A view of a reconstructed guard tower at the entrance of the historic Minidoka War Relocation Center.
NPS photo
Minidoka National Historic Site is a developing national park unit. The historic site, near Jerome, Idaho, is open year-round from sunrise to sunset for a self-guided tour on a 1.6 mile trail.
Historic Site Hours: Starting Labor Day Weekend (September 4, 2020), the Minidoka National Historic Site’s Visitor Center will be open for Fall hours: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Please follow CDC COVID-19 guidance to keep you and others safe.
Guided tours will be available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 a.m. (when weather and staffing permits) and will be limited to 15 visitors on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please make sure to bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and to have good walking shoes when touring the site. The visitor center is located at 1428 Hunt Road, Jerome, Idaho 83338.
Visitors can walk along the 1.6 mile trail and around historical buildings, such as the barrack and mess hall in Block 22 on a self-guided-tour from sunrise to sunset. There are outdoor exhibits on the trail allowing visitors to learn more about life at Minidoka and the history of why Americans were imprisoned by their own country during WWII. Please be aware of safety issues at the site regarding the wildlife as there are bees, snakes, and other animals.
Please check back before you visit as schedules may change.
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Visiting Minidoka Today
This remote area teemed with thousands of men, women, and children between 1942 and 1945. As you visit Minidoka, listen for their voices. Perhaps you will hear echoes of people and events in your own life. Look in the distance to the enduring legacy of the still-active farms. Exhibits along the 1.6-mile trail identify the historic structures and landscape, describe daily life, and explain how the center operated.
For information or tours about the Bainbridge Island unit in Washington contact the Bainbridge Island Historical Society at 206- 842-2773 or go to bainbridgehistory.org. The memorial is a joint effort of the historical museum and Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community, and Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Seattle, Washington, provides National Park Service administrative assistance.
NPS Passport Stamps
The passport stamp for Minidoka NHS in Idaho is located outside the visitor center next to the bathrooms in an After Hours box.
Please stop in the VC and see the displays, watch the park film, and do the Jr. Ranger program. The visitor center hours vary seasonally. Call the visitor center at (208) 825-4169 or check the web site before visiting.
The passport stamp is also available at the Bainbridge Historical Museum in Bainbridge Island, WA. It is located 3 miles from the Bainbridge Exclusion Memorial at 215 Erickson Avenue NE. (206) 842-2773 Hours: 10 - 4 everyday www.Bainbridgehistory.org
