Mesa Falls Scenic Byway in East Idaho.

The Tale of Two Roads:
Historic Scenic Byways
Meet Modern-day Social Media

Many of life’s greatest stories begin when friends jump in a car and drive. It’s hard to beat a spontaneous road trip with your favorite playlist on hand, a fully stocked cooler, and the windows down. 

The desire to discover what’s beyond the city limits, coupled with the recent travel restrictions, ignited the idea behind ITD’s Scenic Byways social media campaign. 

All summer long, the campaign highlights a new scenic route each week on Facebook, along with historical markers and fun stops along the way. 

"It’s easy to focus on where you want to go and forget that the journey can be just as fun," said Public Information Officer Jessica Williams. "Our scenic byways campaign is all about reminding us to take advantage of all the historic and scenic treasures of Idaho.”  

Scenic byways have been a part of Idaho’s landscape since 1977, when the first six scenic routes were designated. The initial six byways included: Payette River, Ponderosa Pine, Salmon River, Sawtooth, Thousand Springs, and the Teton byway.  

Then in 1991, the Federal Highway Administration developed the National Scenic Byways program. At that time, the U.S Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the state of Idaho grouped their historic and scenic routes under one byways umbrella, bringing the number of Idaho’s scenic byways to 30 in total. ITD was selected as the lead agency for the state’s byways program. 

“Our byways program allows us to showcase what is unique in each region,” said Public Information Officer Jillian Garrigues. “We all love to explore Idaho’s diverse landscapes. We have deserts, lakes, rivers, towering mountains, and it can change around each corner.” 

When you hit the open road, you experience first-hand how cities change to rural areas, and you watch the land transition from deserts to lakes to mountains. While the scenery and population changes with each mile, you recognize that, in spite of those differences, there is a connectivity to it all. 

"Scenic byways are really what Idaho’s about," said Garrigues. "Getting off the interstate to see what else is out there, and not just what you can see flying by at 80 mph. It brings a sense of pride in our beautiful state." 

Speed by and you might not ever know what’s out here. Traveling along these byways shows that the more you take the road less traveled, the more you can see. 

To borrow from J.R.R. Tolkien: 

“Still, round the corner, there may wait, a new road or a secret gate.”   

Follow along on Facebook for the weekly posts. And to learn more about the history and diversity of our byways system check out Outdoor Idaho’s Scenic Byways episode that aired this month on Idaho Public Television.    

Published 07-17-20