2021 camping season is kicking into gear on National Forest lands! 8 Tips on best camping practices

Camping season is upon us!

Hi all, 

It's been a great spring for camping in the Owyhee Canyonlands and BLM lands and river sites in SW Idaho. Now that the snow has melted out in the lower elevations in the Boise, Payette and Sawtooth National Forests, Forest Service officials are opening numerous campgrounds this weekend (May 21-23) and next for the traditional camping opener over the Memorial Day long weekend coming up May 28-31.  

The weather actually looks quite rainy and cold in McCall and Stanley this weekend, but the weather looks more promising for Memorial Day weekend, so perhaps you can plan your next outing and pick a fun spot for friends and family.

The Boise National Forest just released a list of campground opening dates online. The Payette National Forest also has opening dates here. The Sawtooth National Forest camping link is here with opening dates. Generally, camp sites at low to mid-elevation are open now, and higher-elevation sites in Stanley and the Sawtooth Valley will be opening soon. 

Check out this new statewide Forest Service interactive map! It's a handy resource for locating campgrounds and other national forest amenities.

Many Idaho State Park campgrounds are open now and will be soon. See this link for information on reserving a campsite an Idaho state park. Local favorites include Three Island State Park, Bruneau Dunes State Park, Lake Cascade State Park and Ponderosa State Park. See the IDPR web site for more information. 

Research BLM campsites here. There are many hidden jewels on BLM lands.

So it's time to plan a trip! Pull all the camping stuff together, tents and sleeping bags, food, water, clothes, etc. Or perhaps you have everything packed in an RV? Research a campsite that provides the kinds of amenities you want such as hiking or biking trails nearby or water hookups? Fishing? River or stream access? Grand views? There are literally hundreds of camping locations to enjoy in Idaho. 

What kind of setting do you want for your camping experience?

Tip #1 - Know where to go. Research where you're going to go camping before you go. Make a reservation online, if necessary, and you'll have your trip dialed in. If you're going to pursue a campsite in a campground where no reservations are necessary, go early to get your spot. 

Tip #2 - Make a Plan B. Your favorite campsite might be taken or the campground could be full. You'll need an alternative plan if things get busy. If last year is any indication, it's going to be a busy summer with major competition for campsites in Idaho. Going mid-week or in off-peak times will be a great way to avoid the crowds.

Tip #3 = Make a Plan C. Plan B might be taken too. 

Tip #4 - Remember to Pack-it-in/Pack-it-out. Bring your own garbage bags and pack out your garbage. Many public lands camping areas have no dumpsters or trash service. 

Tip #5 - Leave no Trace. Leave a clean campground when you leave. Pack out all of your things and garbage and make sure you haven't left any micro-trash on site ... things like small wrappers or twist-ties or what not. 

Tip #6 - Snuff out your campfire completely before you leave. Pour water on the fire and make sure you don't leave hot coals behind. More than 80% of the wildfires in Idaho are typically caused by humans. 

Tip #7 - When nature calls, dispose of human waste properly. Use the outhouse or dig a cat-hole and bury your waste. Bring a little shovel for digging a proper hole. Walk 200 feet away from any water sources. See video for more detail.

Tip #8 - Bring your own firewood. There might not be much firewood available at your camping spot, depending on location. 

Thanks to Tread Lightly and the Boise National Forest for the videos!

Have fun out there!
- SS

Capitalize on early snowmelt! Hit the rivers early, plan more trips in the mountains

Staircase isn't going to get huge this year, but the runoff is happening now! 

South Fork Boise is expected to turn on after Memorial Day weekend.

The Cabarton run won't have boatable flows until 2nd week of June ...  

Black Creek Rapids on the Salmon River. The Salmon is peaking early this year ... 

Hi all,

Unseasonably warm weather this spring is melting the mountain snowpack earlier than normal, which means that the higher-elevation backcountry trails will be opening up sooner than normal, and our whitewater rivers will peak sooner than normal ... in fact, some of them are peaking right now!

You've heard farmers talk about how everything is early this year -- early snowmelt, early planting, the onset of irrigation season, etc., etc. Everything is about a month ahead of normal. The same is true in the mountains. I was struck how quickly the snow was melting in the upper story of the mountains when I was up in Cascade and McCall last week. The snow level was about 7,000 feet.

Morels! Yum yum! 

And in case, you haven't heard, it's morel-picking season, too! All of the rain in the forecast in the coming weeks should prolong the morel season.

So this week's outdoor tip is a reminder that the early snowmelt offers an opportunity to squeeze in more camping, hiking, biking, backpacking, whitewater or flatwater boating trips than you might be able to do otherwise. Maximize on outdoor fun!



For river floaters, it's important to get out there and enjoy the rivers right now! Here are the latest conditions and forecasts:

• Payette River - The South Fork is running about 2,000 cubic feet per second, with a 500 cfs bump from the Deadwood River. Good flows for the South Fork Canyon and Staircase section. The Middle Fork has already peaked, and it's at a great level right now for SUPs, IKs, small rafts, canoes and kayaks. Main Payette is 3,500 cfs at Banks, the equivalent of a typical summer flow. The North Fork Payette is running low right now, but it's expected to come up to 1,300 cfs or more by the mid-June. 
• South Fork Boise River - The Bureau of Reclamation will ramp up the South Fork to 1,600-1,700 cfs after Memorial Day weekend.  
• Salmon River - The Salmon is running about 25,000 cfs at Whitebird. It's probably not going to get much bigger unless it really rains hard in the next couple of weeks. The National Weather Service does predict an above-average chance of wet weather in the next 10-14 days. 
• Middle Fork Salmon River - It's running at 4 feet at the moment, and expected to climb toward 5 feet next week, if they get more rain. The Middle Fork is expected to hit 2 feet on the gauge by mid-July. August trips will be rocky and low.  
• Lochsa River - Recent wet weather brought the Lochsa up to 5+ feet on the gauge. Go get it while you can! There isn't much snow left in the Selway high country. 

See the USGS Idaho River Flows web site for all of the rivers statewide.  

Camping - Car-camping in the North Fork of the Boise River areas near Idaho City and in the Middle Fork of the Boise River areas is doable anytime. The Boise National Forest will be opening campgrounds in those areas next week prior to Memorial Day weekend. 

Car-camping in the Middle Fork Payette River area or in the Stolle Meadows area near Cascade is all free of snow and available for dispersed, self-support camping. Check with the Forest Service on full-service campgrounds. 

Most of the Lake Cascade State Park campgrounds are open now. Camping areas in Ponderosa State Park are still closed. Lower-elevation sites like Three Island Crossing and Bruneau Dunes State Park are great for spring camping, and day use sites like Eagle Island State Park and Thousand Springs are great places to visit, too!  

See the Idaho Statesman's roundup on campground openings, etc., from their camping guide published today. 

Nearby Forest Service trailheads - Lower-elevation trails are open now, such as Cottonwood Creek trail near Arrowrock Reservoir, Station Creek trail near Garden Valley, the One Spoon trail near Crouch, and the Eagle's Nest Trail near Cascade. Check with the local ranger district offices to check on trail conditions before you go.

In the Wood River Valley, the Croy Creek trails near Hailey are open, Greenhorn-Mahoney Loop is open, Adams Gulch trails are open, and higher-elevation trails are still closed. See the Blaine County Summer Trails Link for more information. Most trails in the Sawtooth Valley are still closed but there are a few exceptions near Redfish Lake.

In the McCall area, I've heard that the Bear Basin Trails, Payette Rim Trail and the Jug Mountain Trails are open. Trails in Ponderosa State Park are open as well. Higher-elevation trails are still closed by snow.

Looking ahead to June, you might want to plan some backpacking trips in the high country ... things should be melted out by then, and you can get a jump on your summer season!  

Have fun!
- SS 

Take advantage of FREE cross-country ski day Saturday at Idaho Parks, BCRD trails

Skate skiing works great on well-groomed trails. Glide wax is critical. 

Snowshoers hike through fresh snow to Stargaze Yurt, located 1.5 miles
from the trailhead. It takes about an hour to get there. 

Ah, the spellbinding view from Stargaze Yurt, near Idaho City

If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Ski poles help with balance. 

Classic xc ski technique - kick and glide. It feels really sweet when you get the knack for it. 

Hi all,

Saturday is a great opportunity to try cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at participating Idaho State Parks and the Blaine County Recreation District xc trails in the Wood River Valley.

Have you ever thought about trying xc skiing or snowshoeing? Now is the time to seize the day and give it a whirl -- it's great for exercise, getting outside and enjoying the beauty of the Idaho mountains, and it's an excellent excuse to get out of the yucky inversion in the Treasure Valley and enjoy cobalt-blue sky and warmer weather! Snow conditions are excellent!

There will be free lessons and equipment demo's at Ponderosa State Park and Lake Cascade State Park, close to home, or you can rent/grab your own equipment and try out the Idaho City Park n' Ski Trails and yurts near Idaho City. The Park n' Ski parking lots will be open for free (normally a Park n' Ski parking pass is required), and IDPR staff will serve hot cocoa at Stargaze Yurt and Rocky Ridge Yurt.

All of BCRD's xc ski and snowshoe trails will be open free of charge on Saturday in the Wood River Valley. A day pass costs $17, so that's a great value. The BCRD xc ski trail system is world-class, with more than 160 kilometers of trails available, including the trails at the Galena Lodge, north of Ketchum. See more details on Saturday's event below.

Free xc ski day is a national initiative that's been going on for many years to encourage newbies to try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on local trails. My motto is: Give it a try! Anyone who can walk can snowshoe. A pair of ski poles helps with balance when snowshoeing. Cross-country skiing is a little more challenging, but it's not that difficult. Plus, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are relatively cheap ways to recreate outdoors in the winter, compared to downhill skiing, which can blow a hole in your wallet in one day.

I've been cross-country skiing since I was a kid growing up in Minnesota. The age-old traditional or classic technique involves a little kick and glide, a really sweet motion once you get the knack. In the mid-1980s, the skate-skiing technique came into vogue. Skate skiing is more physically demanding than the classic/traditional technique, but when you get the knack of skate skiing, and you're properly waxed, you can really sail down the trail -- at least on the flats.

On Saturday, at the parks where demo equipment is available, you could try the old kick-and-glide technique and try a pair of skate skis, and see what you like. Instructors will be on hand to help you with technique.

Here are the details:

• Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas -  Take Idaho 21 past Idaho City to the signed Park n' Ski areas. It's 17-23 miles past Idaho City to the different trailheads. The Rocky Ridge Yurt is 1.5 miles from the Whoop-Um-Up parking lot. This trail is best for snowshoeing. Yurt rental manager Judy Ditto will be the host at Rocky Ridge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stargaze Yurt is located 1.5 miles from the parking area at Beaver Creek Summit on Idaho 21. This trail is good for either xc skiing or snowshoeing, but not skate skiing. It's my favorite of the six yurts in the area because it sits on top of a mountain, affording great views of the surrounding area, and it has great skiable terrain directly below the yurt. Leo Hennessy will be hosting visitors at Stargaze Yurt from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dogs are allowed on the trails, so bring your pups if you wish. No equipment will be available at the Park n' Ski areas. Rent some before you go at Idaho Mountain Touring, Greenwoods or Boise REI. 
• Lake Cascade State Park - Free xc ski day activities will be hosted by IDPR staff at the Hasbrouck Ranch Nordic Trails on 981 Cabarton Road (this is the road to the Cabarton put-in on the Payette River, 15 miles north of Smith's Ferry). Equipment demos will be available and lessons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sign up when you get there. Hot cocoa will be served at the trailhead. 
• Ponderosa State Park, McCall - Go to the park in the east side of McCall and park by the Activity Center. Equipment demos and lessons will be available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Equipment will be provided by Gravity Sports and Hometown Sports in McCall, and instructors will be on hand from Bear Basin Nordic Center to teach the classic and skate ski technique. Volunteers from McCall Parks & Recreation and the McCall Outdoor Science School will lead snowshoe tours. Hot drinks will be served at the trailhead.
• Blaine County Rec District -  Free lessons and rentals will be available at the Croy trailhead in Hailey from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Folks can try either skate skiing or classic. The Croy trailhead is located off of Bullion Street west of Hailey. Call Sturtevants in Hailey to reserve your rental equipment, 788-7847.       

The point of all of this is to introduce folks to the sport on Saturday. For the newbies that participate, they'll know a great deal more than about xc skiing and snowshoeing than they did before. Then they can decide what they like best, what equipment to buy or rent, and go do it on their own. What a great community service! Thanks to IDPR staff, equipment vendors and volunteers for putting on such a worthwhile event!

Have fun and enjoy the sunshine!
-- SS

10 rock-solid ideas for camping and outings over Memorial Day weekend in SW Idaho

Always great to get the kids out camping in the mountains 

Time to pull out the Dutch oven! 

We love to camp so we can relax in camp and shoot the bull ... 

Salmon River beach scene! Won't need the sun tarp this time of year ... 

Morels are happening! 

Hi all,

The weather looks pretty darn nice for Memorial Day weekend! Highs in the mid-70s to 80s in the lower elevations, and highs in the high 60s and low 70s in the mountains. Very little chance of precipitation. So, hey, time to load up the rig with all of your camping gear for the official launch of the camping season over Memorial Day weekend.

The Idaho Statesman outdoors team pulled together a nice summary of the camping, road and trail conditions in the Boise, Payette and Sawtooth national forests in today's paper. The upshot seems to be that trails, roads and campgrounds below 6,500-foot elevation are open for Memorial Day weekend activities, and sites above that elevation are more iffy or closed by snow. Bull Trout Lake is closed by snow, for example, and so are Deadwood Reservoir and the Trinity Mountains.

Here are my 10 rock-solid ideas for Memorial Day camping and outings:

• Camping in the Owyhees should be fine, but be forewarned, the rattlesnakes are emerging. See my spring camping blog post from March ... places like Bruneau Dunes State Park, Leslie Gulch, Succor Creek State Park or the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area would all be good bets. 
• Camping near Idaho City should be great. Take the Rabbit Creek Road into the North Fork of the Boise River or the Middle Fork of the Boise River. There are tons of self-support dispersed camping areas in both river corridors. Keep an eye on your kids. The rivers are running high. 
• Camping near Stanley should be fine, too, at low elevations. Stanley Lake Campground is open. So are the campgrounds at the ever-popular Redfish Lake and vicinity. Can't beat the view!   
• Morel mushrooms are popping up in the Boise National Forest and Payette National Forest. Morels are delicious and easy to identify. Look for them between 4,500 and 5,500 elevation. Might be good pickings in the Pony and Elk complex fire zones from last summer, but not sure how much of that is accessible to the public.  
• Another cool spring camping location is on the HUGE white sandy beaches along the Salmon River, upstream of Riggins. There are numerous big beaches up there where you can set up a great camp, hang out by the river, do some floating on the Salmon and/or go hiking. The hike on the Wind River Trail via the Wind River Pack Bridge about 25 miles upstream of Riggins has a number of switchbacks as you climb higher and higher up the Salmon River canyon. The trail eventually leads into the Gospel Hump Wilderness, but you probably won't get that far. That'd be a great hike right now.
• If you're in the Riggins area, the hike up Rapid River is a sweet one, too. The trailhead is about two miles south of Riggins. I just saw some beautiful photos from some folks who went backpacking in the Rapid River last weekend. 
• Camping in Lake Cascade State Park should be dandy as well. If you go to Cascade, the Crown Point Trail is a great family friendly hike or bike ride for all abilities and ages. It's about 3 miles one-way to a temporary dead-end, and 3 miles back. You also can go biking or hiking on the The Strand, a two-mile trail along the North Fork of the Payette River in Cascade. Very pretty spot, and it's next to Kelly's Whitewater Park. 
• Idaho has lots of great state parks! Visit the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation web site to check out the camping opportunities. I've mentioned Lake Cascade and Bruneau Dunes, but there's also Three Island Crossing State Park, Ponderosa State Park and Thousand Springs State Park to consider in SW Idaho.  

Those are a few ideas to chew on ... Have fun!
- SS

Head's up! General deer season opens today, ducks Saturday; here's a few places to avoid the cross-fire

Rifle hunting seasons are kicking in statewide as of today ... 

Hi all,

Well, it's that time of year again ... General deer season opens statewide today, Thursday, Oct. 10, and it runs through the end of the month in many areas, including Unit 39 in the Boise River Mountains area. Duck season opens on Saturday, so if you planned on going for a hike near Swan Falls, be aware that duck hunters might be hiking out there, too, jump-shooting ducks.

Rifle elk season kicks in on Nov. 1-9 in Unit 39, and in some areas, such as in the McCall area, elk season overlaps with a portion of deer season, from Oct. 15 through Nov. 3.

The upshot is if you want to go camping, backpacking, hiking or mountain biking in the backcountry this coming weekend, you should expect to see hunters, hear gunfire, and harvested animals hanging in camp. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, then consider going to places where you won't encounter hunters. See below.

Put some bright colors on your pup, too ... 

At this time of year, from a safety standpoint, it's smart to wear bright colors, like a blaze-orange hat, and a bright-colored coat. If you're taking your dog with you, put some type of blaze orange garment on your pet to prevent a bad accident.

Check the Idaho Department of Fish and Game hunting page to check on the hunting seasons where you are planning a backcountry adventure. The hunting seasons are set up according to big game unit. It'll take a few minutes to figure out the regulations. They are very complicated to say the least, and in general, the seasons are tied to specific animals, such as deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, wolves, moose, etc. 

Here are a two places where you will not see hunters: 

• Lower Boise Foothills Trails - Any of the lower foothills trails should be safe, except for the lower trails near Harris Ranch ... those trails are in the Boise River Wildlife Management Areas, and you will see hunters out there. 
• Idaho State Parks - All of the state parks are closed to hunting. And they're not affected by the federal shutdown.  
• Boise River Greenbelt - This is a safe bet for the length of the pathway from Eagle to Lucky Peak. 
• Wood River Trail - The paved Wood River Trail from Bellevue to Ketchum is a safe place to go, too. The colors might be turning in the Wood River Valley, too. 

Places where you will see hunters? All national forests, BLM lands, Owyhee Canyonlands, Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Area, etc.  

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Pack the house for Boise Foothills open space concert next Wednesday! It starts at 7 p.m. at the Visual Arts Collective in Garden City. Steve Fulton and Shon Sanders, Bill Coffey and Special Guests will play music. This is a fund-raiser for the open space campaign. Plus, volunteers can get signed up to help with the campaign. Tell your friends. See you there! 

---------------------------------

On Saturday, SWIMBA will be doing more work on the super-cool Mahalo Trail on the Boise Ridge. People are meeting at Highlands Elementary School at 10 a.m. to carpool to the trailhead. Bring sturdy shoes, work gloves and a lunch. 

Have fun out there!
- SS 

Do you care about Idaho State Parks? If so, tell your legislators

Henry's Lake State Park

Farragut State Park, Lake Pend Oreille

City of Rocks National Reserve

Bruneau Dunes State Park

Some of you may remember when Gov. Otter unveiled his state budget in early January. He proposed to zero-fund the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, sell off the IDPR headquarters by Shakespeare and the Boise River, and absorb the agency into the Idaho Department of Lands.

Quite a few people came unglued.

Because of the outcry, Gov. Otter has back-tracked on eliminating IDPR, and he wants to keep all 30 Idaho State Parks open. But he has proposed a draconian 80% budget cut for IDPR, which will put our State Parks in a precarious position from an operations and safety perspective.

For campers and visitors, the cuts will mean:

- Reduced visitor hours

- Some parks will be closed seasonally

- Bathrooms will get cleaned less often

- Skeleton staff levels for parks

- Park facilities falling into disrepair

- Potential safety issues

I've been involved in forming a new private nonprofit group called Friends of Idaho Parks & Recreation in hopes of building broader public support for IDPR, State Parks and the agency's recreation programs. People who love state parks and its recreation programs need to convince Gov. Otter and the Idaho Legislature that we don't want to ruin our state parks to balance the state budget.

Most agencies are looking at 15-20% cuts. For IDPR, it's 80%. Does that seem fair? Does that seem right?

If you're concerned, please write the budget committee members in the Idaho Legislature and let them know how you feel.

Here is a column I wrote recently urging people to take action on Facebook. Follow those links for emails of legislators and talking points. There is a fan page for Friends of Idaho State Parks. Please join.

The Legislature's budget committee will set IDPR's budget on Monday morning. Please write your email prior to 8 a.m. Monday.

Thanks!

- SS