For the most unique road trip of your lifetime, take a journey to the heart of Idaho – or, to the center of Idaho, to be exact! While you won’t find a monument or anything that memorializes the special nature of where you’re standing, you might just find a few awesome things to do that you wouldn’t expect to be nestled in the core of the Gem State.
Full disclosure: there’s no universally-accepted definition of a geographic center when it comes to landscapes, and no completely accurate way of determining it. However, most measurements agree that the geographic center of a state, for instance, is the spot where the land area would balance if it were a plane of even thickness balanced on a point.
Complicated? Maybe. But worth a visit? Absolutely!
Located just shy of Challis in South-Central Idaho, this unexpected destination is definitely one to add to your bucket list. Check it out:
Welcome to the geographic center of every state in the US.
Google Maps Most geographic centers in the US are easy to find, but Idaho’s unique shape makes it more of a challenge to calculate. Data-lover Dan Stuckley is the author of this map, which is interactive and includes both Hawaii and Alaska as well, if you’re curious!
The exact coordinates are 44.3538°N, 114.6086°W - which is right about here.
Adam Perkins/Flickr According to original calculations dating back to the 1920s, Idaho’s center was first thought to be smack in the middle of the Yankee Fork River. More recent calculations place it 21 miles Southwest of Challis and out in the sprawling, country landscape.
It may not look like much at first, but there are plenty of reasons to check this spot out!
Right on the edge of the Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho’s center is uniquely located at the heart of Idaho’s most expansive wilderness areas and recreation havens.
IdahoFilmMaker/YouTube
It’s also just a short road trip away from the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, the famous Salmon River, and the quaint town of Stanley to the west, so there is plenty to see and discover here.
Katja Schulz/Flickr
Definitely start by drinking in the rustic charm of Challis.
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr With a population under 1,000 and dozens of historic sites scattered nearby, a road trip here is like a trip back in time to Idaho’s roaring Wild West days.
The landscape around Challis is nearly identical to how it would have looked 100 years ago, making Custer County’s motto of “We are what America used to be” a fitting one.
BLMIdaho/Flickr
Next, explore the once-booming ghost town of Custer and find yourself lost in a scenic maze of history.
TripAdvisor/SassyGirlJenna729 The town of Custer covers covers only 29 acres, but still houses seven historic buildings. Much of the town is also included in the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park, which is a fantastic, family-friendly destination or picnic spot!
Plus, you can’t beat the view.
IdahoFilmMaker/YouTube
For a cozy stay, the Watermark Inn has everything you need.
The Watermark Inn Housed in the historic Penwell Building. Bonus: the rooms are also named after the landscape. My favorite is the Yankee Fork room!
Or, drive around to find an idyllic camping spot.
The Watermark Inn
No matter how you choose to explore the center of Idaho, definitely plug in those coordinates and snap a photo of yourself standing in this exact spot!
Google Maps
Most geographic centers in the US are easy to find, but Idaho’s unique shape makes it more of a challenge to calculate. Data-lover Dan Stuckley is the author of this map, which is interactive and includes both Hawaii and Alaska as well, if you’re curious!
Adam Perkins/Flickr
According to original calculations dating back to the 1920s, Idaho’s center was first thought to be smack in the middle of the Yankee Fork River. More recent calculations place it 21 miles Southwest of Challis and out in the sprawling, country landscape.
It may not look like much at first, but there are plenty of reasons to check this spot out!
IdahoFilmMaker/YouTube
Katja Schulz/Flickr
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
With a population under 1,000 and dozens of historic sites scattered nearby, a road trip here is like a trip back in time to Idaho’s roaring Wild West days.
BLMIdaho/Flickr
TripAdvisor/SassyGirlJenna729
The town of Custer covers covers only 29 acres, but still houses seven historic buildings. Much of the town is also included in the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park, which is a fantastic, family-friendly destination or picnic spot!
The Watermark Inn
Housed in the historic Penwell Building. Bonus: the rooms are also named after the landscape. My favorite is the Yankee Fork room!
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