ELMORE COUNTY
County Offices
150 S 4th E St.
Mountain Home 208-587-2130
https://elmorecounty.org/
Elmore county is home to a little more than 27,000 residents who are spread throughout this rural county. The county seat and largest city is Mountain Home, which is also home to Mountain Home Air Force Base. Farms in Elmore County produce a wide variety of crops such as wine vineyards, timothy and alfalfa hay, corn, sugar beets, onions, peppers, and Idaho potatoes. There also has been a significant increase in organic produce such as melons and pumpkins. Elmore County is also home to several large dairies. Glenns Ferry and its surrounding fields supply a large amount of this produce.
Lifestyle
Elmore county cover more than 3,000 square miles of land with more than 26 square miles of that being water. Its terrain runs from the flat farmlands around the Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry to the over 10,600 feet at Snowyside Peak. This huge variation in landscape gives residents of the county access to every imaginable outdoor activity. Fishing or boating on the Snake River, or boating on the Anderson Ranch Reservoir. The Three Island State Park in Glenns Falls offers a great place to kick off a day of water activities. For those who don’t want to go boating, there is plenty of hiking, biking or exploring along the many trails that dot the region. There are numerous campgrounds, excellent fishing, duck hunting, and some of the largest trophy animals for those who want to go hunting, all in and around the area. Access to snowmobiling, skiing and other mountain activities is just a short drive from town. The Bennett Mountain range offers beautiful views of Idaho and is well known for its elk and mule deer. Both of the local cities offer a wide range of annual events that cover the full range of seasons. Residents can enjoy a downtown stroll for a little shopping or visit a local restaurant to try some locally grown food. And for those so inclined, Wine tours are now a popular thing in the area with the expansion of Idaho’s wine growing industry.
Services
Quality educational opportunities are available in and near Elmore County, underlined by excellent public-school districts and options for select private and parochial schools. The county is served by several small school districts that use nationally recognized programs and detailed planning to ensure the highest education possible for students. Students in county school districts enjoy very low student to teacher ratios, giving students the opportunity for exceptional learning. For those seeking higher education, there are a number of online opportunities available from state and regional colleges and universities for students of all ages.
With an array of health services, including clinics, pharmacies, dentists and hospital care, residents do not have to travel far for many of their medical needs. The county healthcare services are highly developed. Serving the community’s health needs is St. Luke’s Elmore, which is dedicated to delivering the personalized care of a community hospital in an atmosphere of advanced technology for the best of all worlds. The Comprehensive services offered include critical care, family practice and urgent care, social services, surgical specialties, laboratory and state-of-the-art imaging, immediate care and family-centered maternity. The county is also served by Public Health District IV, which is one of seven public health districts within the state of Idaho. The health districts were established in 1970 under Idaho Code to ensure essential public health services are made available to protect the health of all citizens of the state, no matter how large or small their county population.
Communities
Glenns Ferry
City Offices
110 E 2nd Ave
Glenns Ferry 208-366-7418
https://www.glennsferryidaho.org/
Chamber of Commerce
71 East 1st Ave
Glenns Ferry 208-366-7345
http://glennsferrychamber.org/
The rural community of Glenns Ferry is home to a little more than 1,700 residents. The city is centrally located along the I-84 corridor, halfway between Boise and Twin Falls. The city lies along the Snake River and is surrounded by fertile fields. The main source of income is agriculture and agriculture related materials. This has always bee the case for this rural community. The community is full of friendly people, many with long roots in the area. It truly is an area where neighbors know each other and enjoy an enviable small-town lifestyle. Glenns Ferry is the perfect place to embark on just about any type of water activity. Residents can take a leisurely tubing adventure down the Snake River or for a little more boating excitement they can make use of the Eddie Bostic Recreational Area with two boat docks, two boat ramps, public restrooms, and shaded picnic areas with barbecue stands. The perfect place for a family weekend outdoors. The city is also home to a recreational trail that connects the Three Island State Park to downtown Glenns Ferry. The recreational trail starts at the Three Island State Park, meanders through the Carmela Vineyards winery and eventually ends in the downtown area. Thanks to the thousands of acres of public land surrounding the areas, there are many places to ride a bike or motorized vehicle on trails outside of city limits also. And for those seeking a more adventurous hike, they can hike along the Historic Oregon Trail or take a trek in the Bennett Mountains. The downtown area is undergoing a revitalization with new businesses moving into the community, giving residents more choices for food and shopping closer to home.
Mountain Home
City Offices
150 South 3rd St. East
Mountain Home 208-587-2104
https://www.mountain-home.us/
Mountain Home is the county seat of Elmore County. The population is a little over 14,500 residents. The city was originally founded as a post office at Rattlesnake Station, a stagecoach stop on the Overland Stage Line, about seven miles east of the city. With the addition of the Oregon Short Line railroad in 1883, the post office was moved downhill and west to the city’s present site. This predominantly rural community offers its residents a little of everything. Whether it’s a great meal from a local restaurant or a stroll down one of the downtown streets for shopping, residents have everything they need close to home. For those who want a more urban feel, Boise is a short 45 min drive away. The community is also home to the Mountain Home Air Force Base, an Air Combat Command installation, which is located 12 miles southwest of the city. Opened in 1943 during World War II, the base was originally a bomber training base and later an operational Strategic Air Command bomber and missile. Now the base is home to the United States Air Force’s 366th Fighter Wing. The base plays a significant economic role in the community. This small city is close to all of the recreational opportunities that the region has to offer, whether it be water-based activities, hiking, biking or just exploring nature. Housing choices are varied and offer newcomers a good mix of choices.
