2023 State Guide to Scattering Ashes - Idaho Edition
How much does cremation cost in Idaho: $1,400
This fortieth edition of state guides to scattering ashes features the state of Idaho. This amazing state is home to incredible rivers, picturesque mountains, wide open vistas, and vibrant cities.
In this state guide, we highlight important information that can help answer frequent questions people ask funeral directors in the state about scattering ashes. This includes, but is not limited to, if scattering is permitted in Idaho, where in Idaho can you scatter ashes, and what type of urn or container do they recommend to scatter ashes.
Regulations in Idaho for Scattering Ashes
In Idaho, there are no state laws controlling where you can keep or scatter ashes. They can be kept in an urn or another container that you prefer, or in a crypt, niche, or grave. After the cremation process, the ashes are harmless and present no health risks.
Even without state-wide laws that restrict scattering ashes in Idaho, it’s recommended that you check with county or city offices where you prefer to scatter to find out if any local restrictions or rules are in place.
Where to Scatter Ashes in Idaho?
Many families in Idaho and elsewhere nationwide will decide to scatter a loved one or pet’s ashes at a place that has special meaning to them or their loved one, or at another beautiful location outdoors. Also, holding a service right before, during, or after the scattering is something many families will also choose to do. It can be a good time to have family and friends present and reflect on the person who passed. In addition, many services or ceremonies will also include letting people who attend participate in the scattering.
In Idaho, there are virtually endless places where people scatter ashes. Below we touch on a few of the more popular ones.
- Scattering Gardens – A number of memorial parks, cemeteries, and also churches Idaho now have scattering gardens. These are special sections on their property where families can scatter their loved one’s ashes. A quick online search can typically identify one or more options in your area.
- Public Property – Idaho has some of the most beautiful scenic landscapes in the country. Even without state-wide restrictions on scattering, if you are interested doing this on public property in Idaho, it’s recommended to check with city or county offices to learn if there are any local restrictions or regulations in place.
- Private Property – As with most other states, the state of Idaho doesn’t have any laws that prohibit people from scattering cremated ashes on property they own (including their yard). If you plan on scattering on private property owned by somebody else, it’s recommended to get their permission in writing first.
- National Parks – There are 7 National Parks located in Idaho that attract nearly a million people each year! With the sheer scenic beauty present in many of our National Parks, they are a common place where people prefer to scatter ashes of a loved one. Each National Park has its own rules related to scattering, so if scattering at a National Park is your plan, reach out to the park ranger’s office ahead of time where you plan on scattering to find out if there are any restrictions or regulations in place.
- Water Burial – Many people throughout the U.S. have a special connection with the water and memorials involving water burials are growing in popularity. If this is something of interest to you or your family, keep in mind that the U.S. Clean Water Act states that the scattering needs to take place, at minimum, 3 nautical miles from land. Also, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to be given notice of a water burial within 30 days of it occurring.
- Aerial Scattering – There are no state laws in Idaho that restrict people from scattering ashes from an airplane. Just be sure not to drop the urn or other container used to scatter along with the ashes - federal aviation law prohibits dropping anything from the sky that can potentially cause harm to people or damage property.
How to Scatter Ashes?
With the significant increase in the amount of people in Idaho and other states choosing cremation (mainly due to lower cremation costs and families that are less traditional than before), many new and uplifting urn options have recently been made available. This includes urns specifically designed to scatter cremated ashes.
Below we introduce some of the more popular scattering urns.
Scattering Urn Made from Bamboo
The Eco Scattering Urn is the only urn designed to scatter that’s made from bamboo, one of the fastest growing plants in the world and also one of the strongest building materials! The patented Eco Scattering Urn is a leading urn in its class that is offered by a number of retailers online and also by most leading funeral homes. It has a proprietary open and close locking mechanism that locks the ashes in the urn, helping to prevent the ashes from spilling out during transport. This unique locking mechanism also helps families scatter their loved one’s ashes with control and ease. The Eco Scattering Urn is available in four sizes – a small for about a quarter of an average adult’s ashes, a medium for half of their ashes, a large for a full set of adult ashes, and an extra large for combining multiple sets of ashes.
Scattering Urns Made from Paper
There are many scattering urns on the market that are made from paper. These typically have a beautiful landscape printed on the urn and come in multiple sizes. The paper scattering urns are usually offered at a lower price point to other urns, however have some drawbacks. It isn’t recommended to use them in a weather event (as getting the paper urn wet can cause it to lose its integrity) and there is an added step of gluing that’s required during the process of loading ashes into the urn.
Urns for Water Burials
Many Americans have a connection to the ocean, or a special lake or river. With this, water burials that give people who pass the ability to be memorialized in the water are common. One of the most popular new urns used to do water burials is the patent pending Eco Water Urn. This unique biodegradable urn floats for up to a few minutes on the water (with a similar look to a buoy), then the bottom of the urn separates and the cremated ashes are spread gracefully in the water. The Eco Water Urn is packaged in a sleek bamboo protective cover, which provides families with a great way to protect the urn holding their loved one’s ashes while they transport it to a place on the water for the water burial.
Can You Have More Than One Memorial?
As more people continue to choose cremation over burial in Idaho and many other states, a number of new and uplifting memorials options have been made available. With so many new wonderful memorials available, many families cannot decide on a single memorial and are electing to divide up their loved one’s ashes into multiple memorials. This commonly includes a combination of two or more of the following memorials:
- Scattering ashes at one or multiple meaningful locations
- Growing a living memory with The Living Urn bio urn and planting system
- Placing the ashes in an indoor planter urn to grow a beautiful houseplant or bonsai tree
- Including ashes in a stunning piece of cremation jewelry or stone
- Having them infused into a beautiful glass decoration that can be displayed in the home