No surprise: Idaho ranked one of best states for camping. See how high it is on this list
Idahoans know all about how great of a state this is for camping, and it appears the Gem State is finally getting the recognition it deserves nationally.
In a recent study conducted by the camping website Adventure on the Rocks, Idaho was ranked the fourth-best state in the nation for camping — on a list dominated by states in the Western U.S. The study considered numerous factors when creating the rankings, such as the number of national parks and landmarks, available camping sites and hiking trails, and animal and plant species diversity.
“One of the key reasons people plan camping trips is for the adventure component,” an Adventure on the Rocks spokesperson said in a news release. “Exploring the great outdoors, observing different wildlife, and hiking trails are all part of the allure.”
Idaho certainly doesn’t fall short in those categories. From various beautiful wildflowers to the 190 miles of trails right on Boise’s front door in the foothills, you don’t have to travel far to find nature.
Adventure on the Rocks took into account 12 factors in total and then ranked each state on a score out of 100. Idaho accumulated a score of 63.6, coming in behind Wyoming (72.1), Montana (69.3) and New Mexico (65.9).
Meanwhile, Hawaii props up the bottom of the rankings with a score of 27.3, just behind Louisiana (33.3) and Illinois (39.6).
Here are the numbers behind Idaho’s ranking:
State area (square miles): 82,623 — Idaho is the 11th-largest state, similar in size to Utah and Kansas.
Population: 1,939,033 — Despite its size, Idaho has the 38th-largest population, meaning there’s plenty of room for nature to flourish.
Average fuel prices: $3.67 — Since the study was conducted, Idaho’s average fuel price fell to $3.55, as of Friday, 3 cents below the national average.
Species diversity: 3,205 — Idaho sits right in the middle here, with the 25th-most species of animals and plants.
Average yearly rainfall: 18.9 inches — After a dry start to the year, an extremely active March bumped Boise up to 3.87 inches of precipitation in the form of rain and snow.
Deaths per 10 million national park visits: N/A — Unless you include the 1% of Yellowstone that crosses into Idaho, the Gem State does not have any national parks.
Deaths caused by dangerous animal/plant exposure per 10 million people: Nine — It’s not often, but animals can be the cause of death for Idahoans; often, it’s while driving a car, such as last November when a Rexburg man died after crashing into a moose.
The number of national parks and landmarks per 1,000 square miles: 0.22 — Idaho may not have any national parks it can call its own, but the state has plenty of monuments and landmarks, such as the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
The number of hiking trails per 100,000 people: 178 — While the Boise foothills are home to about 190 miles of trails, the Gem State has plenty of beautiful hikes, from the panhandle to the southern prairies.
Number of free campsites per 100,000 people: 17.48 — You can find and reserve camping spots in many of Idaho’s state parks through the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Number of RV parks per 100,000 people: 11.19 — The Idaho RV Campgrounds Association has a database to help find the perfect RV park for you out of the 635 available in Idaho.
Predictably, many of the top states to camp are in the country’s western half. Here are the top 10 and their scores:
Wyoming (72.1)
Montana (69.3)
New Mexico (65.9)
Idaho (63.6)
Vermont (61.2)
South Dakota (61.1)
Utah (60.2)
New Hampshire (59.9)
Colorado (59.8)
North Dakota (58.8)
