An Adventure through Idaho

August 17, 2016

Overall Mission: Two cousins heading to Seattle from Ohio by car, stopping at many National Parks along the way.

Miles Driven: 475 miles
Hours Driven: 9 hours
Goal of the Day: See as much of Idaho as possible while making our way to Oregon.
Journey: We drove from Jackson, Wyoming, to Idaho, visiting Craters of the Moon National Park, Ketchum, and Sun Valley, passing through Boise to Ontario, a town just across the Oregon border.

Animals Spotted: Horses, cows, osprey, sheep, hawks, and magpies

Lines from Songs Applicable to the Day: What song is this? Check it out!

• Into the great wide open…

Notable Sighting and Events:

• Fields of wheat

• Wild huckleberries (also found in products, such as jam, candy, and even beer all over Yellowstone and Idaho)

Huckleberries Near the Snake River in Idaho

• Crossing over the Snake River multiple times in Wyoming and Idaho (goes from Washington to Wyoming!)

The Snake River in Idaho

The Beauty of Wyoming:

• Before leaving, we drove around Jackson, Wyoming, which is a very charming, authentically western, and big small town. Definitely a spot to visit again.

• We witnessed a stunning view of the Teton Range as we drove around the other side of the mountains on our way out of Wyoming. The mountains in their glorious snow-covered beauty look like a vision of what I attribute to somewhere in Europe, perhaps Switzerland.

Teton Range in Wyoming

• The views driving out of Wyoming were gorgeous with breathtaking peaks and valleys. We felt very small in a grass and tree-covered green mountainous world.

The Green Hills of Wyoming

The Green Hills of Wyoming

The Beauty of Idaho:

• Initially in Idaho, we drove along rolling hills amidst mountains and forestry. We felt like we were driving inside or somehow inserted into a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Rolling Hills in Idaho

Heading into Rolling Hills in Idaho

Rolling Hills with Rain in the Distance in Idaho

Rolling Hills in Idaho; Blue Skies Emerge

Rolling Hills in Idaho

• Through much of our journey, we were driving across flat lands but could see mountains to our right and giant mounds to the left. We saw countless signs that read “Watch for Game” or “Watch for Stock,” but we saw no movement whatsoever.

Flat Lands in Idaho

• When we hit the town of Arco, Idaho, we hit tons of wind and tumbleweeds, and then we were driving into the great wide open.

Tumbleeed in Arco, Idaho

• We visited Craters of the Moon National Park, a mysterious lava rock yard with trees (some dead for years or decades, perhaps even longer), yellow flowers, then stretches of cinder, parts blooming with tiny orange and white flowers. Notable areas within the park were the Devils Orchard and Cinder Garden.

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho

• After emerging out of the Craters of the Moon area, we hit rolling green and yellow mountainous hills, in addition to green fields with lots of active, giant sprinklers.

Rolling Hills in Idaho

Rolling Hills in Idaho

• We stopped for food and drink in Ketchum, Idaho, neighboring the winter skiing community of Sun Valley and within the Sawtooth National Forest.

A Magpie in Sun Valley, Idaho

A Mountain with a Shape Resembling a Peace Sign in Sun Valley, Idaho

Downtown Ketchum, Idaho

A Rooftop Restaurant in Ketchum, Idaho

• We then drove through prairies before suddenly entering into darkness in the start of the Boise National Forest. We made our way to Ontario, Oregon, and called it a night.

Be Careful of Moose in Idaho