Bruneau Dunes State Park

View of the Dunes Lake

A couple of months ago, I went camping at Bruneau Dunes State Park. Only about an hour drive from Boise, this park is great for a day trip. Right now, the park is currently only open for day use and campgrounds there will remain closed at least through May. Check the park's latest updates on their home page for alerts related to COVID-19, and consider visiting on a day trip during the week days when it is less busy. Bruneau Dunes has the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America at 470 feet. Outdoor recreation activities abound at Bruneau Dunes, and you can fish in one of the several lakes, hike the dunes, rent a sandboard, or visit the observatory to see a beautiful night sky through a telescope.

Sunrise near the Bruneau Dunes Equestrian Campground

Climbing the dunes--get ready for a workout!

Yellowbell wildflower found in mid-March at Bruneau

Comments

Backpacking in the Sawtooth Wilderness

Sawtooth Wilderness boundary Looking toward the far side of Farley Lake - the first campsite This past weekend, I went backpacking on an iconic loop in the Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho. The Sawtooths are beloved and renowned for their dramatic sharp, rocky peaks that resemble the teeth on a saw. I had only been to the Sawtooths once before (six years ago when I was working a seasonal position in McCall), so I was looking forward to exploring more. I hiked the Toxaway Lake to Alice Lake Loop , and spent two nights in the backcountry. This was the perfect amount of time to spend backpacking, since it's been several years since I've hit the trail and done backcountry camping. My back and legs were achy and tired by the end of the weekend, but this trip itinerary allowed The fire smoke that has been looming over Boise was present in Stanley (a small river town close to the Sawtooths) and the views of the mountains took on a dreamlike, mystical quality w...

Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Driving Tour

Driving tour of Birds of Prey National Conservation Area - click here to see the brochure and map A couple of weeks ago, I took a driving tour of the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. The driving route outlines some notable geographic features of the area, as well as bringing birds to great spots above the Snake River for catching glimpses of birds of prey. Read more about the history of this unique area here . View of Initial Point Snake River at Celebration Park Helpful bird identification sign at Dedication Point This sign at the Kuna Visitors Center has great ideas for stops along the Western Heritage Historic Byway View from Dedication Point

Winter Weekend at Bogus Basin

Amazing view from the condo Bogus Basin is one of the many gems of Treasure Valley: close to Boise, affordable (it is a non-profit organization!), and offers many different options for winter recreation. Bogus is basically the go-to winter destination for close-to-home winter downhill and Nordic skiing, snow tubing, and snowshoe hiking. Even though this winter recreation area is only about an hour's drive from Boise, it can also be a great location for a quick weekend winter getaway. Bogus Basin has a number of condos for rent through Vacasa or VRBO. The Pioneer Condos are on top of the mountain close to Pioneer Lodge. These condos offer Wi-Fi, ski-in/ski-out location (you can see people skiing about 10 feet from the condo!), and luxurious hot tubs to relax after a long day of skiing. Although Bogus Basin is primarily known for its incredible winter activities, the area boasts lots of mountain biking and hiking trails to be enjoyed in the warmer months. There a...

Boise By Nature

Search This Blog