Idaho has been quietly stepping out from behind the curtain for the last year or two. As the fastest growing state in the U.S., it’s as if the spotlight just found the amazing, diverse scenery, and the plethora of opportunities for RV travel, with water sports, historical ghost towns, a rich tapestry of art galleries and museums highlighting this formerly hidden-in-plain-sight gem of a state. RVers return and return to this open secret of an RV haven. Idaho is so much more than Sun Valley.
Boise: State Capital
At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, “Boise” (meaning “the woods”) grew up on the Boise River and was originally explored by French Canadian fur trappers, near the fabled Oregon Trail.
This high-desert land was home to the Bannock and Shoshone native tribes, and after gold was discovered in 1848, the number of settlers increased dramatically.
Boise is also the largest city, a metropolitan area that includes Meridian and Nampa. As the historical and entertainment capital of the state, Boise gives RVers great reasons to spend time there. Don’t miss the Old Idaho Penitentiary Museum or Freak Alley, the largest outdoor art gallery. Have you ever seen a blue football field? It’s here at the Albertson’s Stadium.
But Boise is not the only RV destination city in the state. An excellent central base for RVers is in nearby Mountain Home, only 42 miles from Boise. Other destinations cities are less than 500 miles from Mountain Home, with Coeur d’Alene being the farthest at 318 miles north. And what is in between is breathtaking!
Why is Idaho growing so fast?
Over recent years, Idaho has become home to full-time RVers and homeowners from all over the United States. There are a ton of great reasons why so many have chosen to up sticks (and wheels) to the Gem State, with highlights including:
- Affordability – low taxes and low unemployment, increasing growth in the economy, and job opportunities tick many of the boxes people first look for in a great state.
- Diverse outdoor activities – in both close to population centers and farther away. Thirty-eight percent of the state is BLM land and it has 20.5 million acres of national forests (“boondocking” anyone?).
- Actively preserving and conserving the natural environment – Boise is the only state capital using renewable energy.
- Safe! – Boise is the eighth safest city in one of the safest states in the U.S.
- Number ten on Forbe’s “Best States for Business” list
- Infrastructure growth – as the fastest growing state, new schools, hospitals, and road construction is underway.
And that’s not even mentioning the Great Outdoors. When it comes nature, Idaho has it all:
- Miles and miles of desert hills, beautiful landscape, and wildlife….
- An abundance of dark skies making it a stargazer’s paradise.
- Great fishing and kayaking all along the Snake River and the incredible Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks just a day trip away.
It’s all there to be enjoyed. As one new Idaho resident aptly said: “Take a step back and chill a little bit … Everyone kind of just slows down here and takes time for things.”
Make Mountainbound your Idaho Home
For full-time RVers looking to put more life in their work-life balance, or who simply want the toughest decision of each day to be: “Do I go to the lake? Or the dunes? Or the mountains? Or hang by the pool?” Mountainbound is the perfect base.
Mountainbound Custom Storage and RV Park provides a community with built-in amenities close to an urban center. With Mountainbound as your home, you will be able to convert your man-cave into your family room (or workshop, or sports bar!), enjoy the sports courts, playground, barbecue at your front door, and take a swim afterwards. Tomorrow will be another day to explore Shoshone Falls, Sun Valley, and beyond!
