Great Basin National Park - Nevada

We stopped for two nights at the Border Inn and Campground in Baker, Nevada. After driving 300 miles south from Twin Falls, we followed US 50, aka "The Loneliest Road" to this tiny town in the middle of nowhere.

 

Great Basin National Park is a great little place. The National Park is so named for its lack of drainage. Its streams and rivers mostly find no outlet to the sea. The actual basin, centered on Nevada, stretches from California's Sierra Nevada Mountains to Utah's Wasatch Mountains.  Founded as a National Park in 1986, the park offers two main activities; the beautiful Lehman Caves and the 12 mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. 

 

LEHMAN CAVES

We made reservations online for the 90 minute Grand Palace Tour of this ornate marble cave. 

Lehman Cave Natural Entrance, discovered in 1885.

This is a cave shield called a Parachute.

 

WHEELER PEAK SCENIC DRIVE

View of 13,063 foot Wheeler Peak from the Mather Overlook.

 

BRISTLECONE TRAIL

The scenic drive ends at the base of Wheeler Peak. From that point, at over 10,000 feet, there are several trail heads. We decided on the 4.5 mile Bristlecone/Glacier Trail. This trail ascends into an ancient tree grove. These Bristlecone pines have twisted trunks that have been carved and polished by wind-driven snow and ice. Some of these trees are over 4,000 years old. The oldest one, Prometheus, lived for almost 5,000 years until it was cut down in 1964 as part of a climate study before this was a National Park.

The dead Bristlecone Pines may remain standing for over 500 years.

Even after most of its trunk and branches die, a Bristlecone pine can continue to survive.

Bristlecone Pine Interpretive Trail.

The tree holds onto its needles for 20 to 30 years.

We saw this mule deer as we started down the mountain.

Touring South West Idaho

We left Farragut on Wednesday, September 4th, stopping for two nights at Lake Cascade State Park near the town of Cascade, Idaho. After passing through Boise, our next stop was Three Island Crossing State Park in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, for three nights. The Oregon Trail crossed the Snake River at Three Island Crossing. The state park has a very nice museum to educate the public on this historically significant point on the Oregon Trail.

The museum had an interesting video and excellent displays.

 

MINIDOKA NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

This is the site of the Minidoka War Relocation Center which housed over 13,000 internees of Japanese decent during World War II. Not much of this 33,000 acre site remains. The center is just north of Twin Falls, Idaho.

 

SHOSHONE FALLS

Shoshone is a waterfall on the Snake River near the city of Twin Falls, Idaho. Sometimes called the "Niagara of the West," Shoshone Falls is 212 feet  high—45 feet higher than Niagara Falls—and flows over a rim nearly 1,000 feet wide.

Dierkes Lake above the Shoshone Falls

 

BRUNEAU DUNES STATE PARK

The tallest sand dune in North America rises 470 feet above small lakes in the high desert south of Mountain Home, Idaho.

Hitched Up and Ready To Go

Green Bluff, Washington

Each year in August we start taking bi-weekly road trips to Green Bluff which is about 50 miles from Farragut State Park. This farming community of over 20 growers produces outstanding fruit and vegetables available through fruit markets and self-pick orchards. The season starts every year with strawberries and cherries. The first peaches of the season, which starts in August, are the Blazing Star, a very sweet, juicy peach. This is our favorite. On our second visit we find Coral Star peaches. A case of peaches lasts us about two weeks if kept in the refrigerator. We have enjoyed their peaches, corn, cherries, green pepper, new potatoes, blueberries, apples, pears and wonderful tomatoes.

Harvest House

Picking New Haven Peaches at 11 Acres Farm

 

Mt. Spokane State Park

On August 25 Washington State had free State Park Day. So we decided to take a drive up to Mt. Spokane State Park on our way to Green Bluff. The state park sits at an elevation of 5886 feet.

Vista House at the Top of Mt. Spokane

From the top we could see the water towers at Farragut State Park as well as Lake Pend Oreille and Spirit Lake.

 

Dinner Over The Wood Fire

We had many a good meal cooked over our wood fire grill.

 

Closing the Museum for the Season

Closed for the Season

Summer 2019 Memories

JIM AND CATHY VISIT NORTH IDAHO

Virginia's sister, Cathy, and husband came for a visit the second week of July. We had beautiful weather and a wonderful time visiting and touring around this gorgeous area. They stayed at the Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast in Athol, about six miles from our Park. We enjoyed sitting around the campfire in the evening. Kurt put his wood fire grilling to the test by making chicken and baked potatoes one evening on the fire ring.

Cabinet Gorge Dam on the Clark Fork

Cathy and Mac

 

On Wednesday, we took a six hour cruise on Lake Coeur D'Alene. This full day cruise took us the entire length of the lake into the St. Joe River. We cruised down the St. Joe about 5 miles. From our boat we saw many animals, including bald eagles, osprey, white pelicans, western grebes, raccoons and deer. The weather was a bit overcast, but perfect for sitting up on the top deck. We still managed to get slightly sunburned.

Ship coming into port.

We brought our own picnic lunch on board.

St. Joe River is the highest navigable river in the world.

This bridge across the St. Joe river is part of the 72 mile Trail of Coeur d'Alene. This paved trail follows the closed Union Pacific Rail Line between the towns of Mullen and Plummer.

 

RIDE THE HIAWATHA

On our 42nd wedding anniversary we wanted to do something special. So we took a second ride of the Ride The Hiawatha. This 15 mile rail-to-trail is considered the "Crown Jewel" of bike trails. This trail includes 10 tunnels and 7 sky high steel trestles.  The best part, it is all downhill with a gentle grade of 1.6%. The trail drops about 1,000 feet through the Loop Creek Canyon within the Bitterroot Mountains. The trail is maintained by Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area on US National Forest Service land.

 

We rode this trail two years ago and really enjoyed it and knew we needed to repeat this wonderful adventure. We rented trail bikes from Lookout Pass and they delivered them to the trailhead for us. These included helmets and powerful headlights.

Beginning our ride with a 1.6 mile ride through the St. Paul Pass Tunnel. (Dark, Cold, Wet, Long)

Stopping for a picnic lunch.

Everywhere you look is a beautiful view.

One of the long trestles below. 

One of the short tunnels.

High above the valley on one of the trestles.

Bus to take us back up to the first tunnel, St. Paul Pass. Only 30 minutes by bus.

The bus lets us out at the east side of the St. Paul Pass Tunnel. We reclaim our bikes and ride back through to the parking lot. We both felt this last 1.6 miles in our seats.

 

AROUND THE BRIG

Brig Courtyard

Hudson Car Rally in July

We never saw so many Hudsons.

We had a wonderful summer at Farragut State Park. We will miss this outstanding area.