13 Of Idaho’s Most Intriguing and Mysterious Places Hiding in Plain Sight

If you look up Idaho on Urban Dictionary, you’ll see why people have a wild conspiracy that the Gem State doesn’t actually exist. 

The humorous reference guide actually says:

One of the best conducted hoaxes in history. Idaho does not exist, nor does anyone "from Idaho" exist. It is suspected Idaho is a black hole. 

People in Idaho know that the funny definition couldn’t be further from the truth! Idaho’s actually responsible for very big firsts that transformed the way Americans live their day-to-day lives. For example, if you look forward to clocking out so you can crash on your couch and watch the latest true-crime docuseries on Netflix, you should be grateful that Idaho exists. Television was created by Philo T. Farnsworth, a Rigby High graduate who started conceiving the idea for the new technology while he was in high school.

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Enjoy skiing? You have Idaho to thank for the modern day ski lift. Not only was Union Pacific instrumental in selecting Sun Valley as the location for America's first destination ski resort, they were also responsible for engineering and installing the world’s first ski lift at the resort. Without Idaho, winter sports enthusiasts would still be relying on platter lifts and rope tows to get to the top of the mountain. 

Between those inventions, nuclear testing done in Idaho and the state’s rich mining history, the Gem State is home to some very cool and sometimes strange historical sites. Many of those are hiding in plain sight if you know where to look. 

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Here are 13 of Idaho’s most mysterious places that we find the most interesting. Some are historical sights. Others are private property. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you enter private property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing.