Idaho’s Most Fascinating Road Offers White Knuckle Driving

The longest highway in America has a lot of twists and turns, and in some places, hundreds of miles of sameness and loneliness.  In Idaho, it has miles of straightaways and miles of hairpin corners.  Both exist along Route 20 from east to west.  The road stretches well over 3,000 miles from coast to coast.  It’s so long that I’ve lived in three towns along the route, and it passed by my college campus.  In eastern Idaho, it rolls through high desert, and on summer days the heat rises from the pavement, and there are mirages in the distance.  It feels like you’re on a movie set when driving.

From Straight Line to Wild Turns in a Matter of Minutes

Then west of Fairfield, there's a dramatic change.  This is where the white-knuckle driving starts for people unfamiliar with the highway.  The road from the air looks more like a slithering serpent on the landscape, and on the ground, the elevation rises and drops repeatedly until you reach Mountain Home.  You could do this drive in a day, but if there’s time, I would recommend a few days, with plans to overnight along the way, perhaps even a couple of nights.

Bill Colley

Great Food and Great Sights Await You

That way you can stop and see the scenery, or grab a burger at one of the unique restaurants along the way.  Two come immediately to mind.  Pickle’s place in Arco, and the Wrangler in Fairfield.  Keep your eyes open and be alert.  The road is a popular gathering spot for pronghorn, deer, and elk.  You can sometimes observe massive herds, and if you slow down, you can marvel at the grace displayed by the animals.  A drive along Route 20 is a balm for the soul.