IDAHO

Dave

Dave

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This section is focused on documenting the following:
  • Adventure Opportunities & Destinations
  • Trails
  • Campsites
  • Watercraft Put-Ins/Take-Outs
  • Local Info, Highlights & Lore
  • Local Regulations & Local Insight

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This is Idaho coming into Garden city and Bear Lake after having traveled the UTBDR with 10 other vehicles in June after the 2015 west expo. As I recall they get some of the coldest temps in CONUS. Beautiful deep blue lake and many Huckleberry shake stands. At this point I parted company with these folks I've been sharing some great off road experiences in Utah. So begins my journey and maybe someone will see these pix and hopefully you too will catch the Idaho bug. The first part of this Idaho experience was on interstates to get me to the backcountry a bit faster. It was my goal at this point to drive most of the IDBDR. For future reference many of the backcountry routes of Idaho aren't accessible so early in June as some parts were closed due to tree (blow overs) and unmelted snow. It's best to take the IDBDR in late June and July for best access. Before I got to my own initial BDR starting point, as I didn't start exactly at the official spot. I decided to visit my friend Idaho Ron from YouTube who had promised to take me Sturgeon fishing in the Snake River Canyon.
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Still reeling from my intestinal issues and feeling woefully horrible I barely made it through hot southern Idaho on I-84. It was all I could do to drive the 300 or so miles from Logan Utah to the tiny farming community of Buhl just past Twin Falls & it was the only day Ron could take me fishing for three weeks, so I had to deal with it, and it was worth every bit of suffering!. Other than flat farmlands or barren scrub, the most southern parts of Idaho are fairly featureless and boring. The canyon is a whole different story. Remember when Evil Kenevil jumped the Snake River in the 1970's. This is where it was. Other than feeling horrid I was up for an experience of a lifetime. In this particular area the Sturgeon are catch and release. It is illegal to pull them fully out of the water. I caught three that day and the largest being 5.5' long. Biggest fish I've ever caught, and they're prehistoric! According to Ron it's an almost daily occurrence to see Base Jumpers parachuting from the super high bridge. I was lucky to see three jumpers before we continued to his honey hole (fishing spot) Twin Falls is also where Shoshone Falls is located. Locally they call it ShowShow.

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Perhaps a little more info on various far flung locations of interest.


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Well I was hoping to start my journey on the Idaho BDR just north of Glenns ferry in section 2 of the IDBDR by driving north on Bennett Mountain Rd, before hopping onto Boise NF rd 113. As nature would have it Old Man Winter's snow was still blocking on the other side of Pine near Trinity Mountain. So begrudgingly I continued to follow the interstate up to the city of Boise, but I was able to avoid the city on the outskirts of town and I hopped on Idaho 21 north towards Idaho City and Loman. Just 15 minutes out of Boise there's the Lucky Peak Reservoir with lots of boating fishing and so on all held back by a large earthen dam with the words " KEEP OUR FORESTS GREEN" in 50' letters. After Idaho city the road becomes Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway heading towards Lowman and my destination for the evening. Where I stayed at the Mountain View CG along the crystal clear South Fork of the Payette River.
 
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Love the IDBDR!!!! We made it up to Burgdorf Hot Springs before running into forest fires last September. We will be finishing this in June after the Northwest Overland Rally in Plain WA.
 
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Another living ghost town and part of American history in Warren Idaho. Up the road from Secesh, Burgdorf Hot Springs and McCall as well as being on part of the IDBDR. It's located in the Payette National Forest on NFS road 21. It is way out in the hinterboonies of Idaho. There are literally tons of old mining equipment and old steam engines laying about. When I was there two years ago there was a resident who had a really awesome M416.

http://www.secesh.net/Walk.htm
 
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Chris St. Clair said:
My wife and I are heading to the airport tomorrow a.m.! Should be in Boise a little after lunch (fingers crossed). Loading up with my folks in the Tacoma and will be in Sun Valley for a few days.
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Sun Valley is a really nice resort town. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area and more specifically Redfish lake just outside of Stanley is great too, but I'd prefer to camp at the smaller of the two lakes unless you prefer to camp near many people. Plus the view of Thompson Peak 10,751', at the smaller lake is spectacular. There's also some great off road experiences to be had in the Salmon-Challis NF. In Stanley you can pick up Idaho SR 21 which will take you back to Boise through Boise National Forest. The road will take you along the South Fork of the Payette River. Check with DOT because parts of this road (section along Canyon Creek) are closed in winter. There is a Winter Closure Gate at Banner Summit and just above Bonneville Hot Springs. If you're able to make it through the gates or it's summer, the drive along 21/24 is scenic and gorgeous with many NF CG's along the route. Coming from Stanley they are; along 21 to 24 west to The town of Garden Valley:
Elk Creek CG
Sheep Trail CG
Trap Creek CG
Thatcher Creek CG
Banner Creek CG
Bull Trout CG
Bonneville (Hot Springs) CG
Helende CG
Kirkham CG
Mountain View CG-where I stayed next to tiny hamlet of Lowman with lots more access to backcountry routes. At Lowman 21 heads south through Idaho City then Arrowrock Reservoir and the Boise River Wildlife Mgmt Area. ID 24 continues west towards Garden Valley, SR 55 & the town of Horseshoe Bend and Boise.
Deadwood CG
Pine Flats CG
Boise NF road 555 north to Deadwood Reservoir (mining, Bigfoot sightings, great fishing, boat ramp, 4 CG's.)
Hot Springs CG
 
Good info. I love this state. And particularly love the Sawtooth area. Thinking of buying a cabin near Stanely next year. Unless Montana convinces me to branch out to a third state. ;)
 
BoldAdventure said:
Good info. I love this state. And particularly love the Sawtooth area. Thinking of buying a cabin near Stanely next year. Unless Montana convinces me to branch out to a third state. ;)
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I am up for adoption too you know...Idaho and Montana have been my primary destinations these past seven years of exploring the west. Wishing I could move there.
 
Looks like some great trips for sure. Just maybe more likely to get through those in the summer some time. Pretty sure we stuck to I84(?) last year and still had to take it easy due to the weather.
 
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If you're sticking to the interstate then you may want to consider checking out Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, about 40-50 miles SE of Mountain Home, or Craters of the Moon National Monument just southeast of Sun Valley. I haven't been personally to Craters of the Moon, but I have been to Hagerman. Every time I've been in the area it was HOT. Seeing it in winter would be kinda cool I'd imagine. Lava flows...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagerman_horse

https://www.nps.gov/Hafo/index.htm

https://www.recreation.gov/recreati...kId=248586&facilityId=248586&agencyCode=70904

https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craters_of_the_Moon_National_Monument_and_Preserve
 
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I discovered this place by accident. It's in the Clearwater NF near the tiny Hamlet of Bovil. Amazingly wonderful little reservoir stocked with bass and Trout. Each campsite has its own floating dock.

 
More from the Lowman District and Mountain View CG along the South Fork of the Payette River. This is on ID 21 between Boise and Stanley. These pix are from Boise to Lowman and the CG there at Mountain View.
I apologize for any repeat pictures from earlier posts.

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