| Coordinates | 12°58′0″N77°34′0″N |
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| County | Boise County |
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| State | Idaho |
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| Seal | Boise_County_ID_Seal.PNG |
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| Founded year | 1864 |
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| Founded date | February 4 |
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| Seat wl | Idaho City |
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| Largest city wl | Horseshoe Bend |
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| Area total sq mi | 1906.76 |
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| Area land sq mi | 1902.46 |
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| Area water sq mi | 4.30 |
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| Area percentage | 0.23% |
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| Census yr | 2000 |
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| Pop | 6670 |
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| Density sq mi | 3.5 |
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| Density km2 | 1.4 |
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| Time zone | Mountain |
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| Utc offset | -7 |
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| Dst offset | -6 |
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| Web | www.co.boise.id.us |
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| Named for | Boise River |
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Boise County is a rural mountain county in the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census; it was estimated at 7,571 in 2007. The county seat is Idaho City, and Horseshoe Bend is its largest city.
The city of Boise is located in neighboring Ada County, which was divided from Boise County in late 1864.
Boise County is part of the Boise-Nampa Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Bogus Basin ski area is in the southwestern part of the county. The county's eastern area contains the central section of the Sawtooth Wilderness, the western part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
History
The county was established February 4, 1864, with its
county seat at
Idaho City. It was named for the
Boise River, which was named by
French-Canadian explorers and trappers for the great variety of trees growing along its banks in the lower desert valley. The Boise Basin, in which Idaho City lies, was one of the richest
gold mining districts in the nation. Gold was discovered in 1862 and more of it was pulled from present-day Boise County than from the entire state of
Alaska. At its peak in the mid-1860s, Idaho City was the largest city in the
Northwest, and it was this rapid population influx that lead to the establishment of the
Idaho Territory in 1863. The lower elevation communities of Horseshoe Bend (
Payette River) and Boise (
Boise River) were staging areas for the Boise Basin mines.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.77%) is land and (or 0.23%) is water. The highest point in the county is
Thompson Peak at 10,751 feet (3276 m), on its eastern border in the
Sawtooth Wilderness. The county's lowest point is on the
Payette River, on its western border with
Gem County, at approximately 2500 feet (762 m).
Adjacent counties
Valley County - north
Custer County - east
Elmore County - south
Ada County - southwest
Gem County - northwest
Boise National Forest (part)
Sawtooth National Recreation Area (part)
* Sawtooth Wilderness (part)
Highways
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Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway
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Payette River Scenic Byway
The county's two primary routes are scenic byways. For the majority of their length in the county, both are two-lane undivided highways. The Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway on State Highway 21 climbs northeast from Boise to Idaho City and Lowman, and ends at Stanley in Custer County.
The Payette River Scenic Byway on State Highway 55 is a designated national scenic byway. It heads north from Eagle to Horseshoe Bend and climbs the whitewater of the Payette River to Cascade and McCall in Valley County, and ends at New Meadows in Adams County.
Demographics
Category:Populated places established in 1864
Category:Idaho counties
Category:1864 establishments
Category:Boise metropolitan area
![Idaho Falls is the county seat and largest city of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States.[1] As of the 2000 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 50,730, with a 2008 metro population of 122,995.[2]](http://web.archive.org./web/20110830114910im_/http://cdn7.wn.com/pd/5c/e3/7e0ce208240e11dff1cccbb70c8c_grande.jpg "Idaho Falls is the county seat and largest city of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States.[1] As of the 2000 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 50,730, with a 2008 metro population of 122,995.[2]")
![Idaho Falls is the county seat and largest city of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States.[1] As of the 2000 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 50,730, with a 2008 metro population of 122,995.[2]](http://web.archive.org./web/20110830114910im_/http://cdn6.wn.com/pd/5c/e3/7e0ce208240e11dff1cccbb70c8c_thumb.jpg "Idaho Falls is the county seat and largest city of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States.[1] As of the 2000 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 50,730, with a 2008 metro population of 122,995.[2]")
