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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Idaho Reaches Through Internet For Tourists

Associated Press

Computer-savvy tourists planning a trip to Idaho can learn about Shelley Spud Days and Sun Valley ski slopes through a cooperative program promoting the state on the Internet.

State and federal agencies are working with the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association to post events and recreation spots on the worldwide computer network.

The Idaho Recreation and Tourism Initiative started an Idaho recreation “home page” on the network in August. It adds a featured recreation site every day or two, complete with photos.

Among the spots featured so far are Palisades Reservoir, Craters of the Moon National Monument, the Salmon River and the historic Fort Hall replica.

Anyone with access to the Internet can type in the home page address, http://www.idoc.state.id.us., and find the recreation site of the day. From there, they can access information about every other site that has been profiled or turn to a calendar of events like the Spud Days celebration.

Or they can pick a region of the state and find out how large the towns are and what accommodations they offer, just like in the printed tourism guide that the state puts out each year.

People interested in a particular hunting or fishing spot can learn when to come and what to use, and can jump to electronic versions of state Department of Fish and Game regulations.

The profiles of recreation sites also run down the logistics.

For instance, the feature about Palisades notes that it is 60 miles east of Idaho Falls, covers 16,000 acres and is surrounded by steep, forested mountains. It features seven campgrounds with 146 sites and fine fishing for cutthroats, rainbows and 17-inch browns. The kokanee are there, but lurk deeper and pose a challenge.

It offers tips for how and when to catch each, depending on whether the fishing is from shore or boat. And for those who want to avoid summer crowds: “Ice fishing can be a great family outing to cure the winter blahs.”

Mark Ellsworth, who feeds information into the system daily, said about 40 people have browsed the information each day since the system has been on line, and about half of those are from out of state. Besides the initiative’s home page, the information also can be accessed from the state of Idaho’s government home page.