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Minidoka National Historic Site

There is much to say about a democracy that memorializes its mistakes as much as it does its successes, and the Minidoka National Historic Site helps visitors learn more about one of those terrible mistakes. The 210-acre area was home to nearly 10,000 Japanese American citizens from March of 1942 to May of 1945. After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, these Americans were corralled and moved to this isolated location due to the fear that those of Japanese heritage could be spies for Japan. The camp at Minidoka, near Eden, ID, was incomplete when the first packed vehicles arrived, and families were forced to live outdoors until barracks made of green wood and covered with tar paper were completed. Soon, other trucks followed, bringing Japanese Americans through Boise and Twin Falls, ID, to live in structures with holes in the sides large enough to allow cold winds to howl through during winter yet small enough to build unbearable heat during summer.

Things to Do

Things To Do Near Minidoka National Historic Site

Minidoka National Historic Site has is an interpretive trail that hikers find interesting. The few structures that remain of the camp are dilapidated and gradually disintegrating into the ground. Newer buildings are reconstructions of the originals where visitors can experience what living in this camp was like during those years.

Hiking Trails

Sightseeing

Museums

Nearby Shops and Restaurants

map-marker-alt-regular How to Get There

How To Get To Minidoka National Historic Site

Even with several small communities surrounding the Minidoka National Historic Site, it is still a remote location. The nearest large urban area is Boise, ID. To get to the site from Boise, begin by getting onto United States Highway 26 East (US-26 E) and drive for 0.98 miles. Merge straight ahead to get onto Interstate 84 East (I-84 E). Drive I-84 E for 110.08 miles before taking Exit 185 toward Jerome, ID, to merge with Idaho Highway 25 (ID-25). Drive ID-25 for 15 miles until you reach the intersection with Hunt Road. Take a sharp left to get onto Hunt Road and then drive for 2.45 miles and take another left to get onto South 1400 East. Go for 0.28 miles and find the entrance to the Minidoka National Historic Site on the right. 

The roads to the Minidoka National Historic Site are open year-round. The site itself closes from time to time due to inclement weather but is otherwise available throughout the year.

Address

296 South 1400 East, Jerome, ID 83338

Fee: Entry fee $0

The Minidoka National Historic Site is in a location that is as austere as it gets in the United States, yet the surrounding beauty is incredible. You can easily reach the site by using an RV. When you visit historic sites like the one in Minidoka in an RV, you can travel everywhere along the edges of the site without worrying about where you will rest after a day of activity. It is the freedom an RV provides that allows you to explore the whole place without concern about where you will lay your head for the night.