellowstone. Indeed, you could consider all of Idaho a national park but that would make residency for the natives of this state a difficult problem now wouldn't it?
go look up the definition of „park“ and decide whether you want disney crowds in your nature and wilderness, or if you want people who do not feel unplugged in these environments.
Unfortunately having a national park designation today means the place will be ruined by over regulation and being loved to death. No more National Parks, please!
We need to stop differentiating between National 'Parks' & other park service units (like National Monuments, Preserves, Seashores, etc.). If it's managed by the National Park Service, it IS a National Park, and the NPS is legally required to treat all of their units the same, regardless of designation. Craters of the Moon & City of Rocks ARE National Parks. I'd say there are quite a few NPS units that aren't parks that are FAR better in beauty and quality than many 'Parks.' Let's be done with the semantics please.
Well in some cases they are run differently, like with city of rocks, which is run by Idaho State, not the NPS. So I would say it is very different from a national park. Grazing is also still allowed in city of rocks because of this
@TopoTravelers A simple search shows this is incorrect. City of Rocks is comanaged by Idaho State Parks & the National Park Service. Many Park Service Units (and a few 'Parks') fall under this same categorization. Also, Big P 'Parks' all have separate methods of management. Grazing is permitted in Sequoia National Park, and it's the 2nd oldest in the country. You could find similar examples all throughout the system, and all across the DOI. No unit managed by the National Park Service receives a preferential treatment when it comes to allocated funding, hiring, protections, etc. even though the units themselves may treat their land differently.
@@IgBtac0 I stand corrected, thank you for that. My point in the video was always that they are not very different, but rather that the public perceives them to be so. I also think every NPS site should be valued equally, but in reality they are not.
@@TopoTravelers That is a good thing. BTW, are you sure you aren't studying communication or media in collage? Your dialog and pace on this one was really good. The whole thing just really moved.
Wasn’t arguing for a park, just talking about why there isn’t one. Did you not watch to the end where I say there is nothing an Idahoan hates more than a Californian transplant?
@@SlapStyleAnims Let’s be fair here: California didn’t ask for people to flood it for decades from all over the country. You might want to look up migration history in California. We complain about it now because these very Californias, many cases, got tired of the migration that made it the most populated state it is now. We are all from the same country here, let’s avoid the gatekeeping. Idaho never belonged to Europeans immigrants as well. Natives, from Asia, came long before. Well here we are now.
The states should push for an amendment to the constitution that the Federal Government re will never ever again designate anyplace in any states as a national park. Too many times liberals have used this ability to take away land from the people of the state.
Nutty statement, Teddy ushered in the NPS. Let’s not make this political. I’ve seen types from both sides of the equation. Overweight people that never hike and bring in massive RV’s, Gators and tons of waste while holding up traffic with their oversized vehicles n off the grid rich kids living tapping trust funds , walking off trail n trampling delicate ecosystems claiming “no trace principles.”. What these great lands are not: anything you see in that stupid show Yellowstone. This is nature and it deserves to be protected. How we dot it shouldn’t be based on the bloated politics of red versus blue. You don’t own the land man.
Also you may want to look into the political affiliation of rich people buying up and privatizing land in places like Montana, Colorado n Idaho. These are 1%’s towing the libertarian line not interested in sharing their land and driving real estate prices through the roof.
We don't need more national parks to be designated as National Park when they already ARE national parks with their own designations. The only reason any of the more recent parks have been designated as a Park with a capital P is simply because of politics. We also don't need more people to discover the national parks that are designated as other types of parks.
For everyone ready to comment how Yellowstone is in Idaho: Yes, I already know about this. The portion of Yellowstone is so incredibly small and insignificant, so I did not count it for this video.
I think we can all agree that no one visits the ‘Idaho section’ of Yellowstone, because the important points of the park are all in Wyoming.
Anyway thanks for commenting, I should have addressed this earlier in the video.
“I do not care”
As a 6th generation Idahoan, I appreciate how well you explained everything in this video, very well done. We don't have any national parks, because we don't want any 👍
Idaho has more national wilderness area than any other state. Keep your parks.
Amen!!
Alaska and California have more, but top 3 is still really awesome
@@magnificosaylor6385you have a great point, stay in that huge CA wilderness area with the other 50M folks and we’ll stay in ours :)
@Intermtn9736 I'm actually selling my home in the bay area and moving to Coeur D Alene 😊
@@Daniel-jk7pe 🤦♂️
I prefer that Idaho doesn’t have a national park. I live in Western Montana, and I never visit Glacier National Park! Too many visitors, too many tourists! National parks draw too many people who actually trash the park more instead of preserving it. I spend more time in the Bitterroot mountains and the Rattlesnakes mountains than anywhere else, and they’re just as beautiful as Glaciers!
I’ll have to agree, the one time I went to glacier, it was too busy to even find parking. I also took a trip to the bitterroot’s this year and it was amazing
My dad grew up in St Ignatius--the Mission Range are among the most picturesque mountains in the world.
But I do like Glacier. I get what you mean, but it’s a great park, imo.
This 1000%. A national park is just “branding” that attracts tourists and federal regulation, which is almost always diametrically opposed to the wants of the local population.
Having spent a lot of time in the Sawtooths, White Clouds, Hell's Canyon - Idaho's got it right. As long as the area has a protective designation like wilderness or NRA, you get the wild places without the tourist crowds, overdevelopment, or permit complexity.
Idaho resident here. Let's keep it that way. Not having a national park keeps us off the map. Let Utah and Colorado have the traffic jams in their beautiful places.
As a Utahn, I feel you. While the parks are a point of great pride and are no doubt a boon to the economies of the southern towns that otherwise might be doomed to irrelevance or ghost town status, as a local they basically have become no-go zones anymore. Especially before the anniversary in 2016, my family loved to take vacations to these parks, but ever since the number of people going there continued to rise year after year, we just don't visit them anymore. We're so incredibly lucky that we have so many monuments and public lands that are just as incredible as the parks (with substantially smaller crowds), but the loss of easy access some of the beautiful hikes and landscapes (think angel's landing or Sunrise Arch) is certainly a bitter pill to swallow. I've been to each of the 5 places talked about here in this video, and I just shudder to imagine how they might change if given national park status. Much like the rest of the state as a whole, I think it would be better off if they kept their low profile, known only to locals and neighbors.
Idahoan here. We have no desire for more visitation. Go to Utah.
As a native Idahoan, I can attest to the fact that you accurately described the "why" of this question. Great synopsis.
Applause for the citizens of Idaho. Hunting and fishing in, development out, brilliant!
There is absolutely development in Idaho that is cutting off access to public land. Get your facts straight
Idaho native here, great video. There is one part of the story I'll add: the SNRA was largely created in response to mining activities in the White Clouds. A company known as ASARCO had claims in the white cloud mountains and was gearing up for an open pit mine below Castle Peak, in one of the most beautiful alpine regions in the state. Photos of the claim got out and there was a lot of public outrage over the damage that had already been done. This created a pretty strong push to protect the Sawtooths and White Clouds.
You have a decent list of park candidates. Personally, I think that Craters of the Moon is unique, but not really up to the scenic quality of most national parks in the west. Along with the Sawtooths and White Clouds, some other park-worthy spots are the Bighorn Crags, Lost River Range, and Pioneer Mountains. And if Hell's Canyon became a park, the Seven Devils would be a worthy inclusion. Other beautiful areas that come close are the Lick Creek Range, Bruneau River, Boulder Mountains and Tango Peaks, among many others. I love these places but I hope none of them ever become National Parks. Even just seeing the difference in crowds between something like Grand Teton (super busy) vs the nearby Wind River Range (which is not only more beautiful, but possibly the most beautiful mountain range in the contiguous US, and pretty quiet) shows the draw that the park system has.
Thank you for the information! Idaho is just chalk full of amazing places, and I agree, I hope they don’t become parks either.
I personally hope all the old ranching families will one day be able to come back to all those regions, along with all the old logging and mining families.
I am perfectly fine with small independent mines but big mines owned by outsiders are almost always bad, so I still dislike the white clouds becoming wilderness. Take care and God bless
As someone who truly loves the variety of public lands in the American West.Almost always,less protection is best.
@@michaelthomson8065 The sad thing is that most people don't realize that, and the new people coming to the state don't behave the proper way like the old families do. For the old families, it was alright to hunt on their land without permission, etc., like an unwritten version of the Swedish everyman right.
The expectation for the people passing through was behave correctly. Now the new people close off the land and do not take proper care of it, and for those new folks who do not own property they do not behave correctly when on somebody's land. We just need to trust in God that He will fix things, and we need to do our part as well. Have a good day
Idaho native here. I sat down to write out an answer to this question but after watching the video, I no longer need to. He covered everything.
Hello From Idaho !! We don't want the federal system in our state, we have great state parks and we like it that way. Parks should have never been nationalized and they should be returned to the states where they properly belong.
Interesting video. Keep up your great work!
This video makes me feel happy that I moved from national park filled Washington to Idaho 30 years a go. I live 50 miles from Hells Canyon and I visit that Rec. area most summers. I now car camp in some amazing places in Idaho and I never run out of places to see and many within 20 miles of my home.
I grew up in Idaho, and I feel the same way. I love car camping across the state
@@TopoTravelers I didn't grow up in Idaho. Spent my first 8 years in California, then grew up on an island in Washington's Puget Sound and spending parts of 7 summers working on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska and going up and down the Inside Passage several times. I began in Idaho backpacking and then camping in the back country with a boy scout troop, then as I got older, dayhiking in the back country and then tenting. I recently got a used Subaru Forester for car camping. Much easier than sleeping in the back of a Subaru Outback. But I'm nearly 80 so I won't have long to camp and I always go alone.
Are you around cambridge then? Or grangeville? Take care and God bless
@@johnphipps4105 I live less than ten miles east of Kooskia, 35 air miles to the Selway Bitterroot wilderness.
@@PatrickThreewit Oh I thought you said that you live 50 miles from the rec area not the canyon itself. My family is from weiser river country on the Idaho side and basically all of Baker county on the Oregon side, so the canyon is near and dear to our hearts. It is a tragedy how all the old families there were chased out by the feds, but the grace of God they may come back one day again.
Very interesting. I did not know any of this. Thanks for the lessons!!
Glad it was informative!
Idaho resident since 1979. Moved here from So. California where I grew up. Having had a love for National Parks all my life, I am a 100% convert to "The Idaho Way." I believe that the National Park designation will destroy the normal natural beauty of the land more than it will benefit it. I have spent lots of time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks over the last 45 years. I have also hiked in the Sawtooth Range, Copper Basin area, and elsewhere in the Teton National Forest. I rock climbed in City of Rocks before it became a National Monument. All of these non-NP areas are much more "primitive" than the highly tourist-oriented NPs. Thank you for this great video. We Idahoans can only hope that it doesn't trigger a surge of people deciding that they need to visit more National Recreation Areas and National Monuments. We love them the way they are.
Great video, I totally agree with you that the support has probably never been there to make this happen. I think the only way you could end up with a national park is if it is a small one, just because the people of Idaho enjoy their freedom and the economic benefits that not having a park give. However when it comes to national monuments, I would not be surprised to see a few pop up in idaho in the next few decades. Maybe we would see some in truly unique areas such as the patches of "North American inland temperate rainforest" that exist in the Rockies, or maybe some places in the Panhandle(which is mostly NFS/BLM land already.
Also for anyone that loves fall, the Selway-Bitterroot Range in the panhandle has some of the most beautiful fall landscapes I have ever seen.
Great video!! Very informative
Years ago I had the pleasure of backpacking 6 days in the Sawtooth mountains,and 9 days in the Bitterroot Selway Wilderness area.Then went to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.Breathtaking scenery,and abundant wildlife. Personally,I prefer to seek out seldom traveled;and less crowded areas.The wilder,the better
Just to clarify a small sliver of a
Yellowstone Natl. Park is in Idaho, as such Idaho shares the park with Wyoming along this
Thanks, read the pinned comment and watch the end of the video.
Never in my 40 years living within 100 miles of this area you speak of would I tell someone Yellowstone is in Idaho, it just isn’t
That sliver of land is known as the Zone of Death, where you can literally get away with murder, due to a lack of population that could make up a jury.
“City of Rocks” looks like inspiration for a painting Roger Dean would do for a Yes album cover! I wanna go there and get photos!
We have a City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico. Stonehenge in the desert!
I'm from Idaho and didn't know who Frank Church was. I always assumed he was a mountain man due to the Frank Church river of no return wilderness near Salmon. Great Video!
Actually there is a little sliver of yellowstone park in idaho
Read the pinned comment
Superb video. I've always wondered about the Sawtooths, and I like to imagine different areas being National Parks in general.
Because it’s so beautiful, it doesn’t need one.
National monuments are NOT supposed to be grand landscapes. The Antiquities Act states that national monument status only include the amount of land necessary to protect the monument. Use the first National Monument of Devils Tower as an example. Almost as soon as the law was written it started being abused as national monuments are created solely by executive action. The push to make the Tetons a national park had huge push back from the residents of Wyoming and failed several times so it was very quietly designated a national monument. The resulting fight over that resulted in an agreement that the Antiquities Act can never again be used in Wyoming. Recently we have seen a trend where liberal presidents have designated truly massive areas of land as national monuments and completely ignoring the clear language of the law. Then the next conservative president gets into power and shrinks the size back to the legally allowed area and on and on.
Frankly I'd be very happy if the Feds stayed far, far, away and let the states control their land. They already control the vast majority of western lands without a constitutional basis for doing so.
I’m not sure the Sawtooths are Idaho’s best mountain range 😉 - you are definitely overstating them, and yes they’re fantastic. The Lost River Range n Pioneer Mountains offer plenty of eye candy as well.
The Bitter Roots are criminally underrated, but its most scenic portions are in Montana. There is more. 🤫 And there are some amazing river canyons and lakes you haven’t mentioned here. We’ll keep those quiet. Idaho may actually be the most beautiful state in the L48.
PS Idaho = the king of Wilderness Areas in the L48. Plenty fine to keep it at this designation.
Oh don’t worry, I’ve been to all of those places too as a native Idahoan. For the sake of this video I figured I’d keep it to places that either had a chance of becoming a park in the past, or were some type of federal designation already.
I’ll be making a deep dive into idahos complete geography sometime soon, and I’ll talk about those places in that video.
Idaho has lots, but California has 3 times the designated Wilderness Area acreage of Idaho.
@@leestamm3187 Are you sure about that? Are we talking National Wilderness Areas? If so, you’re off target. Hopefully this reference works for you:
www.fs.usda.gov/land/staff/lar/LAR2020/LARTable07.pdf
Idaho contains roughly 4.2 million acres of Federal Wilderness Area versus 5.1 million in California. California is nearly twice the area of Idaho.
Both are beautiful states n I’ve seen all but 1 NP in Cali (Channel Islands) and many of the Wilderness Areas. I’ve hiked a solid 100 plus miles of the Sierras as well.
Idaho may not have the gorgeous coastline of California, but it’s so much more wild. Cali’s land wildlife is to be desired compared to Idaho. I’m not going to argue about Cali’s coastal wildlife and birdwatching; at times awesome. And the great trees of California - unreal.
Idaho is also proof on a myth that needs to end online with folks unfamiliar with geography: the Sierras are not a better overall mountain range for hiking compared to the Rockies. The Rockies is a massive mountain range from New Mexico to Northern BC. When folks start understanding the breadth and seemingly endless hiking trails, perhaps better arguments can be made down the road. But I’ve grown tired of Sierra lovers comparing mountain hikes to the Front Range of Colorado (such a small part of the Rockies) or Yellowstone, which is rarely hiked by most- spectacular backcountry.
Idaho’s Central Rockies are sublime and proof that the Greater Rockies Northern BC to New Mexico have 100x the offerings of the Sierras n naturally, again, it’s a much larger mountain range. I think the Rockies is the second largest mountain range by area: distant second to the Andes.
No, idaho is terrible and ugly nobody should go there. Especially the ranges east of the Sawtooths. Terrible area....
Lost river is my favorite range by far, mount corruption is my underrated favorite but I thoroughly enjoyed the big horn crags.
Idaho has many national forests which is good enough. I lived in northern Utah for a while and loved going up to Idaho. I currently live in southern California and would love to move to Idaho.
Good video. Strong work. I grew up in NE Oregon and have lived in the Boise area for the past 14 years.
I would be one who’d be in favor of making one National Park here, but otherwise understand the reasons other Idahoans would not.
I'm from Indiana and we didn't have one until super recently. We use to go to the dunes all the time, now it a fancy national park.
Lol, a fancy national park within smelling distance of Gary, Indiana, also known as "the butth*** of America".
Taller dunes in a non-industrial setting can be found further up the shore at Sleeping Bear. Which is a national Lakeshore, exactly what Indiana dunes should still be.
Like most places, it's doing fine without "protection "
We have lots of protection. Wilderness areas, National Forests, National Monuments, National Recreation Areas, BLM land, Wild and Scenic Rivers. They just don't draw the crowds that a National Park does.
National Parks have become so very crowded in the last few decades that I believe that Idaho would be better served not having any of its wonderous lands designated as such. I have been to the Sawtooths many times and believe the character of the spectacular scenery and natural places there would become ruined by a huge increase in tourism. As would the National Park designation have on the other areas you mentioned in your video.
Idaho definitely did it right! Being mindful of all the destruction as well as the wildlife conflict we all hear about daily coming from Yellow Stone by so many disrespectful visitors that do not belong. Utah is rapidly on the verge of becoming as bad as or worse than Yellow Stone, or any other overly used lands primarily due to the greed of political and tourism industry elites that are only interested in revenue and not preservation. Too bad Utah didn’t have the strength and integrity to follow the path of Idaho back when it was possible. Once again I reiterate that Idaho did it right! Thank you for this video and I hope it helps keep Idaho on the right path.
Interesting piece of American history.
Great to see a video from you again. Quite a scholarly presentation.
Because we have the Frank Church Wilderness
Fire Video 🔥🔥🔥🔥
you know it
You probably already knew this, but hetch hetchy was damned after Yosemite was a national park, so park status does not necessarily give 100% protection. It was San Francisco's version of what Los Angles did to the Owens valley.
Yeah, I am just making the assumption that a park would have decreased the odds of 3 dams. However, you’re right, and it very well might have happened anyway
@@TopoTravelers The hetch hetchy was put in a long time ago, so a park might have blocked all three. LA ruined owens valley 100+? years ago, so unless they discovered gold fields in a NP, doubt major development would happen.
Way to change up your style, I think this one turned out great!
Idaho will always be the greatest state in the country.
The greatest state in the country that literally nobody ever goes to 🤣
@brandoncassidy5451 Do you recognize a pattern, genius?
@skylerrash9154 yes, the point is your state is completely irrelevant to anyone but y'all. You're great in your own mind at least. Enjoy that I guess lol
@brandoncassidy5451 We in Idaho are happy to avoid the influence of bureaucratic outsiders who seek to steal our natural sovereignty and openly exploit our most precious lands to line their Government pocket. Idaho is so Great that there is a movement for some portions of Eastern Oregon and possibly Eastern Washington and Northern California to join us and become Greater Idaho.
@@1stSnitas We don't want that!
Isn't part of Yellowstone in Idaho?
Great video, thanks. We've been to some of those places. Also, there is a bit too much belief in saws and drills there
They are some of my favorite places for sure. And I can’t disagree, but that’s what makes the place all the more interesting
Ha, also, You showed Casa Grande nation monument 7:22, this is about 10 minutes from where I live now...
Anti-government sentiment. The cult-like status of Randy Weaver. The legacy of Larry Craig
I met Randy Weaver at a Covenant community July 4 celebration near Woodland, Idaho once. That was in Idaho's wilder days.
I avoid National Parks like the plaque. National Forests are less busy, more freedom and more dog friendly.
Priest Lake could be a national park, but we're glad it isn't - it's our little sliver of Paradise.
I was considering making this an honorable mention! Haven’t ever been there but I want to get there someday
You, shhhh...
The claim that the western edge of Yellowstone National Park pushes into eastetn Idaho is insignifucant is incorrect--excellent deer and elk hunting as well as black huckleberry picking make it a secret way of exploiting the best aspects of Yellowstone without having to pay exorbitant entrance fees and fight crowds to view stinky geothermal displays and a canyon not nearly as deep as the Snake's Hells Canyon on the wester edge of Idaho. Besides, there are dozens of places in Idaho more scenic than Yellowstone. Indeed, you could consider all of Idaho a national park but that would make residency for the natives of this state a difficult problem now wouldn't it?
I mean, there is excellent hunting and berry picking across the entire state, so that sliver of Yellowstone isn’t any different there.
go look up the definition of „park“ and decide whether you want disney crowds in your nature and wilderness, or if you want people who do not feel unplugged in these environments.
Craters Of The Moon comes really close.
National parks have more infrastructure and facilities than monuments
National Forests > National Parks
Keep Idaho fed free
Unfortunately having a national park designation today means the place will be ruined by over regulation and being loved to death. No more National Parks, please!
When land turns to a national park it gets ruined by over use and rules
AMEN TO THAT / THIS 🙏
We need to stop differentiating between National 'Parks' & other park service units (like National Monuments, Preserves, Seashores, etc.). If it's managed by the National Park Service, it IS a National Park, and the NPS is legally required to treat all of their units the same, regardless of designation. Craters of the Moon & City of Rocks ARE National Parks. I'd say there are quite a few NPS units that aren't parks that are FAR better in beauty and quality than many 'Parks.' Let's be done with the semantics please.
Well in some cases they are run differently, like with city of rocks, which is run by Idaho State, not the NPS. So I would say it is very different from a national park. Grazing is also still allowed in city of rocks because of this
@TopoTravelers A simple search shows this is incorrect. City of Rocks is comanaged by Idaho State Parks & the National Park Service. Many Park Service Units (and a few 'Parks') fall under this same categorization. Also, Big P 'Parks' all have separate methods of management. Grazing is permitted in Sequoia National Park, and it's the 2nd oldest in the country. You could find similar examples all throughout the system, and all across the DOI. No unit managed by the National Park Service receives a preferential treatment when it comes to allocated funding, hiring, protections, etc. even though the units themselves may treat their land differently.
@@IgBtac0 I stand corrected, thank you for that. My point in the video was always that they are not very different, but rather that the public perceives them to be so. I also think every NPS site should be valued equally, but in reality they are not.
YEA Idaho!
Very Nice. Comment is just for stats - Comments below said it all.
Haha yeah people are getting pretty riled up over this one
@@TopoTravelers That is a good thing. BTW, are you sure you aren't studying communication or media in collage?
Your dialog and pace on this one was really good. The whole thing just really moved.
I been to the Craters of the Moon. It was very cool walking through lava tubes. Sucks 2 of them were closed down because of bats.
I went recently as well and it was great. Hopefully they can figure out a way to help the bats while also keeping the tubes open
My understanding is that the tubes are closed temporarily every spring because that’s bat mating season.🤷🏻♂️
@@chuckgoodman3828 interesting, I thought it was because of disease spread. I'd assume both are probably true
Craters of the Moon?
Fact check here the Yellowstone river is the longest undammed river in the
Because everyone wants to have their own private Idaho.
No one comes to these places because they aren’t parks. Instead of parks, we have wilderness.
Sawtooth national park is not a park???????
Keep your parks
Idaho has Yellowstone as part of it though, Idaho is mid also
I’m glad you think so
lol, go home samuel, you’re drunk.
This is incorrect. 1% of Yellowstone is in Idaho.
Didn't watch the video because I already know Yellowstone is in Idaho
I mention at the end that it is insignificantly small portion, but you already know that too.
Because Idaho sucks, please don’t move here.
Sounds like the only state that has any brains !!!
Idaho is already booming in population 😖. A National Park would only increase Californians flooding the state
Wasn’t arguing for a park, just talking about why there isn’t one. Did you not watch to the end where I say there is nothing an Idahoan hates more than a Californian transplant?
@@SlapStyleAnims Let’s be fair here: California didn’t ask for people to flood it for decades from all over the country. You might want to look up migration history in California. We complain about it now because these very Californias, many cases, got tired of the migration that made it the most populated state it is now.
We are all from the same country here, let’s avoid the gatekeeping. Idaho never belonged to Europeans immigrants as well. Natives, from Asia, came long before. Well here we are now.
We have wilderness areas. Don't Kalifornicate Idaho.
The states should push for an amendment to the constitution that the Federal Government re will never ever again designate anyplace in any states as a national park. Too many times liberals have used this ability to take away land from the people of the state.
Nutty statement, Teddy ushered in the NPS. Let’s not make this political. I’ve seen types from both sides of the equation. Overweight people that never hike and bring in massive RV’s, Gators and tons of waste while holding up traffic with their oversized vehicles n off the grid rich kids living tapping trust funds , walking off trail n trampling delicate ecosystems claiming “no trace principles.”.
What these great lands are not: anything you see in that stupid show Yellowstone. This is nature and it deserves to be protected. How we dot it shouldn’t be based on the bloated politics of red versus blue. You don’t own the land man.
Also you may want to look into the political affiliation of rich people buying up and privatizing land in places like Montana, Colorado n Idaho. These are 1%’s towing the libertarian line not interested in sharing their land and driving real estate prices through the roof.
Keep federal government out of Idaho
Stop talking our land government!!!!!
We don't need more national parks to be designated as National Park when they already ARE national parks with their own designations. The only reason any of the more recent parks have been designated as a Park with a capital P is simply because of politics. We also don't need more people to discover the national parks that are designated as other types of parks.
@@Stacy-w5f I agree, in the video I was just saying that they are perceived differently. Some of my favorite NPS sites are not ‘capital P’ parks
It's because national parks are woke and Idaho will have none of it
Damn didn’t know they were woke back in 1872
Idaho has the largest wilderness area south of Alaska
Indeed
Keep it that way!
I got shot once in Idaho for saying it looked like Colorado to me.
Once you let the Federal Government take your land it’s lost forever. Good on Idaho for keeping them out. This child doesn’t know squat.