Warren Bridge Campground, Pinedale, WY and Wind River Range

Friday We moved to Warren Bridge BLM Campground that is about 20 miles north of Pinedale, WY.  The campground is on the banks of the Green River at 7600' elevation.  It is on a high plateau with the Wind River Range on the north, the Wyoming and Salt River Range to the southwest and the Gross Verdes and Snake Ranges to the northwest.  All have snowcapped peaks.

The drive over took us along the Snake River which we left last week in Idaho/Oregon.  So we have seen where the Snake joins the Columbia, and we have seen it across southern Idaho/Oregon on past trips.  We also floated the Snake in the Tetons several years back. It is truly a Snake, running south, west, north, south, west, north, west, south and then west again before joining the Columbia.  On the stretch along Palisades Reservoir there were Osprey nests on almost every power transmission poles/towers.  Fishing in the reservoir must be good.

There is an Osprey nest just across the river but we can’t tell if there are chicks in it.  The sheriff came by and talked to Linda and said there are moose in the area.  As there are plenty of willows along the river and wet areas it just may be favorable moose habitat. Later I talked with the host who said he has been with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for 30 years in Colorado.  He said that a bull and a cow wander through from time to time.  We will keep looking for whatever wildlife we can see.

The Green River is about 50 yards or so behind our site.  To the north you can see the Wind River Range.  

There is an Osprey nest across the river and we occasionally saw one of the pair diving or swooping down on the river for fish.  Couldn't tell if successful or not.

Bridge up river is Warren Bridge.

The views of the Wind River Range changed as the sun progressed across the sky.

View of the range in the evening.

Saturday we drove to Pinedale to check it out, do some laundry, and of course visit a quilt shop.  After Picking up some things at the grocery store we did the laundry.  Next it was the quilt shop where as required, Linda found something to buy.

No moose so far but there were a number of antelope between our campground and Pinedale.  Too far off for pictures.  Much of the highway is fenced on both sides to keep them off the highway.  Every so far there is an under or over pass for the wildlife to cross to the other side.

The campground host told us about a drive up past Fremont Lake (named after John C. but he was never there) to the end of the road if we wanted to get a great view of the Wind River Range.  We did and from the pictures you can see just how pretty it is.  The road ended at 9400’ elevation.

This is at 9300' and we continued on to the end of the road at about 94-9500' where there is a trailhead and small campground with a few corrals for horses.

View of one of the side canyons with a number of waterfalls.

The video provides a better look at the views.

Looking down at Fremont Lake.

Fremont and other smaller lakes below.

The wildflowers were everywhere.

 

Video of the Pinedale area which is at 7400'.  As it is a high plateau it is deceptive and doesn't seem that high except when catching your breath.

Quilt Shop, Challis Hot Springs and Stanley Lake

On Tuesday we moved from Lolo to Challis Hot Springs just south of Challis, ID.  We made a stop in Salmon, ID and you can guess what for.  The next picture may be a clue.  As it was Linda's birthday I couldn't refuse.

The hot spring pools are across the grassy area near the office and B&B.  The small pool is 107 degrees and the large pool is 102 degrees.  Most use the large pool and we may try it this evening.

Our site at Challis Hot Springs is under a large Cottonwood tree that provides nice shade during the day.

The Salmon River is right behind the campground..

Nice but the mosquitoes are thick as the sun starts to go down.  

Wednesday we took a drive up the Salmon River to Redfish Lake which is its source.  Nice lake but everyone and their relatives were there.  It was crawling with people.  The drive along the Salmon River was beautiful and we made a number of stops to take pictures and enjoy the views. 

As we approached the town of Stanley we got a magnificent view of the river and the Sawtooth Mountains.

Like I said Redfish Lake had too many people for my liking so we traveled west to Stanley Lake.  I had seen pictures of it on a blog I follow and it was stunning. Several campgrounds but it looked like only one that could accommodate our trailer.  It was nice though.

In the left of the video you can see a fisherman that had just tried to land a big fish.  His net was a little small and the fish got away.

On our way back we stopped near the little village of Sunbeam,  It was on the fork of the river where several mines were operated.  There are the remnants of the old dam across the Salmon River that washed out many years ago.

Linda checking out the view below the old dam.

Campground, Big Hole Battlefield National Historic Site, and Last Bus to Wisdom

We really like the Square Dance Center and RV Campground.  There are 22 Full Hookup 50 amp sites with at least another 8-10 30 amp and a number with electric and water.  In total it looks like at least 70 sites.  There is ample spacing between sites that are scattered among the pine trees..  Lolo Creek is behind the park with trails for pleasant walks.  There is even an 18 hole Wiffleball golf course.

The park is convenient to Lolo for shopping, restaurants and fuel.  It is just 8 miles south of Missoula and a gateway to the Bitterroot Valley.

Behind the campground along Lolo Creek.

Our site

Nearby sites

The Battlefield and Wisdom are on Hwy 43 east of US 93 at the end of the Bitterroot Valley.  Hwy 43 is at Lost Trail Pass at 7100 feet, and the Idaho border.  From there you immediately climb over Chief Joseph Pass on Hwy 43.

The Big Hole Battlefield has been on my list of places to visit for a long time.  I read histories on Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce when I was in High School,  In my travels for business I visited the Bear Paw site where Chief Joseph and a small band of women and children were surrounded and captured.  That site is just 40 miles south of Canada which they were trying to reach after many skirmishes with the Army over 1700 miles from their homeland in the Wallowa Valley of Oregon.

We have spent time in the Wallowa Valley several times in the last 5 years and learned much about the history.   There are several books that detail the history and are well worth reading.

The Big Hole looks like a large bowl or hole in the mountains that surround the high valley. 

Now I will let Linda take over and explain the book below and the need to visit Wisdom.

This may be my one and only contribution to the blog on this trip.  It all began with a book my friend Mary Lue loaned me, shown below.  When Glen saw the book he asked me if it had anything to do with Wisdom, Montana.  I told him I didn't think so, although much of the book is set in Montana.  I figured the title referred to the wisdom the protagonist of the story gained on his trip traveling the country via Greyhound Bus.  Well, I was only half right.   It happens to be about both wisdom gained and the destination to Wisdom, Montana.  I just HAD to see what this little town was like.  

 

Welcome to Wisdom, Montana, population 108, down from 382 in 1942.

Thank you, Mary Lue, for the loan of this delightful book.  

Hwy 12 to Lolo, MT and Square Dancee Center

Saturday we Took Hwy 12 from Clarkston, WA to Lolo, MT.  Most of the drive was along the Clearwater River and at some point we left it and followed the Lochsa River. Just before the final climb over Lolo Pass we left the river.

We stopped along the Lochsa for lunch.

This video is at the Square Dance Center with its RV Park and Campground.  The center is really for accomplished square dancers.  Square dancing has 5 levels of dance.  Level 4 and 5 are for advanced moves and formations.  We watched some of the Level 4 dancing.  

Apparently dancers come from all over to the various dance locations.  I've done a little square dancing when I was much younger but it was Level 1 at best and probably Level 1/2.  It was interesting to watch.

Spokane and back

Today was our appointment to have the screen replaced on Linda's phone.  The only place that does same day replacement in eastern Oregon, Washington, and Montana is Spokane.  So after a night of thunder and lightning we headed up US195 in a rain storm.  

It wasn't long before we saw large fields of bright yellow which I think is Canola.  We saw some on our way into Clarkston near the town of Pomeroy but didn't get pictures.  They were stunning.

As we continued north there were many fields in various stages of growth so there should be a show of beautiful yellow all summer long. 

More Canola

There was more still on our way back via Coeur d'Alene and US 95.  It is a nice highway with different scenery and no construction.  There were several delays on US195 with one lane and pilot cars.

We stopped at an overlook to see the view of Lewiston, Clarkston as well as the Snake and Clearwater Rivers that merge here.

While in downtown Spokane Linda sent Kristen a text that she would love to spend the day shopping there with her.

Hells Canyon of the Snake River

We are now in Clarkston, WA for a few days.  Today we took a half day jetboat trip up the Snake River into the lower reaches of Hells Canyon.  The half day is a 6 hour trip going 60 miles south to just past where the Imnaha River enters the Snake.  

Granite Lake RV Park is on the banks of the Snake River/Lake backed up by a dam down river.

Heading south (upstream) on the Snake.

In the first section on our trip there were a number of basalt formations.

We continued upstream for a good distance before getting into some rapids and out of the backed up river section.

Beginning to enter the lower canyon section.

The river is still pretty smooth at this point.

Soon we started encountering swift water and rapids.

More rapids.

Most of the way up to this point we had Idaho on our left and Washington on the right,  We stopped at Garden Creek (a Nature Conservancy property) for lunch before crossing the state line.  Idaho still on the left but now Oregon is on the right.

All along the river there were nice white sand bars until we passed where the Salmon River enters the Snake.  The Salmon provides the sand for the sand bars.

After lunch before continuing up river.

Bighorn sheep were all along the river.  Some with lambs but the big rams were up in the high country.

More sheep.

The videos provide a sense of traveling on the Snake.

This is in the vicinity of Buckhorn overlook that we went out to a few years back when at Wallowa Lake near Joseph, OR.

Hard to see but this is the Imnaha River joining the Snake.  Up river from this is Dug Bar and there is a marker where Chief Joseph led his tribe across the Snake during high spring runoff.  He asked the army for more time to move to the reservation but he was told he had to go now.  He was able to get all across but lost a number of their livestock.

This was our last stop on the return trip at Cherry Creek falls.  Several people got out and took a dip in the falls.  Just one kid at first then several adults of varying ages had to try it.  I just watched.