2020-17 Idaho

2020-17

IDAHO

Campground: Riverside park Campground. Forest Service. Has both electric and no hookup sites. $11 senior rate with electric. $17 regular rate. First come first service, no reservations accepted. Approx 50 miles east of Twin Falls ID. Electric sites are non-shade sites. Below the dam.

 Riverside park Campground. Forest Service.

Campground: Twin Falls City Park. $$. Actually it was self pay, but they had no camphost and the pay station had no forms to fill out. Appeared folks were staying overnight without paying. So basically freen no-hookup sites.

Campground: East Fork, BLM campsite. Nice little park. $5 senior rate, $10 regular. Water available and restrooms. Along Salmon River. Picnic table with Ramada cover. About a dozen sites.

East Fork, BLM campsite. 

Distance Traveled: 112 miles
Alpine Wy, border of Idaho

The Taco Bus, Alpine Wy

Leaving Pinedale Wy became easy after their Mountain Man weekend festivities, which I experienced only from a distance. Actually attempted to watch the parade, but with 99% of the public not wearing masks, I couldn’t handle it and easily decided for my safety to vacate. I would expect their will be numerous cases of Covid within the following week or so.

RV note: during the pandemic, mail will be be delivered on a much slower pace, so be aware and plan in advance when having mail forwarded. I ended up leaving Pinedale, without my mail as it still hadn’t arrived. It will of course be returned to sender eventually and I’ll have to have it re-mailed later.

The drive along hwy 189 and 26/89 was really enjoyable. Lots of looming mountain ranges, the Snake river and Palisades Reservoir. One of the prettiest lakes I’ve ever seen. Along hwy 26, bordering the Reservoir are some of the best free as well as established national forest campgrounds you’d ever want to stay at. I ended up on the west end, below the imposing earthen dam at Riverside Park only because they have electric and I thought it would be nice to treat myself for a couple of days. And at only $11 a night it is quite a deal for we seniors.

Palisades Dam discharge 

Palisades reservoir lake, lots of camping opportunities

checking out dispersed camping areas

Along the way, stopping numerous times to drink in the scenery and take a few pictures, I had to back track a bit to get some shots of mountain goats as they grazed along the roadway. Unfazed by the traffic going past them. Below me on my left hand side is the relatively mild whitewater portion of the Snake River, where I watched the many rafts floating down river. Noticed a couple of the rafts were actually safety patrols, ready to help anyone in need.

Distance Traveled:
Twin Falls, Idaho

Quick stop overnight to pick up meds and food supplies.

Distance Traveled;
MacKay Idaho

Mackay Idaho

Overnight stop again, free city park available for 2 nights, then pay. Nice little history museum. Small town. Well irrigated farm land in this area. One of the disappointments for this years travel season has been the inability of stopping at BLM or National Forest visitor centers, as they are all closed to the public. They do usually have a phone number a person can call. But I’ve noticed the phone is rarely answered and I have to leave a message and wait for a return call. So needless to say, I’m not getting any local insight as to areas for camping etc. And I’m relying more and more on my favorite phone and tablet apps for assistance.

Distance Traveled:
Challis Idaho, hwy 93,
hwy 75, Salmon River

Bonanza Ghost Town, only about 3 buildings standing

excellent dirt road leading to ghost towns

The weather station indicates it’s going to get into the 90’s for the next couple of days or week, so I’m heading a bit further north and into the mountainous country. With a few overnight stops along the way unless I come across a perfect campground.

While checking out my maps, it appears I should be able to get to a couple of ghost towns along my northerly route. So after leaving MacKay Idaho, heading north on 93 to Challis and then west on hwy 75, about a two hour drive, I should make it to Bonanza and Custer ghost towns as well as the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge machine. The gold dredge machine is quite impressive as it would go up stream, dredging the river for gold. Operating 24 hours a day with a three man crew. As I drove deeper into the valley surrounded by awesome mountain ranges on either side, the old river bottom was literally piled high along the former river banks with rock and rubble for the mining efforts. Challis was the largest of the ghost towns to visit, maintained by the BLM and Forest service.

Salmon River

ghost town exploring, dirt roads

exploring Custer Ghost Town

the best and biggest home, still standing

the school/museum

originally a store and home

water wheel used to produce electricity

I was able to enjoy most all of it safely without many tourists around until just before leaving the area around noontime. When it seemed the floodgates had been opened and a swarm of kids and adults swooped in. None wearing protective gear, it being mainly outdoors. Still, I felt better heading on out.

Placer gold dredging along the river

Bonanza Ghost town, not much left standing

Always interesting to read the history displays from this mining era. By the way, mining is still going on throughout the area, on a more limited basis of course.

• A note found under the schoolhouse, where one of the girls had written about some of the other girls causing trouble and how she was ready to knock some sense into a couple of them if they acted up with her.

• The building of the Custer mill and transporting the 10ft diameter fly wheel in two sections. Each one, harnessed between six mules. A storm came up, lighting struck one of the wheels and killed all six mules. They rushed back to town, acquired six more mules and were able to transport the two wheels without further incident.

• The miners working many long hours each day. And could often be seen climbing back down the hillside into town after dark. Their lanterns flickering along the hillside.

So many stories that make history come alive.

I was thinking how hwy 75 heading west into the Sawtooth national Recreation area was such a pleasant drive as it followed the Salmon River through the dramatic mountain ranges on either side of the hwy. Now keep in mind this is a winding two lane road. There are numerous pull-outs along the way for viewing the river and scenery. It’ wasn’t until I returned on hwy 75 heading east, after touring the ghost towns that I realized with me now driving along the river side of the road, with no guard rails for miles on end, that the drive wasn’t all that pleasant after all. No shoulder, and seeing parts of the asphalt road crumbling off the edge. Now I had the excitement of being only a few feet from major drop offs towards the Salmon river below. With numerous white water rafters floating on by. Fishermen along the banks below me (though this is not the time of year to be catching salmon as the waters getting too warm), and stunning campsites along the rivers edge, I quickly slowed my driving down to a safer speed as I wound my way back along 75. Enjoying the scenery as much as possible.

Taking a break along the Salmon River
many pull-off areas, road heading east has major drop offs, ekk.

Next part of the Journey.

Well that’s a good one. As I really have just about come to the end of my furthest destination for the summer. It appears I’ll head a bit into Montana, circle around through Wyoming and head into Colorado.

More Photos:

Idaho, Challis Ghost Town and hwy 93 and 75

Mackay Idaho

Riverside Park, Idaho