We have been exploring more of Idaho and found that there are some great things to do pretty close to Utah. Our last trip took us to Salmon, Stanley, and Challis. All of these spots were new to us, but we found a lot to do. The Salmon River flows along the road between these three spots, and the mountains are just lovely. Challis is a small town in the middle of Idaho, but there is a lot of fun to be had in the area. Here are the things to do near Challis that we enjoyed with our family.
Fish or Float the Salmon River
We highly recommend taking a guided fishing tour with Mile High Outfitters. We had the best time and they provided everything, even lunch (except our Idaho fishing licenses). But you can also float the Salmon River. It is a super fun experience and there are some great simple rapids. The Salmon River is beautiful, and we saw lots of wildlife. This is a must-do if you are in Challis.
Bayhorse Ghost Town
Bayhorse Ghost Town is about 30 minutes outside of Challis, but it is worth the drive. There are a lot of buildings and remnants from an old mining town. We especially loved the large mill and the saloon. This ghost town is very picturesque.
Big Bayhorse Lake
Continue on the road past Bayhorse Ghost Town up to Big Bayhorse Lake. This lake is a great place to skip rocks, fish, and hike. The views are beautiful. There is a trail that foes around the lake and even continues over to Little Bayhorse Lake. It would be an awesome spot for a picnic lunch.
Land of the Yankee Fork State Park
Right in town is the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park. This state park actually has five different areas, but the interpretive center is in Challis. At the interpretive center you can explore the museum and do the scavenger hunts. You can also watch a movie about the history of the area, and pan for gold. Next to the interpretive center is also a trail to a buffalo kill site. We enjoyed learning the history of the Challis area.
Challis Hot Springs
This is the one activity that we couldn’t squeeze into our visit to Challis, but the hot springs look nice. You pay to enter, but can enjoy as long as you’d like. There are two different pools with different temperatures. Such a great place to relax.
Yankee Fork Gold Dredge
Another part of Land of the Yankee Fork State Park is the Yankee Fork gold dredge. This gold dredge worked in the early 1900s after the gold mines closed. There is a fee to walk through the dredge, but it is cool to see the inside of the dredge and how it worked. There are volunteers who give information along the self-guided tours, too. This is a great stop along the way to Custer ghost town.
Custer Ghost Town
Just beyond the gold dredge is Custer Ghost Town. This is one of the best preserved ghost towns we have visited. There are lots of buildings and there are very well intact. In fact you can walk inside them and see some of the original artifacts from the mining times. There is also a little gift shop with souvenirs and treats.
If you do end up visiting Challis, make sure to visit Salmon and Stanley, too. We loved our time in this area of idea.
