10 last-minute ideas for Memorial Day getaways in Idaho

Wendy in the White Clouds

Hi all, 

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and if last year is any indication, it's going to be busy out there! 

Last week, I provided numerous trip-planning resources for deciding where to go in advance. Be sure you have a Plan B, Plan C and Plan D because the campsite you planned on snagging may be taken! 

So here are some suggestions on where to go: 

Snake River canyon singletrack

• Camping in the Owyhees should be excellent. Watch your step ... rattlesnakes may be emerging. Places like Leslie Gulch, Succor Creek State Park or the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area would all be good bets. Be sure to take my Owyhee Canyonlands guide with you for tips on hiking and biking near your camping destinations. 
• Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is opening this weekend. Around the Mountain trail is still snow-covered in places and is not open yet. But there are other trails to explore close to the base area, and the mountain coaster is open. And it'd be a fun place to go and hang out! Trails to Stack Rock and Eastside are open.
• Morel mushrooms are popping in the Boise and Payette national forests. Morels are delicious and easy to identify. The tricky part is where to find them! I was finding shrooms in the 5,000-foot range in the greater Valley County area last weekend. Any fresh burn areas can be excellent. See a recent blog post on morel-picking in burn zones.  

  

  Genuine Idaho morels
  

  
  
• Go fishing! Memorial Day is the annual kickoff to the summer fishing season. Many reservoirs, ponds and river sections have been freshly stocked. See the IDFG Fishing Planner to discover where to go fishing.
• Go car-camping on the North Fork or Middle Fork of the Boise River. Check on road conditions with the Idaho City Ranger District. See list of campgrounds that are open in the Boise National Forest. You can look for dispersed camping sites along the Middle Fork of the Boise River, driving up along Lucky Peak and Arrowrock and continuing upstream toward Atlanta. Do the self-support camping trip and pick your own spot.
• Go camping in the national forest. Look for low-elevation sites in the Boise, Payette or Sawtooth National Forest ... see the interactive map for more information.
• Salmon River beaches! A great spring camping location is on the sweet white sandy beaches along the Salmon River, upstream of Riggins. Get there early! It's popular! 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. Use caution around the Salmon River! 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. That'd be a great hike right now. Rapid River Trail is great in Riggins, too.
  
• Take a day hike in the Snake River canyon or in the front side of the Owyhees ... See my Owyhee Canyonlands guide, available at most outdoor stores and book stores. I'd recommend Little Jacks Creek, the West Fork Shoofly Quick Loop, Between the Creeks, Toy Pass hikes, Reynolds Creek, Wilson Creek, Jump Creek Canyon or Wildcat Canyon. Google any of those hikes and rides; I've blogged about all of them. Watch for snakes.
  
• Head up to the Lochsa River and go rafting on the biggest whitewater weekend of the year on the Lochsa.  

  

  Route of the Hiawatha inside the Taft Tunnel (Courtesy Lookout Pass)
  

  
  
• Ride the Route of the Hiawatha in Wallace. It's opening Friday. Highly recommend it! Family friendly!  
  
• Stay home and hike/ride/run in the Boise Foothills - It's super green, the wildflowers are out, and the trails are in great shape. Boise Ridge should be clearing of snow now.
  
• Stay close to home and go for a road bike ride. See my Boise Road Cycling Guide for ideas. 
• Stay close to home and check out the Memorial Day sales at your favorite local outdoor stores. There are usually some great deals to be had, at up to 50% discounts! 

There you have it! Have a great weekend no matter what you do!

 

While you're out there, be sure to Recreate Responsibly, be a good steward, practice leave-no-trace camping principles, etc. Thank you.

-SS

Give back to the earth on National Public Lands Day; volunteer to improve the land

Hi all,

Do you ever think about how wonderful it is to live in a state like Idaho that's richly endowed with public lands? I do. I've spent a lifetime trying to explore Idaho's national forests, state parks, state lands, BLM lands -- hiking, biking, camping, boating, skiing, backpacking, fishing, hunting, etc. etc. All of those adventures are what we live for. They give us a rich quality of life. Friendships. Hardship. Tons of fun! Thus, we should take a moment to cherish our public lands this weekend in observance of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Trail volunteers assembled for a similar project in the Big
Jacks Creek Wilderness last year. 

One way to do that is head out for an adventure. Another is to give back. The weather looks crummy, so you might consider giving back. There are a number of volunteer opportunities going on in SW Idaho as part of National Public Lands Day. 

My #1 pick is to help out with finishing a BLM trail into Shoofly Creek and Between the Creeks in the Little Jacks Wilderness, near Grand View. You can either camp out Friday night or meet up Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at the Poison Creek picnic area on Mud Flat Road, south of Grand View. The Idaho Trails Association is a project co-sponsor along with Boise REI and the Idaho Conservation League.

This year, the NPLD theme is to recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversaries of the Wilderness Act and Civil Rights Act. There will be speakers there to talk about both. 

Getting there: Take I-84 east of Boise to Simco Road. Turn right and drive to Grand View. At the T-junction in Grand View, turn left and drive to the signed right-hand turnoff for Mud Flat Road, the Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway. Follow Mud Flat on pavement and dirt until you seen the Poison Creek picnic area on the right. It's good gravel road for any 2WD to reach this point. 

Bring your rain gear. The BLM is serving breakfast and lunch. 

For more information, contact Dave Draheim, at the Boise BLM 208-384-3358 or ddraheim@blm.gov. 

• Volunteer to help enhance the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge for wildlife and visitors. Meet at the Deer Flat Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Saturday. For more information contact Kacey Kai at 467-9278.
• The BLM is leading a project to plant sagebrush seedlings on Kuna Butte near Kuna. There also will be birds of prey on display at lunchtime, a swainson's hawk, great-horned owl and gold eagle. For more information, contact Barb Forderhase of the BLM, 384-3485 or bforderhase@blm.gov.

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Looking for a used Stand up Paddle Board? I saw that Idaho River Sports is having a September blowout sale ... they're calling it, SUPtember. IRS actually has a whole bunch of sweet deals going on through the end of this month, including half-price SUP rentals and great discounts on SUPs, canoes and other gear. Check it out! 

Have fun!
-- SS