Idaho and Montana July 2011

CO

Cort

Captain Moderation
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
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422
Location
Near Arcata, CA/Northern CA
Well my wife's family is having a reunion in Great Falls, MT between the 22nd and 25th of July so I have begun planning one of our summer trips around it. I have not spent much time in Idaho or Montana besides fairly quick drives through and spending some time in Glacier. We will have about 2.5 weeks on either side of the reunion to explore as we wish. Here are my initial thoughts so I am curious of what others think that have more experience in the area.

--Willow Cr, Ca to Alturas, CA Via 299
Grab 395 north and spend one of our first nights somewhere in the Warner Mountains.

-- Two choices here, continue on 395 toward Burns, OR or hop over the Warners and take OR 140 to OR 205 then north to Burns. Anyone have opinions on that one?

--From Burns we are thinking of heading toward Boise. Its seems like the area north of Boise is ripe to explore...Challis, Payette, Boise, and Salmon National Forest. Other option is to head North on OR 95 out of Ontario Oregon

That is about as far as I have gotten. Once you are out in this area it almost becomes overwhelming...there are so many options.

Here is what we are looking for

1. Dirt roads....the more the better
2. Prefer not to stay in large organized camp grounds but don't mind if they are
small. We mostly just finds camp spots while driving dirt roads.
3. I want to do as much fly fishing as possible. I prefer small to mid size
rivers and creeks as well as small lakes especially when they are at high
elevation.
4. We are looking to link forest service roads to travel between camp spots and
fishing spots.

If anyone has some must see spots in this general area (I know its a big area) I would love to hear about them. Any local advice would be great.

Also if you are planning on being in this area in July let us know we always like to meet other WTW'sters and enjoy traveling with others.

Cort
 
I found Niagara Springs W of Twins Falls to be unique, water gushing from canyon walls. There is boondocking along the river, don't know about fishing but looks like opportunities.
 
Thanks Barko I will Take a look at that.

Cort

I found Niagara Springs W of Twins Falls to be unique, water gushing from canyon walls. There is boondocking along the river, don't know about fishing but looks like opportunities.
 
The Magruder Corridor and the Lolo Motorway look interesting. Hopefully by the end of July all the snow will be gone. Anyone had any experience on either of these drives? A few posts on Expedition Portal about it

Cort
 
Had to step in on this subject!
for your first true trip to Idaho there is only one area you need to explore in the amount of time you have and what you want to do.
Head to Boise load up on supplies leave town on highway 55 once you get to Horseshoe Bend you are along the Payette
river you can now start fishing and camping at a new spot every day until you run out of time!
Follow 55 tell you get to Banks (about 40 miles from Boise)turn right on Banks Lowman rd towards Crouch Id.this road follows the Payette almost all the way to Stanley Id.but wait you said you wanted back roads fly fishing.high lakes remote camping continue through Garden Valley Id. (we lived there for ten years)follow the road until you come to forest road 555 about 10 miles past airstrip.turn left this forest road lets you travel the back country to Deadwood reservoir and on to Stanley on forest road 579.
Now that you are near Stanley the fishing even gets better Lakes, more lakes, more streams, more rivers,more remote camping,more hotsprings,!
If this sounds like what you are after get yourself a copy of the Idaho atlas & gazetteer has all the topos that show all the backroads,forest roads etc.
with a little planning you can go from Horeshoe Bend to Salmon Idaho and do it on 95% forest roads.(we have done it many times)I am sure someone else will chime in that knows this area and ad to my suggestions.
All the above area is National forest so is wide open for public use PLEASE treat it with respect.
Drive slow and enjoy "its the journey"
Les,Lqhikers
 
--Willow Cr, Ca to Alturas, CA Via 299
Grab 395 north and spend one of our first nights somewhere in the Warner Mountains.

-- Two choices here, continue on 395 toward Burns, OR or hop over the Warners and take OR 140 to OR 205 then north to Burns. Anyone have opinions on that one?


Cort


Cort, after poking about in the Warners, I would take 140 to Adel and head north to Plush through Hart Mountain Antalope Range (hot spring!) and then over on dirt to OR205 south of Frenchglen. Drive a few miles south on 205 and take the loop-road over Steens back around to Frenchglen. There are a number of small campgrounds on Steens plus BLM land in the area. Grab a shower at the resort in Frenchglen and try Donner und Blitzen River for fishing.

From there, head up to Burns. This part of Oregon is all salt lakes, dry lakes, and playas left over from the ice age but fresh water streams flow to them from Steens. MarkBC is over there now.

Have a great trip!

Stew
 
Cort, there is a good map of the Steens right here at WtW.

http://www.wanderthewest.com/index.php/areas?area=62
 
Cort maybe on your return trip home you might take the Lolo Pass road hwy US 12 west.There are nice camping and fishing stops there on the Lochsa river. If your are lucky there are moose there. Nice camping and fishing spots on the Clear Water river also which follows 12.west toward Lewiston than you pick up 395 south,or take US 95 south to US 20.Lots of choices.We drove back from Yellowstone last June by way of Salmon,Stanley and Bosie.Nice drive and as posted lots of back roads.

Have a good trip.

Frank
 
Had to step in on this subject!
for your first true trip to Idaho there is only one area you need to explore in the amount of time you have and what you want to do.
Head to Boise load up on supplies leave town on highway 55 once you get to Horseshoe Bend you are along the Payette
river you can now start fishing and camping at a new spot every day until you run out of time!
Follow 55 tell you get to Banks (about 40 miles from Boise)turn right on Banks Lowman rd towards Crouch Id.this road follows the Payette almost all the way to Stanley Id.but wait you said you wanted back roads fly fishing.high lakes remote camping continue through Garden Valley Id. (we lived there for ten years)follow the road until you come to forest road 555 about 10 miles past airstrip.turn left this forest road lets you travel the back country to Deadwood reservoir and on to Stanley on forest road 579.
Now that you are near Stanley the fishing even gets better Lakes, more lakes, more streams, more rivers,more remote camping,more hotsprings,!
If this sounds like what you are after get yourself a copy of the Idaho atlas & gazetteer has all the topos that show all the backroads,forest roads etc.
with a little planning you can go from Horeshoe Bend to Salmon Idaho and do it on 95% forest roads.(we have done it many times)I am sure someone else will chime in that knows this area and ad to my suggestions.
All the above area is National forest so is wide open for public use PLEASE treat it with respect.
Drive slow and enjoy "its the journey"
Les,Lqhikers



Good to hear from you Les.

Frank
 
Thanks for the ideas guys.....great information here. I had been looking at many of the areas mentioned...time to sit down with the Atlas and start plotting courses.

Anyone else out there feel free to chime in.....the more suggestions the better. I just ordered this book from amazon Idaho Backroads. Looks like it will have some good suggestions as well.

More to come later,

Cort
 
What do you think about that book Idaho Backroads? I have one on backroads in Utah that must weigh 5 pounds. Full of very detailed info on most dirt roads in that state. Hubby has a cousin in St. Marys we want to visit in August.
 
Cort -
I endorse Stew's suggested route -- it's all over my favorite area in Oregon (I just got home from there).
A variation I might suggest is to continue east on 140 at Adel (instead of going north) to Denio Jct., and then head north on 205 at Denio Junction up to Fields, Oregon -- stop at the Fields Cafe for fuel and/or lunch...or at least a milkshake (tell them Mark-from-Bend sent ya) then continue up the east side of Steens Mt along the Alvord Desert. The Alvord Desert stretch is about 40+ miles of good, high-speed, graded gravel/dirt -- plus a few miles of pavement at each end.
Of course, heading straight up 395 from Lakeview to Burns is MUCH MUCH shorter...but if you're looking for a more-scenic "exploring route" then consider either Stew's or my route.
- Mark
 
Cort -
I endorse Stew's suggested route -- it's all over my favorite area in Oregon (I just got home from there).
A variation I might suggest is to continue east on 140 at Adel (instead of going north) to Denio Jct., and then head north on 205 at Denio Junction up to Fields, Oregon -- stop at the Fields Cafe for fuel and/or lunch...or at least a milkshake (tell them Mark-from-Bend sent ya) then continue up the east side of Steens Mt along the Alvord Desert. The Alvord Desert stretch is about 40+ miles of good, high-speed, graded gravel/dirt -- plus a few miles of pavement at each end.
Of course, heading straight up 395 from Lakeview to Burns is MUCH MUCH shorter...but if you're looking for a more-scenic "exploring route" then consider either Stew's or my route.
- Mark


Thanks Mark...that is pretty much what I am planning.....I do enough blasting up and down 395 to want a change. I have a good idea of what the Warners are all about after last years rally there. We did enough exploring up there to get a real good feel for the place. I certainly know 395 from Lakeview to Burns so its time to try something else. What do you think the temps are going to be like in the Alvord in mid to late July....pretty hot I am expecting. I think what I am going to do is plan a stop in the Steens either going or coming depending on what the temps are at the time. I have noticed you spend a lot of time out there....lucky you :D

I look forward to exploring up there a bit more.

Thanks for the info,

Cort
 
What do you think the temps are going to be like in the Alvord in mid to late July....pretty hot I am expecting. I think what I am going to do is plan a stop in the Steens either going or coming depending on what the temps are at the time. I have noticed you spend a lot of time out there....lucky you :D
Cort


Cort -
Yeah it'll probably be hot at the Alvord in July, but not California/Arizona-desert hot. On the other hand, the Steens Mt loop road may only barely be snow-free by then -- it's been a good snow year up here, too, and they generally let nature take its course (i.e., they don't force -- plow -- it open). Call Burns BLM to ask about the condition of Steens Loop Rd.

If you take the Alvord Desert route, then where that road ends at OR 78 you'd head east on 78 to its junction with US 95 then take 95 north to I84, etc.
Whatever route you take in southeast Oregon...I don't need to tell you (but I will anyway
biggrin.gif
) that opportunities to fill up with gas/diesel are scarce...and little crossroads that supposedly have vehicle fuel periodically go out of business and then don't have fuel anymore....(which is why I was glad to win the Fuel Can Holder a couple of months ago!) But there's probably nothing special about SE Oregon in that respect, so you know what to do.

Yeah, I'm enough of a regular in the Alvord area, over enough years, that they know me by name at the Fields Cafe -- it's nice.
smile.gif
 
Well I finally got my copy of Idaho Back Roads and so far it looks pretty good. It is a bit different than the other back roads books that I own. It is a bit more artful and have some extremely good pictures in it. So far it is doing what I hoped....giving me general descriptions of areas...highlights and some must see locations. It has also helped me narrow down some routes, more on that later

Cort
 
Well I finally got around to figuring out some of the possible places I will be visiting in Idaho. Dates are still a bit up in the air but we will be out there sometime in mid to late July through early to mid August.

Thanks to DD who upgraded the system making it possible to post *.kmz files. If you are unfamiliar with kmz files you will need Google Earth to open them. If anyone is going to be out in the area around that time and feels like meeting up let me know. As soon as I have firm dates I will post up.

Cort

View attachment Idaho Trip July 2011.kmz
 
So Cort, I looked at your Google earth file. Are going to visit Yellow Pine, ID in July?


Yep we will be there sometime between July 18 and the end of the month

Cort
 
Cort, just caught my attention because the Lady & I will be doing a six day backpack just northeast of there starting around the 16th. After coming out from that trip we are moving over to the Sawtooths and going in for another backpack.
 
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