Trail To Idaho Lookout Has Stunning Views Of Oregon, Washington

It's impossible to pick just one trail in the state of Idaho as having the most visually stunning reward for those who are able to reach its apex. From what I've been told by Idahoans who have visited a lookout site 300 miles northwest of Twin Falls, it is considered to be one of the state's best vantage points and offers a view that rivals all others.

If it's an awesome view you are looking for in the Gem State, you really don't have to leave southern Idaho. The Sawtooth Mountains, Bruneau Dunes, Shoshone Falls, Snake River Canyon, and the Lost River Range are all a short distance from the Magic Valley and are popular getaways for locals in the spring and summer months.

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Idaho is a hiker's playground, and if you were to drive about five and a half hours northwest out of Twin Falls you'd arrive in the Seven Devil's Mountains. Heavens Gate Lookout is a spot more than 8,400 feet up a mountain that overlooks Hell's Canyon which the forest service uses regularly to watch for wildfires.

The location requires a 17-mile drive up more than 5,000 feet prior to strapping on the hiking boots and ascending the final couple thousand feet. Normally, June is the best time of year to attempt the hike because you have to wait for the snow to melt. Since Idaho received an usually large amount of snow this past winter, that window might be narrower this year.