Tag: scenery

Stanley, Idaho Area – Part 3

More miscellaneous shots.

This photo set includes a couple Milky Way images from a very special evening for me. More info in the captions.

IDAHO. SEPTEMBER.

Stanley, Idaho Area – Part 1

Since I worked part-time for the summer, I was able to explore the surrounding area on my off days. I had never spent any significant time in Idaho before but found it to be really beautiful. More info in the captions.

IDAHO. JUNE-JULY.

Central Idaho

I continued traveling north in Idaho. On the way to my next stop, I saw the amazing Sawtooth Mountain Range for the first time.
It turned out my next campsite, outside the small town of Stanley, had an outstanding view of the Sawtooths. When I arrived, the specific site I had found on an app was occupied so I parked my rig and took a hike with Sadie to look for another site. While on our hike, I happened to meet up with two ladies who were also hiking, Anne & Katherine. Anne kindly invited me to come to her & her husband’s home a couple hours away for my next stop.
While I enjoyed first one site and then another with outstanding mountain views, I was also monitoring a Facebook page listing “workamping” jobs. To my surprise, I saw one that was just a few minutes from where I was camped. I contacted them, went for an in-person interview, and (later) got the job. It was a bit before I was to report, so I went on up to visit with Anne in McCall. On the way, I stayed one night above beautiful Lake Cascade (which had been my original destination in coming to Central Idaho). The next day, I made my way to Anne & Joe’s beautiful home. Their hospitality, including meals at an actual dining table, proper showers, and the opportunity to finally clean the mud off my rig from City of Rocks was much appreciated. McCall is a beautiful resort town with water and snow and golf playgrounds.
I may have overdone this gallery with mountain scenes, but I can’t get enough of them. The Tetons and the Sawtooths are ranked one and two in my book–not necessarily in that order.

IDAHO. JUNE.

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

From City of Rocks, I headed toward Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve with one overnight stay along the way. While I was still at City of Rocks, it had begun raining and the roads throughout are dirt. Upon my arrival to the camping spot I chose on the way to Craters, I realized the full extent to which those conditions had affected my rig. It may be strange to mention this, but the mud created by the rain on the dirt roads seemed like it contained some kind of adhesive! The mud that coated many parts of my rig had hardened–and I couldn’t get it off. My cleaning brushes were ineffective. I drive on dirty, muddy roads all the time, but this was like something I had never seen. Since there was no way to clean it, I just had to leave it that way. Fortunately, an angel with a hose and cleaning supplies (plus my elbow grease) came to my rescue several days later.

Craters of the Moon was a unique place. It’s so strange that this landscape is where it is. ‘Certainly does seem like another celestial location. As usual, no dogs are allowed on the paths, so I mostly drove around seeing as much as I could see with a couple short walks here and there.

This was one of the situations where finding public lands to camp was not practical, so I grabbed one of the last spots in the Preserve’s campground. This was also an unusual experience as it was located on volcanic rock.

CotM is an interesting place and certainly worth a visit if only for its uniqueness.

IDAHO. JUNE.

UT, WY Camping & Fossil Butte National Monument

The temperatures were getting high, so I started heading north. Using the apps, I found some nice campsites with beautiful views.

Also visited Fossil Butte National Monument. Found a good camping spot just outside it but the National Monument was so-so for me. The visitor center was well done but not much else to see.

As usual, I recommend clicking the first photo for a slideshow of larger photos (and captions).

I’ve also included a video below the gallery.

UTAH/WYOMING. JUNE.

Travel/Camping in UT, WY

Arches National Park

My favorite kind of landscape is definitely “green” but I must admit, Arches was amazing.

I stayed on public land about 15 minutes away. No amenities but easy to get in and out of.

Only one hike – to the famous Delicate Arch. I started late in the morning which I don’t recommend. It was the first of June and hot. I knew it would be, so I took as many “shade breaks” as I could. Seeing the famous arch was pretty neat. I would like to go again when it’s cooler, the light is a bit better, and I’m in better shape.

One nice feature I enjoyed photographically are the La Sal Mountains that provide a beautiful backdrop to many settings in Park.

I got a bit carried away with photos and took quite a few. Believe me, though, I left quite a few out of this post. Of the ones in the gallery, several are out of order but I’m just going to leave them.

There’s also a video at the bottom of the gallery.

UTAH. JUNE.

On the way to and in Arches National Park

Colorado Travel, Camping, & HAIL!

I traveled to the mountains just south of Denver to meet some friends. The most exciting event there – golf ball (plus) sized hail. It was amazing, destructive, and loud! Definitely the biggest hailstones I had ever seen. I included a video in addition to the photos in the gallery.

We decided to vacate that camping site and headed up through Colorado to Steamboat Springs, a place I hadn’t been to since the 90’s (a ski trip). We found the public land camping areas were still snow-covered so we ended up spending the night along a street in town, something I didn’t think was possible. But it went fine and we moved along the next morning.

The next day brought beautiful Colorado views while traveling across the state. Having parted ways with my traveling companions, I enjoyed one of my prettier campsites next. The sound of rushing water along with Colorado views can’t be beat.

Two videos are below the photo gallery.

COLORADO. MAY.

Swallows along the route. I felt like I was in Hitchcock’s “The Birds”
The biggest hailstones I’ve ever seen

COE & Wildlife Area Camping + Bent’s Old Fort NHS

I used an app to find Conchas Lake Corp of Engineers campground in New Mexico on my way to Colorado. There were only a couple people camping there and I looked everywhere for a place to pay but couldn’t find one. So, I assumed they were not charging. ‘Site with a lake view for no charge was nice.

I headed into Colorado next and found a camping site at Two Buttes State Wildlife Area. This site was in the middle of nowhere and it was wonderfully quiet and surrounded by wildflowers. I stayed for a few nights and saw one other human.

I stopped by Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, a former trading post on the Santa Fe Trail. Unfortunately, it was closed but it was worth a stop to read their kiosks and walk around the outside of the Fort. I would have enjoyed exploring this site; maybe another time.

Video at bottom of post, below gallery.

NEW MEXICO/COLORADO. MAY.

Two Buttes State Wildlife Area