The Place Called the Hottest Spot in Idaho

My first thought was Hagerman. After all, people there grow watermelons at a northern latitude. I’ve also been to Hollister, Meridian, and Craters of the Moon when temperatures appeared to be off the charts. None of those places made the grade according to this link. The winner is in dry and dusty Owyhee County. Specifically Bruneau. The unincorporated community is a sail-through for most travelers if people are driving through the county. The area was inhospitable before irrigation and much of the territory remains empty. You know it’s tough to eke out a living if the government pushed indigenous people onto a reservation. There’s one not far away.

I believe the hills and open sky surrounding Bruneau look like a film set. Of course, much of the west looks the same, which is probably why you don’t see many directors scouting Owyhee County. They have a lot of choices.

If you don’t mind the summer heat, Owyhee County offers something precious. There’s not a lot of man-made noise. I’ve often pulled the car over climbed out and stood along the road. The whistling of the wind is what you hear. You also won’t find a lot of air conditioning in Bruneau or the surrounding desert. It’s a luxury and the land is occupied by strong people. It’s good for the soul from time to time. The heat, not so much. They know how to tough it out. And I’m not going to say otherwise. They grow the boys big there.