Here’s our list of guidebooks, autobiographies, blogs, and online resources to help get inspired and safely explore Idaho’s trails.
Guidebooks
North Idaho
- 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest by Rich Landers (2nd Edition, 2003)
- Trails of the Wild Selkirks by Dennis Nicholls with Jim Mellen (3rd Edition 2022)
- Trails of the Wild Cabinets by Dennis Nicholls with Jim Mellen (4th Edition, 2023)
North Central Idaho
- Hiking the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness by Scott Steinberg (2nd Edition, 2012)
- Hiking Hells Canyon & Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountains by Fred Barstad (2001)
Southwest Idaho
- Trails of Western Idaho by Margaret Fuller (updated and expanded 3rd Edition, 2006)
- The Hiker’s Guide: Exploring Greater Boise by Scott Marchant (2020)
- The Hiker’s Guide Best Easy Hikes, Greater Boise by Scott Marchant (2018)
- Boise Trail Guide: 95 Hiking and Running Routes Close to Home by Steve Stuebner (3rd Edition, 2015)
- The Owyhee Canyonlands – An Outdoor Adventure Guide by Steve Stuebner & Mark Lisk (2013)
- The Weiser River Trail: Idaho’s Longest Rail Trail by Margaret Fuller and Anita VanGrunsven (4th edition, 2021)
Central Idaho
- Trails of the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains by Margaret Fuller (updated and expanded 6th Edition, 2022)
- Trails of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness by Margaret Fuller (updated and expanded 3rd edition, 2020)
- The Hiker’s Guide to McCall & Cascade by Scott Marchant (2011)
- The Day Hiker’s Guide to Sun Valley & Ketchum by Scott Marchant (2010)
- The Hiker’s Guide to Idaho’s Sawtooth Country by Scott Marchant (2015)
- Exploring Sun Valley – A comprehensive Guide to the Boulder, Pioneer, and Smoky Mountains by Matt Leidecker (2010)
- Exploring the Sawtooths – A Comprehensive Guide to the Sawtooths by Matt Leidecker (2012)
Eastern Idaho
- Trails of Eastern Idaho by Margaret Fuller and Jerry Painter (updated and expanded 3rd Edition, 2010)
- Eastern Idaho Sweet Spots by Jerry Painter and Matt TeNgaio (updated and expanded, 2016)
Statewide
- Hiking Idaho: A Guide To The State’s Greatest Hiking Adventure by Luke Kratz (4th Edition, 2024)
- Idaho, a Climbing Guide: Climbs, Scrambles, and Hikes by Tom Lopez (2nd Edition, 2000)
- Backpacking Idaho: From Alpine Peaks to Desert Canyons by Douglas Lorain (2nd Edition, 2015)
Backcountry Cooking
- In The Wild Chef: Recipes from Base Camp to Summit by Steve Weston
Gear Checklists
John Platt
Our dear friend and ITA Board member was an incredible resource for hiking in Idaho! His blog details his many trips into the backcountry.