Idaho has some of the most beautiful hikes. Surrounded by majestic mountains and breathtaking views, Idaho provides a variety of hikes, and possibilities of where to go are infinite. This may be over whelming to some who may not which hikes to do.

Olivia Buhler, a senior here at Rocky, has been hiking since she was 5 years old. She likes to go on any hike, especially ones that involve “climbing and bouldering.”

One of her favorite hikes she recommends to the students here at Rocky is Mount Borah. Mount Borah, or “Beauty Peak,” is the highest mountain peak in Idaho. The hike to the peak takes roughly 8-12 hours, but there are many other trails that can be hiked.

She also recommends any of the “Idaho 12ers,”which include Mount Borah, Leatherman, Mount Church, Diamond Peak, Mountain Brietenbach, Lost River Mountain, Mount Idaho, Donaldson Peak, and Hyndman Peak. These are mountain ranges sprinkled around Idaho that have the best hikes. Although many of these places offer smaller hikes, many of them would require “an all-day commitment, and a lot of energy.” 

Tyson Barney is a sophomore at Rocky who is also an avid hiker.

“I hike as much as I can! One of my favorite hikes is the Blue Lake hike in Idaho. I really enjoy hiking because it gets me away from the city and the noise and it’s super peaceful; McCall has a ton of great trails too. There are many benefits to hiking. Gets you away from screens and is a good workout! Others would enjoy hiking for the same reasons Just for how peaceful and beautiful scenery.” 

Alec Randall is another sophomore at Rocky who enjoys hiking in Idaho. Randall has many suggestions for his favorite trails: “I go to Lucky Peak, Jump Creek, and all over McCall with my friends. I enjoy getting to talk to friends and the views are great.”

Randall continues with, “I like mountain trails and stuff that leads to some sort of water, and there are a lot of them in Idaho. I think many could benefit with hikes being good exercise, views, and fun with families and friends.”

Brooke Thomason, grade 12, has also been hiking since she was young. She has hiked all over. One of her favorite hikes was hiking Volcano Acatenango in Guatemala: “You hike about 5 hours almost straight up hill to base camp, and right across base camp is Volcán de Fuego that would erupt bright red lava every 5-10 minutes.”

Thomason also recommends Mount Borah because “it was such an amazing experience and is close and worth the hard work!” 

Hikes are hidden across the valley, but apps like All Trails can help you find any type of hike including the duration, difficulty, and little hidden things on the trails. It’s a great resource to help you find trails not just in Idaho, but everywhere you go.  

Depending on the hike, it can take lot of energy. So packing the correct food and water is a necessity.

Olivia Buhler always brings her fair share of trail mix: “I can’t go anywhere without our homemade trail mix, a good handful give me just enough to keep me going.”

Brooke Thomason always has her “jerky, fruit, candy, and ofc trail mix” to keep her fed along the way.  

Hiking is a great way to get a workout while seeing the beauty of the earth.

Comment some of your favorite hikes and hiking snacks below.