Our Story

The mission of Friends of Idaho State Parks is to provide education about Idaho’s state parks and to work in partnership with the State of Idaho to sustain a financially stable, healthy, and vibrant parks system for use by all. The Friends of Idaho State Parks was formed in 2009 when a state budget crisis threatened to dismantle the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and close many state parks. Initially, the group was just a Facebook page devoted to passing along news about possible closures. Friends believe that the operation of a public parks system for the purposes of outdoor recreation and preservation of important natural and historic sites is a proper role for state government. At the same time, Friends support the exploration of appropriate entrepreneurial efforts and the use of sound business practices to assure its continuing operation.

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