Idaho

[longhorn1]

Starting to plan a 2019 fall trip to Idaho for 5-6 days. I need ideas on the following:
* Scenic drives. We will be driving from Montana and back into Montana.
* Places to camp where I can grab my fly rod and be in the river in a few minutes, dispersed preferred.
* Towns to visit. Have been told McCall is a neat town
* Hot springs
* Information on Hwy 12 Lolo Pass

Any other info would be welcome.

Thanks,. jd

 

[Cayuse]

Big state, long border with Montana, what time of year?

The Magruder Corridor and Lolo Motorway would both be worth checking out but probably not until July. If you get into August you'll start seeing smoke from all the western fires, or at least that's been the pattern the last 5-6 years.

The North Fork of the Clearwater drainage could easily occupy a week, Ski3pin posted a great trip report on it, I've spent time in there kayaking and rafting. From there north the St Joe and N.F. of the Coeur d'Alene both are well regarded for fly fishing and the drive along the east side of Lake Pend Oreille has some spectacular views.

All of this is well north of McCall and the hot springs pretty much stop at Hwy 12. Goldbug/Elk Bend is a great hot spring between Salmon and Challis but a bit of a hike, Weir Creek is nice if it isn't overrun and is a short hike from Hwy 12, Last Chance between Riggins and McCall used to be nice but last I heard access was closed off by the property owners. There are also a number of springs along the S.F. of the Payette and along the Salmon around Stanley (BTW Stanley may be one of the most beautifully situated towns in the country). Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest is a book you might find handy.

 

[longhorn1]

Big state, long border with Montana, what time of year?

The Magruder Corridor and Lolo Motorway would both be worth checking out but probably not until July. If you get into August you'll start seeing smoke from all the western fires, or at least that's been the pattern the last 5-6 years.

The North Fork of the Clearwater drainage could easily occupy a week, Ski3pin posted a great trip report on it, I've spent time in there kayaking and rafting. From there north the St Joe and N.F. of the Coeur d'Alene both are well regarded for fly fishing and the drive along the east side of Lake Pend Oreille has some spectacular views.

All of this is well north of McCall and the hot springs pretty much stop at Hwy 12. Goldbug/Elk Bend is a great hot spring between Salmon and Challis but a bit of a hike, Weir Creek is nice if it isn't overrun and is a short hike from Hwy 12, Last Chance between Riggins and McCall used to be nice but last I heard access was closed off by the property owners. There are also a number of springs along the S.F. of the Payette and along the Salmon around Stanley (BTW Stanley may be one of the most beautifully situated towns in the country). Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest is a book you might find handy.

Thanks

 

[Tahoems]

Hwy 12 Lochsa River is a good corridor to kill 2 or 3 nights. Riverfront campgrounds. Wasn't too busy for us in early August. The fish made me work hard to find them but they're in there. Bought a license and had a drink at Lochsa Lodge and thought that would be a good spot to rent a cabin if we ever go back. Campsites are nearby there too. Hwy 12 is long and windy and it's worth taking time here. The lower reaches of the river have deeper holes and presumably more fish.

 

[Foy]

Both Weir Hot Springs and Jerry Johnson Hot Springs are along US 12 within a short distance from Lolo Pass. The commercially developed Lolo HS is near the pass, too. I've never visited any of the 3 but from reading various hot springs forums I've heard weekdays are best at the first two and that each of those involves a short hike in.

The Magruder Corridor and the Lolo Motorway each draw lots of attention and generally rave reviews. Either one, but particularly the Magruder, may see snow by September. Elk season in ID can be expected to impact the Magruder in particular as outfitters guide their clients within designated zones during the season.

It seems that Ski hit it dead on during his visits to Gold Bug and Sharkey's Hot Springs. Especially at Gold Bug, weekdays and EARLY seem to be the keys to a more quiet and enjoyable soak. I visited both on the same weekday in July 2011 and it was terrific.

For last month's fly-n-drive I considered a day long loop west of US 93 to visit Horse Creek HS just inside ID from access via Painted Rocks SP in Montana. We ultimately decided not to go to Salmon, ID so we abandoned that day's thoughts. Horse Creek HS has a NF campground right by it and weekdays should see little to no use--but elk season perhaps modifying that generality. Entering from the MT side and departing down the ID side involves a 4,500' banzai descent to the Salmon River just upstream of Shoup. I'm told it's all graded gravel FS and county road, but it's narrow, steep, and includes a dozen or more big switchbacks. Maybe not ideal for long-wheelbase pickups with even a short-tongue trailer.

Last year, I believe WTW'er Buckland enjoyed his traverse of Idaho's Panther Creek/Morgan Creek route (around 50 miles?) between the Salmon River downstream of Shoup and coming out on US 93 just north of Challis.

As far as I know, Stanley ID enjoys a reputation as a fun little village and the hot springing opportunities around Stanley are numerous.

Back in Montana, we've always enjoyed Philipsburg and the Grasshopper Valley. The venerable Grasshopper Inn has re-opened under new (old) ownership (seller-financed deal in 2006 (?) resulted in foreclosure and re-taking in 2018). We met the new (old) owner last month and he seems on track to re-establish the GI as a village of sorts in the otherwise very remote Grasshopper. Nearby in the Big Hole, we understand the Jackson Hot Springs Resort is under new ownership and may have now just reopened. It's the only game in town in Jackson, and a few years ago it was a fun watering hole with a fine restaurant. Wisdom looks fun with Fetty's and a couple of other places now open.

For an ultimate Montana NF camping experience, we recommend Twin Lakes and Miner Lakes along the western edge of the Big Hole and accessed from MT 278.. We stayed at Twin Lakes for 3 nights in 2015 and it was splendid with fish rising in the mornings and evenings right at our 7,500' elevation doorstep and with the inlet creek teeming with voracious brookies. We did a drive-through of Miner Lakes CG last month and will be returning there for a stay at some point. A mile or three up from Miner Lakes is a CDT trailhead leading to Rock Island Lakes, a hiking and fishing destination high on my list.

A short distance past the last turn-off to Twin Lakes CG is a dead-end at the trailhead leading to the Ajax Mine, Ajax Lake, and Ajax Peak. The latter is where Hank Williams Jr almost lost his life in a 400' slide down a snow bank onto a talus slope in 1975(?). It takes a good 2 hours out of Jackson or Wisdom to reach the trailhead by vehicle nowadays and going there reminds you that mistakes can readily be fatal in remote areas of the West.

Foy

 

[Stray Dog]

From Cascade Idaho you can take National Forest road 22 east toward Warm Lake. Before reaching the short turnoff to Warm Lake take road 493 north along the south fork of the Salmon River. There are a number of hotsprings, developed and not, available with easy trail access off of the road. There are some nice tubs and pools at some of the springs.

If you fish, don't eat the Bull Trout.

It's on a different road (road 467 I think) from Warm Lake but the end of the road community of Yellow Pine can also be a interesting place to explore.

 

[kmcintyre]

As others stated Lolo Motorway is cool but sometimes not open until mid-late July. I've mtn biked it and heard it's a lot better than Magurder (for what that's worth but it's come from a lot of people). I agree with the other poster... N. Fork Clearwater is very cool and good fishing back there. McCall is fun but I'd go other places but we go up there a few time a year to visit friends.

 

[longhorn1]

Thanks for the great input. I have laid out a preliminary plan. Driving from Indiana to Ennis, MT, fishing the Madison and camping just south of Ennis. Taking the Gravelly Ridge Rd. South to the Centennial Valley and East to the Henry's Fork for a couple days of fishing. Headed to Crater of the Moon NM for a day, then onto Stanley for a couple days of fishing the Salmon River and spending time in Stanley. Up through McCall, fishing the Clearwater, Lochsa, and Selway Rivers, taking 12 into Missoula and then onto Big Timber to visit cousins and fish the Boulder River at one of my cousins cabin. Plenty of time to adjust.

 

[Foy]

Epic!

 

[longhorn1]

Epic!

Need to plug a hot spring in there. [emoji16]

 

[kmcintyre]

Thanks for the great input. I have laid out a preliminary plan. Driving from Indiana to Ennis, MT, fishing the Madison and camping just south of Ennis. Taking the Gravelly Ridge Rd. South to the Centennial Valley and East to the Henry's Fork for a couple days of fishing. Headed to Crater of the Moon NM for a day, then onto Stanley for a couple days of fishing the Salmon River and spending time in Stanley. Up through McCall, fishing the Clearwater, Lochsa, and Selway Rivers, taking 12 into Missoula and then onto Big Timber to visit cousins and fish the Boulder River at one of my cousins cabin. Plenty of time to adjust.

Gravelly is very cool. Ennis is great! Everything else is great too. On the Clearwater (Kelly Creek?) the fishing was very productive but for me is was better further downstream from Kelly Creek but it was great scenery, etc. Near Stanley you could fish Big Wood, Lost River, Silver Creek too.

 

[Foy]

Need to plug a hot spring in there. [emoji16]

Developed hot springs just southwest of Bozeman (Bozeman HS, a few miles south down US 191, south of where MT 84 turns west towards US 287 to Norris and Ennis). Another developed one at Norris (Norris HS looks delightfully funky to Bozeman's more polished look). Though I've never set foot in the area of Stanley, ID, I understand there are a slew of natural and developed HSs in that part of Idaho. Of course you're coming right past two naturals (Weir and Jerry Jones) and one developed (Lolo) HSs as you head back up US 12 re-entering Montana.

Go for it JD!

Foy

 

[searching for nowhere]

If you want to take the back roads to McCall, note that FS Road 674 is paved starting at the Lick Creek Road southward. I'm not sure if it is paved all the way to Warm Lake. Most maps show it as a gravel road. The high elevations of Lick Creek Road shows lots of exposed granite. Very scenic if you like rocks.

 

[longhorn1]

Thanks

 

[clikrf8]

We enjoyed the area around Salmon and Challis. Highway 26 then looped through Little Lost River Valley. We drove Lemhi Pass into Montana and went up to 10,000’ elevation Meadow Lake campground stopping at Gilmore ghost town which had interesting buildings but the RVs spoiled the ambiance, Birch Creek Charcoal Kilns (spent the night) and just drove around. A beautiful uncrowded state if you stay north and south of Boise.

I believe next fall, the plan is to drive through the very southern portion through the lower Sawtooths, dip down into Jarbidge then head east to Bear Lake. We then plan to explore High Uintas, Eastern part of Dinosaur N M, then Rangely, CO area for rock art. So many places off the beaten path.

 

[longhorn1]

We enjoyed the area around Salmon and Challis. Highway 26 then looped through Little Lost River Valley. We drove Lemhi Pass into Montana and went up to 10,000’ elevation Meadow Lake campground stopping at Gilmore ghost town which had interesting buildings but the RVs spoiled the ambiance, Birch Creek Charcoal Kilns (spent the night) and just drove around. A beautiful uncrowded state if you stay north and south of Boise.

I believe next fall, the plan is to drive through the very southern portion through the lower Sawtooths, dip down into Jarbidge then head east to Bear Lake. We then plan to explore High Uintas, Eastern part of Dinosaur N M, then Rangely, CO area for rock art. So many places off the beaten path.

Great ideas, thanks

 

[buckland]

Just reading this makes me stir crazy! I want to go!... Have to put the camper in the barn for the winter tomorrow but I love reading these trip planning threads and the trip reports... All winter to plan next year. WTW is wonderful.
You will have a fantastic time from the sound of it,