Cottonwood Butte Ski Area

Cottonwood’s motto is “Escape to Cottonwood”. That sounds kinda corny until you drive up to this throwback locals-only hill: you actually drive through a section of North Idaho Correctional Institution to get here – and by that I mean you drive directly by prison buildings. Locals take that with a bit of pride, and it’s not uncommon to see them ski in prison get-up. Cottonwood Butte is located at the edge of the Camas Prarie with surprising views of rolling fields and distant peaks. A local told me that the area was created when property owners on the butte pieced parcels together on the shady north side.