Idaho contains several of the largest desert wilderness areas in the United States. The state's desert areas vary from black rock formations to high-altitude juniper and cactus stands. Sage, wildflowers and isolation can be found in the deep canyons and on the arid plains. Some areas are rugged, inhospitable places; others are tranquil expanses abounding with a variety of wildlife that includes an endangered species found nowhere else in the world.
The Bruneau desert, bordered by the Snake River on the north, contains North America's largest freestanding sand dune. Located in Bruneau Dunes State Park, the dune stands 470 feet high. Driving southward from the park along Highway 78, you'll find an arid, sage-covered plain and the Bruneau River, where the endangered Bruneau hot springsnail was discovered in 1952. The size of a pencil eraser, the snail can only be found in the hot springs and pools along a 5-mile stretch of the river. The Bruneau desert area begins about 30 miles south of Mountain Home Air Force Base and runs south to the Nevada border.
The Hells Canyon desert environment, containing the deepest canyon in North America, can be intimidating for its temperatures, which evoke the canyon's unique name, and for the almost-impossible difficulty of navigation. With only mountain sheep, deer and antelope roaming the steep hillsides, and sparse vegetation on the higher peaks, Hells Canyon remains exactly as it's been for millions of years. Traveling east, you'll find that the altitude diminishes for 28 miles until you enter the small town of Council, also known as "Gateway to Hells Canyon."
Located about 50 miles southwest of Boise, the Owyhee is the heart of Idaho and has always reigned as the crowning jewel of Idaho's high deserts, all of which are 2,000 feet or more above sea level. With environmentalists and cattle barons fighting over the preservation of one of the United States' biggest wilderness areas, the Owyhee Desert has become both a battleground and a model for preservationists nationwide. The Sierra Club, along with thousands of concerned citizens, are fighting for governmental protection of the Owyhee Desert as a national monument to be called "Owyhee Canyon Lands." Bisecting the desert plain, meandering rivers carve rocky canyons out of the surrealistic landscape. The Owyhee Desert is bordered on the west by Oregon and on the south by Nevada.
At 6,000 feet above sea level, Craters of the Moon National Monument has the distinction of being Idaho's highest desert. Craters of the Moon can be very cold in winter and very hot in summer. Characterized by miles of sharp spire-like black rock, Craters of the Moon has been described as one of the most beautiful yet inhospitable deserts in the world. Located in central Idaho 30 miles northeast of the city of Twin Falls, Craters of the Moon can only be accessed by a few small roads that allow you to penetrate into the interior of the monument.
