Kellogg is in Northern Idaho. It has a dynamic ski resort called Silver Mountain that draws a lot of customers.
Understand
Imagine the largest smelting facility in the world being located in the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. That's what the Bunker Hill Mine and Smelting Complex used to be, to extract massive quantities of silver, and what the town of Kellogg was built around, in addition to other mining interests. This all has a very sad chapter to it in that, for one, one of the worst U.S. mining accidents to ever occur happened when a subterranean fire broke out at the Sunshine Mine in 1972 and took 91 lives, and, for another, the Bunker Hill Smelter left the area and Spokane River watershed below it heavily contaminated with lead and other toxins and made it a Superfund site.
Get in
Kellogg is right along I-90 just to the west of Wallace. Greyhound makes a stop here at the Fairbridge Inn & Suites (601 Bunker Ave).
Get around
See
- 1 Mining and Smelting Museum, 820 Mc Kinley Ave W, ☏ +1 208 786-4141. Little mining odds and ends.
- 2 Cataldo Mission (Old Mission State Park), 31732 S Mission Rd, Cataldo, ☏ +1 208-682-3814. Daily 9AM-5PM. Where Father Pierre Desmet did his work among the local indigenous population in what is the oldest building in Idaho, and one built without nails.
- 3 Sunshine Miners Memorial (off of I-90 some 5 miles east of downtown). Remembering the day of the Sunshine Mine disaster.
Do
- 1 Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave, ☏ +1 866 344-2675. A plush ski resort with golf course and all number of other things, like an indoor water park for instance, to keep you going. Even in summer, you can enjoy a gondola ride and mountain biking course.
- 2 Crystal Gold Mine & RV, 51931 Silver Valley Rd, ☏ +1 208 783-4653. Here you can pan for gold or tour a mine shaft at this commercialized operation.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
You can potentially get a studio condo or a room at the Morning Star Lodge at the Silver Mountain Resort for around $110, which is pretty appealing given all of the amenities and packages available there. Other options include:
- 1 Silver Inn, 699 W Cameron Ave, ☏ +1 866 344-2675. An interstate hotel with a free breakfast.