With 2020 being what it is, planning our Fall Break trip was a bit trickier than ever. Washington, Oregon and California are all on fire or covered with smoke, airline travel is not quite safe enough for us to feel comfortable and Social Distancing is very hard in some overcrowded parks. After some deliberation, we decided to give Idaho a try. We have seen some amazing photos of the Snake River weaving through the plains and read some articles about the Sawtooth National Forest. We thought we could even make it all the way across the state to Grand Teton National Park. I admit, that part was a bit ambitious but the parts we did make it to were very beautiful.
We started the trip revisiting Lassen National Park in North East California. We had been there 3 years ago on one of our Oregon Trips and decided to visit it again this year. We drove from the southern tip to the north end and stopped to make lunch in between.
After Lassen, we found our first campsite of the trip at Hat Creek Campground. It was first come first serve and we got a great spot by the river. Campfires were banned that night but the slight rain made it really nice inside the van.
The next morning we started our drive North with a stop at Burney Falls, CA. We were pleasantly shocked to see the water flowing as much as it was. This late in the season and with the extremely limited rainfall that California has gotten this year, we expected the falls to be pretty weak. They were not!
We continued into Oregon. South East Oregon to be exact. This area is called the "Oregon Outback" and we quickly learned why... We drove through about 10 hours of nothing.
We spent that night just over the Idaho border in a little RV campground in the town of Parma, ID. This was a night where we were very grateful for the insolation of the van from the noises of the street, train and factory outside. Once we closed the door and the curtain we were in our own little world. Another joy of bringing your house with you.
The next day we headed Northeast into Sawtooth National Forest. Upon the approach, I was a bit nervous and confused. They said it was a National Forest.....however, there were no trees?? How do you call it a forest then? But we kept going and I am glad we did. As we got further into the mountains we finally found the beautiful forest filled with pine trees, some redwoods and plenty of deciduous trees, we finally found Fall!
We camped at the Abbot Campground. It was First Come First Serve and we got the most perfect spot! #9 Also, it was $6.00! We had an awesome campfire and finally got to eat the fancy smores that Ryan got me for my birthday with homemade marshmallows. It was one of the most beautiful places that we have ever camped.
On the way out of the forest we encountered something that made me feel more like a "City Mouse" than I ever thought possible. October is evidently hunting season in Idaho. Ok, cool. Growing up in Land O' Lakes taught me a lot about hunting and I thought I had seen many things...however, Idaho hunting is next level. I did not take any pictures of it but...I refer to it as the Bambi Piñata. The hunters string up their trophy in a tree and were literally skinning it right there on the side of the road. I know that step happens and I know hanging meat is a thing. But I have never seen it on the side of the road in the middle of "Bear Country" I could just imagine Yogi being overjoyed when he comes across a Bambi Piñata presented so nicely for him. My mind was blown. Traveling sure does expose us to new things.
Day four of our trip was a day of waterfalls. When planning the trip, I read an article about the 10 best waterfalls in Idaho. Six of them are somewhat clumped together near Twin Falls, ID. We started on a low note as we drove to Jump Creek Falls only to find that there was no water in the waterfall. Next up was Devil's Washbowl. From the side of the highway it doesn't look like much, but if you hike down to the walkway over it.... bam. It's spectacular.
Next up was Niagara Springs State Park. It was bookended by fish hatcheries and a surrounded by beautiful canyon walls. The water came seeping out of the walls, it was beautiful.
Next stop, Perrine Coulee Falls. Close to the city center, this waterfall drops 200 feet and the trail runs behind the falls.
Then we went to Shoshone Falls: The Niagara of the West. 212 feet tall and 900 foot wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the United States. It was the most populated site on our trip so we masked up and enjoyed the view.
We finished the day with a visit to Pocatello to see Ryan's nephew, Ruben. Ruben graduated from high school this year and is starting college at Idaho State University to study Architecture. All of the Paines are very proud of him!
We spent the night at the Pocatello KOA and got up the next morning to start our journey back home. Ryan drove an impressive 9.5 hours through some of the strongest winds ever and through the Nevada desert. We ended day five back in our beloved Tahoe National Forest at Goose Meadows Campground near Truckee.
We camped in Goose Meadows in June and this time was just as beautiful. Campfires were not allowed but the hike down to the Truckee River was a great way to stretch our legs after a long day in the car. The next morning, we stretched our legs some more with a breathtaking hike up Eagle Rock. We will never get sick of the views of Lake Tahoe.
When we got home, the South San Francisco "Sign Hill" was on fire! The mountain is far enough away from our house, that we were safe but close enough that we watched with caution and did not unpack the van incase we needed to go. Our neighbors were all out in the street, watching the CalFire response to the situation. It turns out, two teenagers started the fire and it spread quickly. Luckily, it only grazed a few of the houses on the hill, but the firefighters got it under control before anything was destroyed. Thank you Firefighters for your quick and skillful response.
This Fall Break was different from years past but we are always grateful for a break from school and a chance to explore more of our lovely surrounding states. We enjoyed our time in Idaho. The mountains of potatoes interlaced by the Snake River made for some beautiful scenery and a great trip.