McCroskey State Park: A gift to a pioneering mother, and the state of Idaho

This story originally appeared in our Daytripping special section May 19, 2023.

The man who gave the public McCroskey State Park in Idaho did so in honor of his beloved mother, and he cared for it until his final days.

The 5,300-acre park sits on a mountain north of Potlatch just off U.S. Highway 95. There is one access road, Skyline Drive, that snakes its way through the park and gives adventurers access to trails, camping spots, cedar forests and spectacular views of the Palouse.

The land was once owned by Virgil Talmage McCroskey, who lived on a family farm outside Oakesdale, Wash., close to the Idaho border where McCroskey State Park sits.

According to Idaho Parks and Recreation, he fell in love with the forested mountain and envisioned it becoming a recreation destination.

He obtained much of the land with the goal to preserve it for future generations. He donated the land to Idaho in 1955 in honor of his mother, Mary Minerva McCroskey. In the late 1800s, Mary McCroskey traveled with her 10 children from Tennessee to Washington to take advantage of the fertile Palouse soil.

Virgil McCroskey felt called to dedicate the land to honor her and the other pioneer women of her time.

Virgil McCroskey, however, was not off the hook when he donated the land. The Idaho Legislature required him to maintain the park for the next 15 years. Even though he was in his 70s, Virgil McCroskey fulfilled his duty.

He lived exactly 15 more years and his obligation to the state was fulfilled just weeks before his death in 1970 at age 93.

Now visitors can enjoy McCroskey State Park for a variety of reasons. They can get away from it all on a camping trip. They can take in the views of the Palouse and the foothills of the Bitterroot Divide on the Idaho-Montana border. They can spot Palouse Prairie and ornamental flowers that were planted by Virgil McCroskey himself in honor of his mother. Or they can take their mountain bikes and ATVs and explore the trails. n

McCroskey State Park

Location: 25 miles north of Moscow off U.S. Highway 95 in Latah County.

What you’ll do: Hike, camp, bike, ATV, enjoy the scenic views.

Difficulty (1-5 scale): 3 or 4. The park features steep, winding trails and secluded camping spots.

Don’t forget: There is no garbage service. There is running water, but it is only seasonal. Skyline Drive becomes snowed in during the winter months.