Adventure Guide 2016 by Alison Smith

ADVENTURE GUIDE 2016 The insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to the best fun in south-central Idaho

summer fun

Book your dreamy summertime Logan getaway today June • Cache Valley Storytelling Festival • Summerfest Arts Faire • Old Lyric Theatre Performances • Free Weekday Concerts at the Tabernacle • Daily Adventures at the American West Heritage Center July • Cache Valley Cruise-In • Freedom Fire Fireworks Show • July 4th Community Celebrations • Downtown Sidewalk Sale • Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre

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6 1 0 2 e d i u G e r Adventu INSIDE 5 Great ATV Rides for Spring ................................ 4 3 Backpacking Destinations at Mountain Lakes ..... 6 7 Unexpected Reasons to Visit a State Park ......... 10 8 Idaho Mountain Ranges to Love ........................ 12 4 Tips for Enjoying Lake Cleveland’s High-altitude Beauty ............................................. 14 3 Thrills for the Adrenaline Crowd ...................... 16 4 Hailey Hikes the Locals Love............................. 18

et outside and breathe deeply. That clean, bright scent in the air? It’s the exhilaration of a summer in southern Idaho. It’s no secret that south-central Idaho is a prime destination for mountain and river sports. But our Adventure Guide 2016 is also your go-to resource for some of the Magic Valley’s better-kept secrets — like the trout destinations prized by local fly fishers or the unexpected attractions at the region’s state parks. Inside this guide you’ll also find a calendar of the year’s top community festivals around south-central Idaho. It’s another way to make the most of your family’s time together — say, catching a parade or a rodeo between your round of disc golf and your mountain bike ride. You’ll find a new favorite to love. — Virginia Hutchins, Adventure Guide 2016 editor

5 Competitive Fishing Tournaments for Magic Valley Anglers ..................................... 20 5 Excellent Waterski Destinations

Published annually by

in South-central Idaho ......................................... 22 10 Magic Valley Gun, Archery Ranges to Perfect Your Aim.................................. 24

5 Can’t-miss Trout Destinations for Fly Fishers .... 26 South-central Idaho’s Best Community Events in 2016 .................................. 28

On the cover: Jim Turner climbs on a boulder below the south face of Castle Rock in September 2015 at Castle Rocks State Park. Photo by Stephen Reiss.

Adventure Guide 2016 • 3

g n i r p S r o f s e 5 Great ATV Rid

PETE ZIMOWSKY, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS

Exploring Idaho’s high desert in recreational off-highway vehicles — or side-by-sides — is growing in popularity because the vehicles are easy to drive and provide a lot of suspension for comfort. PETE ZIMOWSKY For the Times-News

TWIN FALLS • Southern Idaho’s high desert is prime for exploring on ATVs and side-by-sides. The recent advent of the new side-by-side trail vehicles is getting a lot more couples out because they can ride together in one machine instead of on separate ATVs. “My wife and I have ridden together with motorcycles and ATVs, but the Razor (Polaris RZR) is much easier to drive. It’s just like driving a Jeep,” said Stan Mai, a member of Magic Valley ATV Riders, a group that promotes responsible trail riding. He says it’s the coming thing and so does Troy Elmore, OffHighway Vehicle program manager for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. The agency oversees a lot of motorized trails in Idaho. Side-by-sides or ROVs (Recreational Off-Highway

4 • Adventure Guide 2016

Vehicles) are the fastest growing segment of the off-highway vehicle market nationwide. Idaho defines them as utility type vehicles (UTVs). Basically, the biggest differences between an ATV and an ROV are the ROV’s non-straddling seating, steering wheel and side-by-side seating. A year ago in Idaho, there were about 140,000 registered OHVs (including trail motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs). About 68 percent were ATVs, 23 percent dirt bikes and 9 percent UTVs or ROVs. The number of UTVs had doubled in the past five years, Elmore said. Mai and many members of the Magic Valley ATV Riders have gone to ROVs. Because of their suspension, they provide a lot more comfortable ride — like in a pickup truck except, as Mai puts it, “You don’t beat the tar out of your truck.” No matter what off-highway vehicle riders choose, now is the time. Here are a few spring places to ride, suggested by the Magic Valley ATV Riders and other ATV groups:

2 3

Magic/Thorn Creek‌

OVERNIGHT CAMPOUT RIDES‌ Owyhee Uplands National Backcounty Byway‌

Getting there: From Twin Falls, go north on U.S. 93 to Shoshone, then north from Shoshone about 18 miles on Idaho 75. Turn left on West Magic Road and go 5.5 miles until you see Dam Road on the right. Turn left, go past the corrals and Getting there: Take Interstate 84 west from Twin Falls to the main exit for that’s the start of the ride. Mountain Home (the one with the truck stops). Head south on Idaho 67 to Grand Trail: Late-spring or fall ride depending on trail conditions. Do not ride if muddy. High View, then go south on Idaho 78 for about a mile to Mud Flat Road. Head out on desert with good views of the mountains. Lots of elevation changes. Ride in and have lunch Mud Flat Road until you find a good spot to unload or camp. at Thorn Creek Reservoir. Trails: The byway is 103 miles long from Grand View to Jordan Valley, Ore. There’s Length: About 45 miles. plenty of riding on the gravel road but lots of two-track roads going off into the high desert. The byway makes for a great overnight camping trip. Set up a base camp and go exploring. The byway offers high-desert scenery from expanses of sagebrush and Grindstone Butte‌ grasslands to sheer, red-walled river canyons. Length: Unlimited. Getting there: From Buhl, follow U.S. 30 toward Hagerman. Just before crossing the Snake River, turn left on River Road to Bell Rapids. Follow the road along the river and up the hill. At 5400 North, turn left and go about five miles Cow Creek/Jordan Craters Road‌ until the corrals on the left. This is the starting point. Trail: You can ride here all year depending on conditions. It’s very hot and dry in the summer. Getting there: Take I-84 west of Twin Falls to Idaho 55 (Karcher exit) and Length: Many different routes can be followed. head south on Idaho 55 to Marsing. Continue on U.S. 95 to about eight miles north of Jordan Valley and turn right on Jordan Craters Road. North Rim/Clay Cave‌ Trails: The main road goes almost 30 miles to Jordan Craters, and ATVers like to ride it to places like the craters or the Birch Creek recreation site on the Owyhee River. Getting there: Trail riding very close to Twin Falls. From Twin Falls, go north Plenty of two-track roads head out into high desert areas with expansive scenery, on U.S. 93, cross the Perrine Bridge and continue for 1/4 mile to a stoplight. Turn including Oregon’s Steens Mountain. Length: Unlimited. right and go onto U.S. Bureau of Land Management land. To connect with Magic Valley ATV Riders, go to Mvatvr.org. The club promotes the Trail: There’s lots of land for riding on various trails. Clay Cave, a long lava tube, is one of the places to aim for in a ride. If you go into the cave, take good flashlights and take sport and teaches the safe and proper use of ATVs on public lands; brings together care not to damage the cave. This area is a convenient place to ride after work or if you riders who enjoy meeting and riding with others; and represents ATV riders with local, have only a few hours on the weekend. Many ATV dealers take customers out here for test state and federal lawmakers and land-management agencies to keep lands accessible. rides. The area can be ridden most of the year, but it’s very hot and dry in the summer. Length: Several routes to follow.

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VIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

The sun rises over the third lake at Independence Lakes east of Oakley. VIRGINIA HUTCHINS vhutchins@magicvalley.com

Hiking to an alpine lake is a classic Idaho experience. These three destinations make memorable day hikes — with a nice payoff at the end. But it’s worth carrying a backpack to watch sunrise in the mountains.

Independence Lakes

These four pools on Mount Independence east of Oakley offer a high-elevation destination for Idaho backpackers, day hikers and horsemen that’s unmatched south of the Snake River. Its usage is light compared with lake hikes in the better known and more spectacular Sawtooth National Recreation Area to the north — but heavy compared with other

6 • Adventure Guide 2016

trails in the South Hills. No wonder. The mountain beauty here is just one step shy of those SNRA lakes, and the solitude is more certain. For that lakeside solitude, you can thank a trail that’s closed to all motorized use except over-the-snow travel. That means snowmobiles, hikers and horses are allowed, as well as mountain bikes. The moderately difficult trail climbs about 1,300 vertical feet during the 3 1/2 miles from the trailhead to the second lake. The string of four lakes sits in a rocky cirque below the 9,950-foot Mount Independence and the 10,339-foot Cache Peak, Idaho’s highest mountain south of the Snake River. The last portion of the climb is a series of rocky switchbacks up the forested north face of Mount Independence, as the longdistance views gradually disappear.

Early in the season, the large, shallow first lake is pretty enough to consider your destination, and the most used camping site there has space for multiple tents. But by late summer, the water recedes enough to leave the shoreline marshy and muddy. So keep walking. The second lake’s water is deep, the trout are big and the exposed shoreline is a rocky bowl — a nice platform for anglers, and a better place for backpackers to dip their buckets. The trees nearby provide plenty of tent options. Getting there: To reach the Independence Lakes trailhead, drive directly east from Oakley on 2000 South (which is called East Main in town but Basin Road farther east) toward Mount Independence. Where the pavement ends 5.7 miles from the center of Oakley, a sign assures you that you’re on the way to Independence Lakes.

Beyond that point is a rough and rutted road of dirt and gravel. Any vehicle should be fine in the drier late summer, but take four-wheel drive in the early summer or whenever the weather suggests you might encounter mud. The narrow road climbs steeply, switchbacking up to Elba Pass. After 5.1 miles on the gravel, you’ll reach a fork at the top of the pass; take the right fork, which is marked with an Independence Lakes sign. You’ll drive through some pretty aspen stands, then into mixed forest. The trailhead is another 4.5 miles beyond that fork. You’ll reach a livestock transfer station first; if you’re traveling without horses, just keep driving. Shortly after is a large parking area with an outhouse, a picnic area and a campground — a nice place to stage a hike to the lakes if you don’t want to carry your tent.

Sawtooth Lake‌

VIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

A family enjoys a view captured by countless photographers: Mount Regan standing behind Sawtooth Lake.

It’s hard to be in Idaho long without seeing a photograph of Sawtooth Lake reflecting stately Mount Regan. That view requires a round-trip hike or horseback ride of 10 miles, on a well-traveled trail through iconic Sawtooth Mountain scenery: meadows, forests and dramatic, jagged ridges. Near Stanley, the Iron Creek trail to Sawtooth Lake — the largest alpine lake in the Sawtooth Mountains — draws hikers from across the country. Still, this wilderness trail offers solitude to backpackers who know where to look. With a modest elevation gain of 1,700 feet, the five-mile hike to Sawtooth Lake offers scenic bang for the buck. Just below Sawtooth Lake is a pretty little wonderland around a pond on Iron Creek. Just beyond, hikers’ first view of Sawtooth Lake is the classic one: 160 acres of blue water seen from whitebark pines, with massive Mount Regan as the backdrop. Many day hikers don’t go farther. But walk another mile or so along the eastern edge of Sawtooth Lake and you’ll find a couple of tent sites at the base of Mount Regan, beside a small lake that drains into Sawtooth. That extra mile weeds out the casual hikers, so any who pass your tent are likely to be of a type who respect wilderness. Getting there: To reach the Sawtooth Lake trail, drive 2.6 miles northwest of Stanley on Idaho 21. Turn left on the gravel Iron Creek Road and drive another 3.2 miles to the Iron Creek Transfer Camp. This parking lot is often crowded, and it has pit toilets.

Adventure Guide 2016 • K7

VIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

Little Rainbow Lake lies right beside the main Rainbow Basin Trail at the basin’s low point of 7,790 feet. There’s something particularly appealing about this lake, but many day trippers don’t make it this far.

Rainbow Basin‌

For a backcountry angler, does it get better than this? One scenic trail leading to nine lakes, all with trout in the water and tent sites on the banks. It’s the four-mile Rainbow Basin Trail, in a forested basin west of Featherville rimmed by granite headwalls and rocky ridges. Day hikers toting fishing poles account for much of the traffic on the Rainbow Basin Trail. But the basin is also a nottoo-strenuous backpacking destination for overnighters who want lots of lakes to explore. Only foot traffic is allowed — no horses or mountain bikes. Trinity Mountain, easily identified by the fire lookout tower at its peak, presides over much of the trail, which winds through a glacier-formed cirque.

8 • Adventure Guide 2016

After leaving the trailhead beside Big Trinity Lake, the trail heads south through recently burned landscape and climbs 620 vertical feet in the first mile to reach the divide into Rainbow Basin. The divide gives hikers a look at what’s to come — including the basin’s first lake, hundreds of feet below, and Trinity Mountain with its fire lookout. From this view, the lookout appears perched precariously on a knife blade of rock. After switchbacking down into the basin, hikers reach the first of the short side trails leading to lakes. Getting there: Getting to the trailhead at Big Trinity Lake is best done with fourwheel drive. And timing is important. The Forest Service closes the vehicle gate into the Big Trinity area on Nov. 10 every year — or earlier, if it snows hard — and reopens it July

15. You can walk in any time of year — if you aren’t deterred by snow — but doing it when the road is closed adds at least two miles to the trail. From Fairfield, take U.S. 20 west to Idaho 61. Take Idaho 61 (also called Pine-Featherville Road) north past Anderson Ranch Reservoir and the town of Pine. At Featherville, just north of Featherville Bridge, turn west onto Forest Road 172, also called Trinity Creek Road. At this intersection, take note of your odometer. The gravel Road 172 winds upward along Trinity Creek, then rises well above the creek. Expect some serious ruts and steep dropoffs. When Forest Road 170 branches off to the right (3.4 miles from Featherville), keep left to stay on Road 172. At Wagontown Road (7.2 miles from

Featherville), take a hard right to stay on Road 172. The road keeps rising — now through stands of burned trees — and offers some spectacular mountain views. It’s quite narrow, so be alert for oncoming vehicles. At a T in the road (14.1 miles from Featherville), the only helpful sign might be handwritten on a paper plate: “Trinity Lakes,” with a scrawled arrow pointing left. Turn left here onto Forest Road 129; shortly after the turn, you can look in your rearview mirror for reassurance; a sign for traffic traveling in the opposite direction identifies this as Road 129. You’ll pass Little Trinity Lake (17.1 miles from Featherville) just before arriving at Big Trinity Lake. Turn left at Big Trinity to reach a campground on the east side of the lake, where you’ll find the “Rainbow Basin Trailhead” sign, an outhouse and a box holding free trail-map brochures.

summer fun

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s n o s a e R d e t 7 Unexpec k r a P e t a t S a t i to Vis VIRGINIA HUTCHINS vhutchins@magicvalley.com

You knew southern Idaho’s state parks were a great place for a picnic or a camping trip or a day on the water. But how about an archery course or an indoor arena? Here are seven unexpected ways to play at state parks. And it won’t cost much. The parks charge a daily $5 motor vehicle entry fee — unless you have the $10 annual Idaho State Parks Passport available through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Disc Golf at Lake Walcott

Lake Walcott State Park’s popular 21-hole disc golf course is grassy and mostly flat, but water hazards and some nasty trees add to the challenge. Traveling with someone who doesn’t want to play? They won’t be bored either. About two miles of paved trails showcase the park — taking you out to the refuge observation deck, along the lakefront, and through picnic and disc golf areas. “It really winds through the park nicely,” park ranger Travis Taylor said. Bikes are welcome here, strollers roll well, and no big inclines interrupt a leisurely walk. To print trail maps or a disc golf map, use the links on the left side of Parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/lake-walcott. Getting there: From Interstate 84, take Exit 211 at Heyburn. Drive northeast on Idaho 24, continuing 5.8 miles past Rupert; turn right (east) on 400 North (Minidoka Dam Road).

Indoor Riding at Thousand Springs

Wind or rain? That’s no reason to leave your horse in the barn. The indoor horse arena in Thousand Springs State Park’s Billingsley Creek unit is completely enclosed, and it’s open yearround — 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Park manager Dave Landrum sees youth and adults there, from beginners to professional riders. Beyond the $5 vehicle entrance fee, you’ll

10 • Adventure Guide 2016

TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

Alli Pratt, left, helps to train Steve Hutchins’ horse inside the equine arena at Thousand Springs State Park’s Billingsley Creek unit in 2013. pay no additional fee to use the arena. “All that we ask is that people clean up after their animals … turn out the lights and shut the door when they leave,” Landrum said. The wheelbarrow and manure rake are provided. Getting there: Thousand Springs State Park’s seven units are all within a short driving distance. A couple of units are right off Interstate 84 at exit 147, between Wendell and Bliss. A couple more are accessed by U.S. 30 at Hagerman. For three more units, you can exit I-84 at Wendell and use county roads to approach the Snake River. In short, you’ll want a map. To print maps of each park unit, look for the link on the left side of Parksandrecreation.idaho. gov/parks/thousand-springs. Just head for the unit you want; each one has a self-pay box for the $5 motor vehicle entry fee.

Mountain Biking at Massacre Rocks

At Massacre Rocks State Park, you’ll find eight miles of hiking and biking trails. Most of the trails enjoy views of the Snake River and its waterfowl, its volcanic shoreline and its dramatic evidence of the Bonneville Flood. The park’s trail connects to a series of other trails, so mountain bikers here can get a 10- or 15-mile ride, park manager Kevin Lynott said. “So we’re pretty popular.” To print a trail map, look for the “Maps” link on the left side of Parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/massacre-rocks. Getting there: From the Magic Valley, head east on Interstate 84, then take Interstate 86 when it splits off from I-84. The park is on I-86, 40 miles east of Declo.

Disc Golf at Massacre Rocks

The nine-hole “Ace Course” next to the Massacre Rocks State Park visitor center is designed to introduce beginners to the sport. You can play it in a half-hour, you can see all the baskets from the tee boxes, and none of the baskets is more than 210 feet away, Lynott said. Why the name? If you’re going to get a hole in one, this is the course it could happen on. The park’s more challenging disc golf course has 18 holes, rubber tee pads and high-quality baskets. Tackle this course and you’ll be playing the lay of the land, with big doglegs, trying to avoid juniper trees on the front nine, and throwing from one canyon ridge to the next ridgeline on the back nine.

Each realistically colored foam animal is marked with kill zones at its vital organs. Beyond the $5 vehicle entry fee, Castle Rocks doesn’t charge bowhunters any additional fee for use of the archery course. Getting there: From Interstate 84, take Exit 216 at Declo. Go south on Idaho 77 to the Conner Creek Junction stop sign, then Sliding at Bruneau turn right (west) on Idaho 77 Spur to Almo. The Castle Rocks park entrance is north of Dunes‌ Almo, but the visitor center that serves both Sliding down those huge dunes Castle Rocks and City of Rocks National on a sandboard is a thrill, and you Reserve is south of the town’s post office can have as great a ride as you’re willing to and businesses. climb for. The large dune at Bruneau Dunes State Interactive Park is 470 feet tall. “You climb that, and Education at Three you’d have the ride of your life, OK, but it is Island Crossing‌ an investment,” office specialist Kim Durr said. Not that ambitious? You could climb At Three Island Crossing State a smaller dune, right by the road, in five or Park, the Oregon Trail History and Educa10 minutes. tion Center offers a self-guided lesson on Bruneau Dunes’ visitor center offers pioneer and Native American history. sandboard rentals year-round: $15 a day or The museum exhibits life-size replicas of Native Americans, wigwams, cowboys two boards for $25. Getting there: From the Magic Valley, and wagons. Your approach will trigger the drive west on Interstate 84 to the Ham- displays so voices tell their stories. Some mett exit. From there, take Idaho 78 south interactive displays are hands-on, such as then west to the park entrance, 14 miles basket weaving, primitive trap setting and from Hammett. a pioneer role-playing game that’s particularly popular with kids. And you can watch Archery Targets at a short film about the Oregon Trail, Native American tribes and the role that this site Castle Rocks‌ played in pioneers’ journey. Ready to pick up the bow and Beyond the $5 vehicle entry fee, you arrows again? Bowhunters can won’t pay anything extra for admission to keep their skills sharp at Castle Rocks State the museum and its gift shop. After Memorial Day, the museum’s summer hours are in Park’s new 3-D archery course. Fourteen Rinehart 3-D targets — life- effect: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. sized foam moose, elk, mountain lions and Getting there: From Interstate 84, take the like — populate the half-mile archery Exit 121 at Glenns Ferry and head south into course, which stays open all year. Shot town. Take a right onto Frontage Road, then distance ranges from 20 yards to 60 yards a left onto Commercial Street, then a right depending on target size; large animals such onto Madison Avenue, which leads to the as moose and elk are up to 60 yards away. park entrance. “You’re playing through sagebrush, and if you’re not playing on the fairways, it’s going to be a brutal day,” Lynott said. “I’ve been playing since 2010, and it’s my favorite course.” Check out the “Maps” link on the website for a map of the 18-hole course.

COURTESY OF IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION‌

The Oregon Trail History and Education Center at Three Island Crossing State Park offers hands-on learning about pioneer life.

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Peyton Kempton demonstrates the archery course at Castle Rocks State Park.

Adventure Guide 2016 • K11

n i a t n u o M o h a d 8I e v o L o t s e g n Ra MIKE COTHERN For the Times-News

TWIN FALLS • The peaks spread across the northern horizon likely have beckoned explorers from the Magic Valley for as long as anyone lived here. My wife and I, answering our own call, spent the first day of July taking stock of as many mountain ranges as possible during a 400-mile drive. We entered some inspiring country by motoring over 9,000-foot summits while eyeing other lofty landscapes only from a distance. And because there is little use in going to the mountains and not experiencing them firsthand, we devoted a little time to walking some of their steep slopes and enjoying wildflower displays.

Soldier Mountains

On my way to this range’s highest point I once hiked up the Soldier Creek drainage and spent the night on the saddle between the second and third Soldier (named from east to west by the locals). As darkness approached and a lone bull elk below me quit bugling, clusters of lights to the south began revealing the locations of a half-dozen Magic Valley towns. Access: North of U.S. 20 near Fairfield or FR-094 from Fairfield over Couch Summit and to the South Fork Boise River. Plenty of private land on the Camas Prairie side limits your approaches to these mountains. Recreation: No significant lakes exist due to the area’s relatively dry climate. Open slopes are conducive to hunting and hiking with 10,095-foot Smoky Dome ascended by a lengthy scramble. The majority of developed trails access the Soldiers from the South Fork side, with most open to motorized vehicles. One popular route leads to Iron Mountain Lookout.

Smoky Mountains

Our son’s first backpacking trip occurred at 6 years old when we spent the night at lower Norton Lake. Equipped with a small knapsack and hiking stick, he charged up the trail, periodically waiting for his parents to catch up. Access: West of Idaho 75 from Bellevue to Galena Summit or FR-227 from Little Smoky

12 • Adventure Guide 2016

MIKE COTHERN, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS

The White Cloud Mountains contain such widespread concentrations of limestone that they can appear as white cumulus clouds from a distance. Creek to Ketchum (via Dollarhide Summit). Recreation: Multiple trails from the Big Wood River side lead to alpine lakes nestled among mountains that hold claim to five peaks over 10,000 feet. Motorcycles are permitted on the trails to Mill Lake and the Prairie Lakes.

Boulder Mountains

The diverse colors, dramatic rise from the valley floor and sheer rawness of this range amaze me each time I drive up the Big Wood River valley. I have not spent much time in these mountains, but a recent family visit to the old mining town of Boulder City, placed in a hanging valley at 9,000 feet in elevation, will not be forgotten. Access: East of Idaho 75 from Ketchum to Galena Summit, north of the Trail Creek Road out of Sun Valley, or the East Fork Salmon River Road south of Clayton. Recreation: This range contains few alpine lakes but offers numerous hiking opportunities. Eight peaks surpass 11,000 feet, but little technical climbing occurs due to the fractured nature of the rock. The route that climbs to Boulder City is open to smaller four-wheel drive and all-terrain vehicles.

MIKE COTHERN, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS

Ice covers part of Norton Lake in the Smoky Mountains.

White Cloud Mountains‌

These mountains hold more memories for me than any other range. Backpacking trips include a five-day family trip as a teenager from Fourth of July Lake to Livingston Mine, two nights at the Champion Lakes with my pregnant wife and several solo outings. I long to return and discover more new lakes and scale the Chinese Wall. Access: East of Idaho 75 from Galena Summit to Clayton or the East Fork Salmon River Road south of Clayton. Recreation: Many lakes lie nestled in cirques near 10,000 feet in elevation, sometimes allowing hikers to look down on mountain goats. Unlike its counterpart rising across the Sawtooth Valley, this range offers little opportunity for technical climbing due to the fractured limestone rock.

Sawtooth Mountains‌

My first serious backpacking trip took place in the Sawtooths. I still remember the amazement of being surrounded by such a raw, vertical landscape; I had no idea such landscapes existed. And after watching a cutthroat rise to my artificial fly floating on the placid surface of a high mountain lake, no other angling means or place ever measured up. Access: West of Idaho 75 from Galena Summit to Stanley or south of Idaho 21 from Stanley to Grandjean. Atlanta also serves as an entrance to the west side of the Sawtooths and can be reached by various graveled routes. Recreation: With the granite rock well suited for climbing and 33 peaks exceeding 10,000 feet, the area has drawn climbers for nearly a century. A web of trails leads to high mountain lakes that number in the hundreds. The combination of extensive wilderness, paved roads that lead to big lakes, and the mountains’ proximity to Idaho 75 make the Sawtooths the most popular range in Idaho.

Pioneer Mountains‌

While the north side of the range is likely the most popular, the south side coaxes me to its slopes whenever I can draw a tag for a high-elevation, late-season hunt. There is nothing quite like stalking elk in the snow without any competitors or companions other than Hyndman, Old Hyndman and Cobb peaks looming in the background.

Access: South of the Trail Creek Road from Sun Valley to U.S. 93 north of Mackay, east of Idaho 75 from Ketchum to Bellevue, or north of U.S. 20 to Craters of the Moon. Recreation: Nearly all the range’s alpine lakes are on its north side. Trails see a variety of use and maintenance; some allow motorized use. One of the main attractions on the south side consists of scrambling up 12,009-foot Hyndman Peak, the ninth tallest peak in Idaho.

White Knob Mountains‌

I have not set foot on this range except at lower elevations while once driving and hiking the Mackay Hill Mine Tour. After giving a map more attention and checking out the range from a distance, I have plans to explore some of its high country. Access: South of Trail Creek Road or west of U.S. 93 near Mackay. Recreation: The White Knobs lie in the rain shadow of the Pioneers, so they have a drier environment and are almost treeless. The range offers few maintained trails, but the open terrain is conducive to cross-country hiking. Four peaks exceed 11,000 feet in elevation, but these mountains are often ignored given their location between the more popular Pioneer and Lost River ranges.

MIKE COTHERN, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS‌

Mike Cothern photographed the Pioneer Mountains in fall. ‘While the north side of the range is likely the most popular, the south side coaxes me to its slopes whenever I can draw a tag for a high-elevation, late-season hunt,’ he writes.

Lost River Mountains‌

Never has an outdoor venture repeatedly provided such anxiety, relief, joy and exhaustion during a single day as in the Lost Rivers. A decade ago I scrambled up Mount Borah; more recently I summited Idaho’s thirdand eighth-highest mountains with the help of some experienced individuals. Each time I swore that such an outing would never happen again, but later the majesty of these mountains had me questioning whether the trip really had been that intense. Perhaps another peak awaits me. Access: East of U.S. 93 from Arco to Challis or west of the Pahsimeroi Highway from Howe. Recreation: Seven of the state’s nine mountains that exceed 12,000 feet in elevation are found in this range, drawing considerable attention from peak baggers. Most of the U.S. 93 side of the range rises over a mile from the valley floor in dramatic fashion and therefore collects little water. The topography on the east side of the range is more gradual and contains a few lakes and permanent streams.

Adventure Guide 2016 • K13

e k a L g n i y o j n 4 Tips for E y t u a e B e d u t i t l a h g i H ’s d n a l e v e Cl VIRGINIA HUTCHINS vhutchins@magicvalley.com

ALBION • It’s an alpine sight worth a hard hike, but you can drive all the way there. Lake Cleveland, an 8,300-foot-high lake in a basin of the Albion Mountains, gives the non-hiking crowd a taste of the same highaltitude beauty that backpackers enjoy. And put your canoe on the car. Whether you visit for the day or bring your tent, you’ll want to get out on the water for a dramatic perspective on the high, forested rock walls surrounding three sides of Lake Cleveland. Paddling our tandem kayak there in early July, my husband and I met a solo paddler who said her mother used to bring the family to Lake Cleveland for a week every summer. Now a grandmother herself, our fellow paddler was camped beside the lake with a bunch of relatives, their boats lined up on the bank beside their tents. It’s easy to see why this piece of Mount Harrison inspires loyalty: alpine wildflower meadows, sweeping views across mountains and valleys — and camping that’s as close to wilderness as you’ll ever get in an RV. Particularly popular with Mini-Cassia families, Lake Cleveland’s two campVIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS grounds are full most weekends from early July — when snowdrifts recede enough to A lakeside camper leaves his tandem kayak on the grassy shore of Lake Cleveland in mid-July 2015. open access — to Labor Day, the Sawtooth National Forest says. Where to Camp We found the “West” campground bliss- gov and reserveamerica.com), and 10 are Don’t wait too long. Forest managers fully quiet at night, but don’t expect solitude first-come, first-served. Reservations here in a Tent usually close the lake’s entrance road in late during the day. Day use swells the lake’s open six months in advance of the reservaOctober because of snow. At the mouth of the lake, the population, and those high walls around the tion date. road turns to gravel and continues lake seem to amplify the voices of swimmers Sites in both campgrounds are $10 per Getting There around the lake’s right side, ending in a small and picnickers. night. Both have outhouses but no drinking campground on the southwest bank. The Where the road ends, a wildflower- water, electricity, garbage service or other From Interstate 84, take exit 216 nine campsites in this “West” campground edged hiking trail and an impressive flight facilities. near Declo and follow Idaho 77 south are first-come, first-served, and the Forest of stone steps finish the loop around the The “East” campground has generabout 18 miles, through Declo and Service doesn’t recommend trailers here lake, and anglers dot the banks on every ous separation between most campsites, Albion, to Howell Canyon Road. Turn right because of a tight turn where the road dead- side, fishing for cutthroat and rainbow screened by trees and elevation differences, (west) onto Howell Canyon Road. At the ends. Some campers bring trailers anyway, trout. Whether you’re at Lake Cleveland and we found it quieter than the lakeside Pomerelle ski area sign, turn right (west) and but most use tents. for the day or overnight, take time to walk campground. drive another seven miles up Howell Canyon Most of these campsites are right beside the loop. If you’re walking in this campground, resist the temptation to follow the little Road. The paved road is steep and winding, the water, so if you brought a boat this is “Lake Trail” sign; take my word for it, and but magnificent wildflower displays carpet where you want to be. There’s no dock, but Where to Camp the slopes as you climb. it’s easy to launch a canoe or kayak from the just follow the road to the lake. in a Trailer Look for the Lake Cleveland entrance sign grassy and sandy stretches of bank beside the Do, however, look for the “Albion Lookout on your right; there’s no fee to visit. campground. Just to the northeast, out of Trail” sign at the northeast end of this campWinter weather can show up any time No motorized boats are allowed on twosight of the lake, the “East” campground. After a pretty walk in the woods, this of year, the Sawtooth forest warns. Come acre Lake Cleveland, so rowing here is a ground loop has 17 campsites, all roomy trail ends at a makeshift bench overlooking prepared for mountain weather and driving peaceful experience — except when wind enough for large RVs and trailers. Seven a broad sweep of the Albion Valley and the conditions. whips up waves at the north end of the lake. can be reserved (through www.recreation. mountains beyond.

14 • Adventure Guide 2016

A Worthwhile Side Trip‌

For an even better view, drive another two miles up Howell Canyon Road, which ends at the 9,240-foothigh summit of Mount Harrison. There, climb the stairs of the fire lookout tower to a platform that offers a 360-degree panorama across the Snake River Plain and south into Utah and Nevada. In fact, do it more than once. After dark, my husband and I watched distant lightning storms from the fire lookout tower and picked out the lights of southern Idaho cities. Those simultaneously blinking red lights in the northeast? They’re wind turbines near American Falls. In daylight, the Mount Harrison perspective helped me piece together the big picture of a few places I’ve visited: The Jim Sage Mountains, where I shadowed a nighttime sage grouse trapping team for a news

story. Mount Independence and Cache Peak, which guard the alpine lakes that were my first backpacking destination. And the Big Cottonwood area, on the rolling edges of the South Hills, where I spent a day with volunteers replanting charred slopes. Take time, too, for the interpretive signs around the Mount Harrison Lookout. One tells the story of a bomber that crashed on the mountain in 1945. Another describes the lookout’s historical role in firefighting. Others tell about the mountain’s remarkable plants and animals — including the rare Christ’s Indian paintbrush, a wildflower that grows nowhere else on Earth. Look closely in July and August, and you’ll spot the yellow blooms from the road as you leave the summit. Learn more: Lake Cleveland is in the Sawtooth National Forest’s Minidoka Ranger District, 208-678-0430; call for road conditions before any late-season trip to the lake. Learn more at http://1.usa.gov/1SkaFNJ

VIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Where the road beside Lake Cleveland ends, a rocky trail completes the loop around the lake.

VIRGINIA HUTCHINS, TIMES-NEWS‌

For a short side trip from Lake Cleveland — and an astounding view — drive to the summit of Mount Harrison and climb the stairs of the fire lookout tower. Adventure Guide 2016 • K15

e h t r o f s e r u t n 3 Adve d w o r C e n i l a n e r Ad

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

TeAhna Harris climbs the south face of Castle Rock during the 2015 Idaho Mountain Festival in Castle Rocks State Park. VIRGINIA HUTCHINS AND smaller and has a $5-per-vehicle day use fee PETE ZIMOWSKY — then wait in long lines for City of Rocks’ Looking for thrills? You don’t need to popular routes. travel far to get that shot of adrenaline. That’s their mistake. Don’t overlook Three accessible adventures: the state park near Almo, which has more than 125 developed routes up the rocks for Rock Climbing at sport climbers. “Castle’s the best climbing area in Idaho for Castle Rocks beginners and intermediates,” said Dave BingCity of Rocks National Reserve ham of Hailey, who wrote the 2008 guidebook enjoys international name recog- “Castle Rocks Idaho: A Climber’s Guide.” nition among climbers. But many bypass Of course, even in the state park climbers nearby Castle Rocks State Park because it’s might have to wait now and then.

16 • Adventure Guide 2016

On the southeast face of Castle Rock, Little Time and Big Time are popular routes because they’re long, with multiple pitches, but with easy grades and well protected by bolts. The two routes combine for their last two pitches, and at times you might find a conga line of climbers waiting on the rock face for other groups to proceed. Utah organizer Benjamin Eaton started the Idaho Mountain Festival just four years ago at Castle Rocks, and 2015 was the festival’s third year of selling out before the opening day. Utah and Idaho climbers dominated the

registration list, but Washington, Oregon and Colorado were well represented. The festival, Eaton said, is bringing raves from climbers who always drove by Castle Rocks before. Shasta Hadley’s family climbed in Belgium, France and Italy last summer but still counts Castle Rocks a favorite. “The rock is so great,” the Boise woman said, “and it’s such a beautiful environment.” Information: Parksandrecreation.idaho. gov/parks/castle-rocks —VH

Whitewater on the Snake’s Hagerman Stretch‌

When a raft plows into Slide Rapids’ 4-foot waves on the Hagerman stretch of the Snake River, whitewater unleashes a refreshing spray. Class II and Class III rapids, bouncy roller coaster waves, mellow stretches, wildlife and canyon scenery in this seven-mile section of the Snake between Hagerman and Bliss draw lots of families, especially in the hot months. This part of the Snake is a hidden treasure and seen by few from U.S. 30 on the rimrock bluff above. It is considered one of the best family whitewater day trips in southern Idaho as it winds through desert canyons and agricultural lands below Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir. The river’s waters, bolstered by plentiful natural springs for which the Hagerman area is famous, also yields good fishing for trout and sturgeon. “A majority of the people that go with us on this trip are beginners,” said Olin Gardner of Idaho Guide Service, a river outfitter licensed on the stretch. “A lot have never been rafting before.” In addition to being a good stretch for supervised beginners, the Snake provides excitement for veteran rafters and a place to run whitewater year-round. In fact, several groups of boaters traditionally celebrate by running the river on New Year’s Day. Some large rapids spice up the mellow stretches. Kids and adults should wear life jackets approved for whitewater, and parents should keep a close eye on the kids in the bouncy waves. It’s a real whitewater river and not a

“tubing” stretch or a float that can be done in department-store rafts. Snake River flows are typically high and currents swift and strong. Rafters who have never done the Hagerman reach should go the first time with other experienced rafters or with an outfitter. Information: Idaho Guide Service (Idahoguideservice.com) offers float trips for the Hagerman stretch. —PZ

Mountain Biking at Auger Falls‌

If you haven’t discovered Auger Falls Heritage Park yet, it’s time. Since opening to the public six years ago, this swath of open, riverside land inside the Snake River Canyon has sprouted more than 20 miles of trails for mountain biking and hiking — trails cut by local cyclists and rapidly populated by riders. “This is just a terrific playground,” mountain biker Denny Swaer said. From Blue Lakes Boulevard North at the north end of Twin Falls, take Canyon Springs Road west and down into the Snake River Canyon. Follow the road to its end to find a trailhead parking lot at the park gate. The park is open to pedestrians and mountain bikes but closed to horses and motorized vehicles. Admission is free. Not many cities have an awesome trail destination this close to town, said mountain biker Jim Brennan, who figures he designed 80 percent of the trails here. Information: Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Department, 208-736-2265. —VH

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

Denny Swaer rides his mountain bike on Eagle Trail in Auger Falls Heritage Park in Twin Falls.

• • • • •

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JULY 2nd & 3rd - 4th OF JULY CELEBRATION

July 2nd: Live music 9pm-1am, Outdoor Inn • July 3rd: BBQ, Bake Sale, Community Hall 9am; Parade 12 noon, Main St.; Children’s games 1-2pm, Park Bingo 1-4pm, Community Hall; BBQ 2pm, Outdoor Inn; Live music 9pm-1am, Outdoor Inn.

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August 12th: Yard sale 9am till ????? • August 13th: Yard sale 9am till ?????; Hot Dog Luncheon 11am-2pm; Parade 12 noon • August 14th: Yard sale 9am-Noon; Cowboy Church 10 am, Park.

Sept. 3rd & 4th - LABOR DAY WEEKEND

PETE ZIMOWSKY, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS, FILE‌

The Hagerman stretch of the Snake River is considered a family whitewater run, but it’s big and fast in some spots. Wear life jackets, and keep a close eye on the kids.

Sept. 3rd: Bingo 1-4pm, Community Hall; Live music 9pm-1am, Outdoor Inn. Sept. 4th: Bingo 1-4pm, Community Hall; Corn Feed 2pm, Outdoor Inn; Live music 8:30pm-12:30am, Outdoor Inn.

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Pig roast 5pm, Outdoor Inn; Fire Dept raffle 5:30 pm, Outdoor Inn; Bake auction 6pm, Outdoor Inn; Costume Party 7pm, Outdoor Inn.

Adventure Guide 2016 • K17

e v o L s l a c o L e 4 Hailey Hikes th KAREN BOSSICK For the Times-News

HAILEY • Marty Lyon picked his way across tiny pieces of shale to a rock outcropping high on a hill above Indian Creek. There, he could look down the Wood River Valley to Hailey and onto Indian Creek, a neighborhood tucked into one of the canyons north of Hailey. “This would be a great place to bring a bottle of wine and a picnic,” he said. It wasn’t the first time Lyon said that on this particular morning. Every hilltop he ascended on the sagebrush-covered Bureau of Land Management land had evoked a similar proclamation as each brought a new vista into view. There were Deer Creek Canyon, Carbonate Ridge with its prayer flags flapping in the breeze, even the Ohio Gulch landfill in the distance. And if clouds hadn’t draped the surrounding hilltops, he likely could have seen the snow-capped Pioneer Mountains. The hills lining the Wood River Valley between Bellevue and Ketchum offer a lot of hikes used frequently by valley residents but not necessarily found in guidebooks. Here are a few hikes the locals like:

Buttercup Hill

KAREN BOSSICK, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS

Mila Lyon, hiking with husband Marty above Indian Creek, loves that her hilltop hikes allow her to look up and One of the most popular of the know what’s there when she’s walking or driving on the floor of the Wood River Valley.

local hikes is this little hill at the mouth of Quigley Canyon. A 15-minute climb following a well-established track takes you to the top, where you’ll find awesome views of Friedman Memorial Airport, Wood River High School, the alfalfa fields at the mouth of the canyon, Marvin Gardens and the Deerfield subdivision. Those who are pressed for time usually turn around at the top. Those who want to go farther can follow a trail along the ridge for a short distance before turning down to the left and looping back to the bottom of Buttercup Hill. Or, follow the ridge farther out, eventually dropping off toward the right at Deadman Gulch and following a trail paralleling Quigley Road back to the start. To get there: Turn east on Fox Acres Road across from Friedman Memorial Airport at Hailey’s south end. Turn left just before the high school and Community Campus and follow Buckhorn Drive a few blocks to Quigley Road. There is parking just east of

18 • Adventure Guide 2016

the junction of Quigley and Buckhorn, where Quigley turns into dirt.

Toe of the Hill Trail

This trail is great for flatlanders who really don’t have the oomph or the want-to for climbing. It starts behind Hailey’s Community Campus and traverses the bottom of the hills for a little more than two miles past the baseball field and Keefer Park to the alternate trailhead near Alturas Elementary School. There are a couple of canyons you can turn onto should you get a sudden urge to go uphill. To get there: Drive east on Fox Acres Road and park in the Community Campus parking lot. You’ll find the trailhead behind the Community Campus and Silver Creek High School buildings.

Hangman’s Gulch

This trail has a variety of names including Chinaman’s Gulch and Cutters. Cutters reflects the name of the former Cutters Ranch below, where horsemen used to cut cattle and even bison on occasion. The more colorful Hangman’s name comes from an incident in 1882 when John Pierson shot John T. Hall, aka “Jonny behind the rock.” It seems that Hall was about to knock on the door of Banjo Nell’s when he was shot and killed by Pierson, who was in the house at the time. Pierson was indicted for firstdegree murder and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead. And — you guessed it — the sheriff chose that particular gulch to hang Pierson. The gulch was christened Chinaman’s

Gulch by some in 1884 when Kuck Wah Choi — also known as Ah Sam — was indicted for murder and hung there. There are a few trees in the canyon — hard to tell if any of them were used for capital punishment. But no ropes have been discovered, so hikers are probably safe. Follow a trail up the canyon through sagebrush and wildflowers. A half-hour in, you’ll come to a fork. The trail to the right climbs uphill, eventually ascending to a ridge that leads to Buttercup Hill. The trail that veers to the left eventually winds around to Deadman Gulch. To get there: Turn off Hailey’s Main Street onto Myrtle Street a block south of McDonald’s. Follow Myrtle toward the foothills. Turn left onto Little Lena Drive, and park at Old Cutters Park. The trail is past the creek to the right of the parking lot.

KAREN BOSSICK, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS‌

The view from Buttercup Hill includes an expanse of Hailey and the mountains beyond.

Indian Creek‌

A variety of BLM hikes can be found at the end of Indian Creek Road, Dakota Drive and East Gulch Road in the hills overlooking Indian Creek Ranch subdivision, built on historic ranch lands. Some of the trails are sketchy, but it’s easy to pick a point to head for. Chances are you

will come upon an animal, person or jeep trail that will take you to yet another point of interest or down a ravine. To get there: To reach the area that Marty and Mila Lyon were hiking, turn east off Hailey’s Main Street onto Myrtle Street. Turn north onto Buttercup Road. Turn east on Indian Creek Road; follow this to Dakota Gulch Road and look for a BLM trail marker.

Jerome County Fair See “EWE” at the fair

2016 PRCA Rodeo & Fair August 9-13, 2016 Schedule, forms, contact info. at: jeromecountyfair.com

Jerome County Horse races KAREN BOSSICK, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS‌

June 5, 12 and 19

Arrowleaf balsamroot is rampant through the hills overlooking Indian Creek.

at the Jerome County FairAdventure Grounds Guide 2016 • K19

nts e m a n r u o T g n i h s 5 Competitive Fi Anglers for Magic Valley JORDAN RODRIGUEZ For the Times-News

TWIN FALLS • Fishing is one of Idaho’s most popular recreational activities. Winning money is a favorite pastime, too. And while the bright lights and big dollars of the Bassmaster Classic are probably beyond the reach of most weekend warriors, local anglers have ample opportunities to compete for cash right here in the Magic Valley. Tournament competition puts a fun twist on the relaxation usually associated with fishing. With time winding down and money on the line, every fish counts — and one spit hook could mean the difference between winning big or going home emptyhanded. “It’s a lot of fun,” said Zach Taylor, president of the Magic Valley Bassmasters club. “I’m a competitive person, and tournament fishing gives me an opportunity to compete while doing something I’m really passionate about.” Competitive angling is easier to try than most fishermen realize, too. Between March and October, more than 150 sanctioned tournaments take place across the Gem State, and many of those are within shouting distance of the Magic Valley.

Tournament Fishing

Most fishing contests are bass tournaments, and most Idaho bass tournaments follow a similar format. Anglers typically compete in teams of two and, using only artificial lures, attempt to catch a limit of five fish. The fish must be kept in an aerated live well over the course of the day. Once a five-fish limit is reached, anglers try to upgrade to heavier fish until the allotted time is up. The five heaviest fish are taken to the weigh-in, where they are quickly weighed and placed in the release boat. Prize money is awarded to the winners, then the release boat sets the fish free. Penalties are incurred if fish don’t survive. “I’d say 99 percent of the fish we catch are released alive,” Taylor said. Most tournaments are available only to club members, but all three Magic Valley groups host open events where new anglers can give tournament fishing a try. Fishing derbies are another option. They

20 • Adventure Guide 2016

JORDAN RODRIGUEZ, FOR THE TIMES-NEWS

Smallmouth bass — hard-charging, high-flying fighters — are the most popular tournament species in the Magic Valley. Smallies like this one are prevalent throughout the region’s Snake River reservoirs, including Milner, Walcott, C.J. Strike and Massacre Rocks. offer an inexpensive, laid-back and more family-friendly approach to competitive fishing. An upcoming example is the annual John McClatchy Memorial Tournament, set for June 18 at Magic Reservoir. The derby is open to all licensed anglers, and the entry fee is $30. Prizes are awarded to the three biggest fish of the day, which are typically rainbow trout.

Local Clubs The Magic Valley is home to three bass clubs: Magic Valley Bassmasters, MiniCassia Bassers and Idaho Bass Hunters. All three host monthly tournaments and meetings, and membership dues are about $78 annually. Some local anglers participate in two or even all three clubs.

Mini-Cassia Bassers was founded in 1993 with three goals in mind: create better fishing opportunities in the region, help members become better fishermen and have fun. The club holds its meetings at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Connor’s Cafe in Heyburn. “I think what I enjoy most is the people I’ve gotten to know through the years,” club

COURTESY OF LARRY BURTON‌

Pat Campbell, left, and Steve Stephens show off their catch at the Idaho Bass president Phil Mai said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and we’ve caught a lot of fish.” Mini-Cassia Bassers is holding its annual open tournament June 4 at Milner Reservoir. The club currently has about 35 members, and Mai said the group would like to add some younger anglers. Magic Valley Bassmasters meets at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at Idaho Joe’s in Twin Falls. The club, which has between 30 and 40 members, hosted its annual open tournament in midMay at Milner Reservoir. “It gives people an opportunity to come and see if they like the competitive side of fishing,” Taylor said. “Our club is a closeknit group of friends, even though we are fishing against each other. We love to see new people join — it’s good for the club, and good for the sport.” Idaho Bass Hunters holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month, also at Idaho Joe’s. Club president Steve Stephens says that during his decade of membership, he’s seen a huge increase in the quality of Magic Valley bass, which are almost exclusively smallmouths. “At our most recent tournament, the average bag (of five fish) was 14 pounds,” Stephens said. “When I first started fishing here, weights weren’t even close to that.” Idaho Bass Hunters will hold its open tournament Sept. 24 at Milner Reservoir. But

Stephens encourages anglers to take advantage of the club’s unique “join at the ramp” policy before then. “You can show up wherever we’re fishing, pay your dues, and fish the tournament,” Stephens said.

Get Involved‌

If tournament fishing piques your interest, it’s easy to get involved. Here is a look at next month’s tournaments in and around the Magic Valley: June 4: 5 a.m.-5 p.m. at Milner Reservoir (Riverside Boat Ramp), Mini-Cassia Bassers, Mcb.idahobassfed.com June 4: 5 a.m.-4 p.m., at Anderson Ranch Reservoir (Curlew Boat Ramp), Idaho Bass Hunters, email steven.p.stephens@ us.army.mil June 18: 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Magic Reservoir, John McClatchy Memorial Tournament. June 25: 5 a.m.-5 p.m., at Anderson Ranch Reservoir (Curlew Boat Ramp), Idaho Bassmasters, Idahobassmasters.org June 25: 4:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at Massacre Rocks State Park (State Park Boat Ramp), Snake River Valley Bass Club, Srvb.idahobassfed.com Find the full list of upcoming tournaments with permits from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game: Fishandgame.idaho. gov/public/fish/?getPage=267

tern Visit the Northeas Nevada Museum for a day of fun! Art ✯ History ✯ Animals Gift Shop

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ns o i t a n i t s e D i k s r e 5 Excellent Wat Idaho in South-central

COURTESY PHOTO

The marina at Redfish Lake has a gas dock to fuel up motorized watercraft. You can also rent boats by the hour, half-day or full day. KAREN BOSSICK For the Times-News

Think of waterskiing and, most likely, you’ll think of a lake. But Mike Lee contends that one of the best places to waterski in south-central Idaho is the Snake River. “Anywhere on the river around Burley is great because the wakes dissipate onto the shore,” said Lee, of Idaho Water Sports in Burley. “We just find a bend where it’s not windy — it’s different whenever you go out.” Waterskiing and jetting around on personal watercraft in south-central Idaho runs the gamut from river skiing to lake skiing in the shadow of the jagged Sawtooth Mountains. Five highly touted places to go:

22 • Adventure Guide 2016

Snake River near Burley

The stretch between Milner Dam and two miles below Minidoka Dam is the best, according to Lee. The river is wide, giving boaters plenty of room to cruise. The drawback: There can be a few shallow spots depending on how high the river is running. It’s best to take it slow and familiarize yourself with the area the first time, Lee said. The water can also be cold, so be prepared with a full wetsuit. Burley has four marinas from which you can launch your boat. Lee suggests taking exit 208 off Interstate 84 and driving south, parking at the marina just before you cross the bridge. Or, take exit 211 and drive to the

marina near the Burley Golf Course. There is no charge to use the marinas.

To get there, take exit 211 off Interstate 84. Pass through three stoplights. As the highway begins to curve right, take a left across Lake Walcott the railroad tracks. Take another immediate right to the northeast onto Idaho 24 and folLake Walcott State Park, 11 low signs. miles northeast of Rupert, offers waterskiing as well as fishing for Anderson Ranch rainbow trout, carp, smallmouth bass and Reservoir catfish; disc golf; camping; hiking; and other activities. Anderson Ranch Reservoir, which emerged following the It costs $5 per vehicle to enter the park. Or you may access it year-round with a $10 construction of an earth rockfill-type dam Idaho State Parks Passport sticker. on the South Fork of the Boise River in 1950, The lake is deep, so you don’t have to boasts 4,730 acres of waterskiing fun. worry about shallow parts. However, part “It’s a big body of water, which means of the lake is situated in the Minidoka there’s lots of elbow room,” said Chad ErdNational Wildlife Refuge and is off-limits mann, of Century Motorsports and Marine to boats. in Twin Falls.

The reservoir also sports plenty of fishing for kokanee, Chinook and sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and whitefish. From Interstate 84, turn east onto U.S. 20 at Mountain Home and follow the highway to the paved Anderson Ranch Dam Road. This takes you north to the reservoir. There are six boat launch ramps along the 50 miles of shoreline. All boats must show an Idaho invasive species sticker, along with appropriate licenses. Several nearby businesses sell bait and provide outfitter and guide services.

Thousand Springs‌

The Snake River near Thousand Springs at Hagerman offers a nice long stretch for taking the boat without having to turn around, said Brent Harbaugh, of Idaho RV and Marine in Jerome. “And the Blue Heart (a crystal-clear spring carved out by a whirlpool during the Bonneville Flood) is a cool place that a lot of people enjoy,” he said. The drawback: Shallow spots develop in early and late season. But that’s not a problem in midsummer when the water is flowing. Harbaugh puts in at Thousand Springs Resort on the Snake River. The resort is five

miles south of Hagerman on U.S. 30. The resort has RV sites, tent sites and cabins and swimming in an indoor hot spring pool for a fee.

Redfish Lake‌

Waterskiing in this invigorating, clear, high mountain lake will grow hair on your chest. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a prettier backdrop through which to make waves. Just don’t watch the scenery so much that you forget to pay attention! And when your arms have had enough of zipping back and forth on the 4.5-mile lake, you can fish for rainbow and Dolly Varden trout, kokanee and salmon. Or take a hike, ride a horse or tap your foot to the live music offered every weekend on the lawn of Redfish Lodge. The marina has a gas dock to fuel up motorized watercraft. You can also rent motorized and non-motorized boats there by the hour, half-day or full day. To get there, go north from Twin Falls on U.S. 93 and stay with it as it turns into Idaho 75. Head north through Ketchum and follow the highway another 60 miles. Turn left just before the bridge at mile marker 185 at Redfish Lake Creek.

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888-480-9400 www.andersoncamp.com

Exit 182, I-84 Twin Falls, ID

Adventure Guide 2016 • K23

ery h c r A , n u G y e l l a 10 Magic V m i A r u o Y t c e f r e P Ranges to TETONA DUNLAP tdunlap@magicvalley.com

They say practice makes perfect, so here are 10 archery and gun ranges where you can perfect your aim. Whether you are a hunter or like to target practice for fun, these southern Idaho ranges offer guest prices or yearly memberships. Some feature traditional paper targets, while others let you shoot realistic 3-D targets complete with kill zones at vital organs or 2-D animals on a flat screen. Set your sights on whatever you like.

Advantage Archery

This indoor archery range has 16 lanes downstairs, eight lanes upstairs and a video shooting range. “It’s real similar to a golf simulator,” said Caleb Drake, owner of Advantage Archery. “It projects animals on the screen. We put a mushroom blunt on the arrows so it won’t damage the screen. It’s more of a big boy video game.” Paper targets are used, but once or twice a month the range brings in 3-D animals. “We sell targets here, or people can bring their own targets to shoot,” Drake said. TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO Location: 251 Main Ave. E., Twin Falls. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m Mondays-Fridays; Professional archer Tony Harbaugh practices at Advantage Archery in Twin Falls. 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Cost: $5 per shooter for all-day access. Dierkes Lake Cost: Range use is free, but admission at use will remain free through June, but beginMonthly unlimited passes are $20, and yearly Shoshone Falls Park is $3 per car. ning July 5 the park will charge a $3 course fee Archery Range Information: 208-735-9878. unlimited passes are $120. to help maintain replacement targets. Information: 208-735-9878. Information: 208-824-5911. The public archery range at Dierkes Lake is managed by Magic Castle Rocks State Magic Valley Valley Bowhunters, Advantage Archery and Twin Falls Park Archery Twin Falls Park and Recreation and has been Bowhunters Gun Club Course there for more than 35 years. There are six There are 12 indoor lanes at 10 4-by-4 target bags set up on a steel system. This archery course has 20 staThe Twin Falls Gun Club has and 20 yards at the Magic Valley The bags have about 20 aiming spots. nine trap fields, five of which are tions, and shot distance ranges from 20 yards Bowhunters facility. The cost for admission at Shoshone Falls to 60 yards depending on target size. The lighted, and one skeet field. The gun club Paper targets are used, but a 3-D shoot is Park is $3 per car; Parks and Recreation course features Rinehart 3-D targets — life- also features a climate-controlled clubhouse scheduled July 2-3 at Magic Mountain Resort. charges admission March 30 through Sep- sized foam moose, elk and mountain lions — with full kitchen and 24 RV spaces with elecFor event information, go to Magicvalley- tember each year. Season passes to Shoshone and each realistically colored foam animal is trical and water hookups. bowhunters.org or find the club on Facebook Falls are $25 — available at the Parks and marked with kill zones at its vital organs. L o c a t i o n : 230 Federation Road, under “Magicvalley Bowhunters.” Recreation department and at the Shoshone Location: Castle Rocks State Park Twin Falls. Location: 229 Second Ave. N., Twin Falls. Falls ticket booth. near Almo. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays Hours: 24-hour access with memberLocation: The archery range is on the Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of (unless leagues are going) and 10 a.m. to lower part of the Dierkes Lake area. You’ll the year. ship key. 5 p.m. Sundays year-round. Cost: Individual memberships cost $120 find a path but no signs. Cost: The motor vehicle fee for entrance Cost: $40 for individual annual membera year, and a family pays $180. Hours: Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, year- to state parks is $5, or you can purchase the ships; $60 for family memberships. Information: 208-595-4069. Information: 208-734-0639. round. annual Idaho Passport for $10. Archery range

24 • Adventure Guide 2016

Shaw Shooting School‌

Wednesdays. On Thursdays, .22 shooting is 6-9 p.m. The club offers .22 leagues on Fridays. Cost: $8 for non-members; $1 for members. Yearly memberships start at $40. Information: 208-731-7217.

Shaw Shooting School features 18 ranges. Steel targets range from 7 yards to 1,400 yards. There are 350 steel targets for pistols, and the other 50 can be used with most high-powered rifles. Most Buhl Rifle & of the steel is stationary; however, some of Pistol Club‌ the ranges include a pneumatic air system that can bring the targets back to sight once This private indoor range has about 75 members. Facilities feathey have been knocked down. The school also has a paper range for fundamental accuture 10 shooting lanes for 50-foot pistol and 50-foot rifle. Paper targets only. rate shooting. Location: 1230 E. 4100 N., Buhl. Shaw Shooting School has the entire eight stages of the World Pistol Speed Shooting Cost: Membership is $40 a year for indiChampionships, Bianchi Cup’s steel mover viduals, $50 for couples and $60 for families. and plate racks, as well as the majority of the Individuals are interviewed and given an stages for the Man Vs. Man Grand National access key. Information: 208-734-3238. Pistol Championships. For those who prefer clay, this facility has 16 sporting clay machines and two sporting Burley Trap clay courses for shotgun classes. A single and Sporting wireless remote can discharge every machine Clays‌ within the five-acre range. Location: Head west onto 2700 South Eight miles southwest from Main Street in Hagerman. Keep right of Burley, this shooting range has four traps, a mile-long sporting clays course while on 2700 South until you get to the big made of 15 stations and Federation Interbronze gate. Just beyond the gate on the left is the clubhouse. nationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse shooting, a type of shotgun sport Hours: Classes typically meet at 9 a.m. For a list of courses, go to shawshooting. shooting similar to sporting clays, trap and com/courses. skeet. There are also a dedicated 50-bird, Cost: Clients are given the option to have five-stand course area and a seven-station a range membership after taking a course at super sporting and sub gauge course area. the school. The membership is $1,500. The The facility requests that no shotgun larger DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌ than 12-gauge and no shot larger than U.S. range is available February through Septem7 1/2 be used. ber, except on days of class instruction. A Gunslingers compete during the 2014 Idaho State Cowboy Action Shoot member may shoot only the type of weapon Championships at the Jerome County Rod and Gun Club. This is a shotgun-only facility; the he or she has taken a class on at Shaw Shootcourses are not designed to accommodate ing School. rifle or pistol shooting. Information: 208-481-0085. Location: 800 W. Milner Road, Burley. forms: jeromegunclub.com. Mail completed rifles are allowed and most non-magnum form with payment to: Jerome County Rod pistols. People can bring their own paper H o u r s : 4-8 p.m. Tuesdays and & Gun Club, P.O. Box 6057, Twin Falls, targets, but targets are provided. noon-8 p.m. Sundays year-round. Also Jerome County open by appointment seven days a week “We have range officers on duty, and they Idaho 83303. Rod & Gun Club‌ Sporting clay: Members’ cost to shoot 100 are knowledgeable,” Brown said. “If people May 1 through Sept. 30. The Jerome County Rod & Gun targets is $25 for adults on the first Saturday need help, we are there to help them and Cost: $25 for annual membership; $125 Club features a 10-station sporting and third Sunday of the month. Non-mem- make sure everything stays safe.” for lifetime membership. Location: 253 Fifth Ave. W., Twin Falls. clay range, one trap field and a covered rifle bers pay $30. Extra targets beyond 100 are Information: 208-240-0252 or 208and pistol range. The rifle and pistol range $7.50 per 25. Or members and non-members Hours: General shooting is open 6-9 p.m. 431-7183. has ranges of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 yards. can re-shoot the course for $25 for 100 clays. The stations offer a variety of challenges Rifle and pistol range: Members shoot Open 7 Days A Week! May - September simulating incoming ducks, flushing pheas- for free, and each nonmember pays a $5-aants, flushing chukars, running rabbits and day fee. Tours Available Daily pass shooting birds thrown from a trap atop Shotgun shooting instruction is available LOcAteD: a 65-foot tower; clay target sizes vary from by NSCA Level 3 instructor Dick Mandeville, 17 mi. north of Shoshone on U.S. Hwy 75. station to station. Target stands are available, 208-320-3465. Information: jeromegunclub.com but you must supply your own paper targets. Location: 520 Idaho Highway 25, Jerome. Hours: Rifle and pistol range open sunup Twin Falls Rifle to sundown daily. The club holds a sport& Pistol Club‌ ing clay shoot on the first Saturday of each month; signup begins at 9 a.m. and shooting This indoor rifle range features at 10 a.m. eight firing lanes and a 33-foot air Cost: Membership is $35 per year for rifle and air pistol lane. shoshone Indian Discount for large groups! family or $25 for an individual. Membership Dan Brown, club president, said only .22 Call

One Of the natural wOnders Of the wOrld…

ICe CaVes (208) 886-2058 Adventure Guide 2016 • K25

ut o r T s s i m ’t n a C 5 rs e h s i F ly F r o f s n o Destinati VIRGINIA HUTCHINS vhutchins@magicvalley.com

TWIN FALLS • We asked fly fishers about southern Idaho’s can’t-miss destinations for trout — and the ideal time to show up with a fly rod. Here’s what they said.

Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Early May

For Twin Falls angler Bob Forster, the Duck Valley Indian Reservation south of Mountain Home is a favorite spot for early May. The rainbow trout “lose a little bit of their shyness,” he said, as the water warms and as insect nymphs mature into adults, creating a lot of surface activity. At the reservation on the Idaho-Nevada border, Forster and his buddies fish Mountain View Reservoir, Sheep Creek Reservoir and Lake Billy Shaw. They fish from float tubes, generally in the bays or arms of the reservoirs. The water gets mossy by the middle of June, Forster said, so it’s a fishery that’s best in spring and fall. In May, you can also expect a tremendous number of birds. Forster loves to hear redwinged blackbirds calling from the reeds and to watch grebes’ elaborate mating dance on the water surface — particularly when the male and female grebe are close together, bobbing their heads. No, the spectacle doesn’t harm his fly fishing. “The fish will grab your attention there if you’re distracted.” His tips: Forster fishes here with a sinking line, perhaps a foot below the surface, perhaps 10 feet. Beyond that, his advice wasn’t specific. You’ve got to figure out what the trout are eating, at what level, and what kind of action to give the fly. “That’s all part of the lure of fly fishing.” Access: Duck Valley Indian Reservation is about 90 miles south of Mountain Home on Idaho 51. Mountain View Reservoir is open to fishing year-round; Lake Billy Shaw and Sheep Creek Reservoir are open April 1-Oct. 31. For information about fishing regulations and prices, campgrounds and reservoir

26 • Adventure Guide 2016

COURTESY OF JOHN HUBER

The serious fly fisher in Idaho shouldn’t miss the brown drake hatch on Silver Creek. maps, visit the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes’ website: Shopaitribes.org You won’t need a state fishing license on the reservation, but you will need a tribal permit to fish. Prices include $15 per day (or $3 for ages 14 and younger); an $85 annual fishing permit includes camping, too.

Silver Creek in Early June

The serious fly fisher in Idaho shouldn’t miss the brown drake hatch on Silver Creek. It’s usually in early June and lasts about two weeks, but the large mayfly is fickle and the timing can vary. Cold weather might push the hatch a little later, but seldom is it earlier than the first week of June, Twin Falls angler Dennis Brauer said. “It brings even the largest trout up to feed in Silver Creek,” he said. “It’s a very well-known hatch, so there’s usually a lot of people.” The brown drake hatch is in the Silver Creek West stretch, beginning at the Picabo bridge, moving upstream a little every night, and reaching the U.S. 20 crossing three or four days later, said John Huber, general manager of the Picabo Angler fly shop. “You won’t find them hatching above U.S. 20 in any significant numbers.” Brauer can drive there after work and still have time to fish, because the hatch usually

COURTESY OF CHAD CHORNEY

Dennis Brauer of Twin Falls fishes at last light on Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. starts around 6 p.m. and its stages extend well after dark. The fishing on this stretch is all accessible from the bank, so there’s no reason to wade into the creek to cast. And if you do, you’ll stir up the thick layer of silt at the bottom and make other anglers mad. “If you don’t want to be ostracized, stay

out of the water,” Brauer said. His tips: During daylight you’ll have emergers and adults, and after nightfall the spinner. “The trout just eat them up after dark,” Brauer said. But this is a pretty technical place to fly fish. The water is slow and very clear, the fish are attuned to fishermen — “smart as

fish can be” — and this hatch puts so many natural insects on the water that trout have little reason to eat yours. You’ll do better early in the hatch; toward the end the fish grow even pickier. But the spectacle is worth seeing even if you don’t get a fish, Brauer said. “It can look like a snowstorm with millions of bugs in the air.” Access: Use the sportsman’s access at Fish and Game’s Point of Rocks campground, or at its Silver Creek West site; watch for signs on U.S. 20 just west of Picabo. You’ll find a good map of Silver Creek on page 26 of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s “2016-2018 Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules” brochure: Fishandgame.idaho. gov/public/fish/rules/seasonsRules.pdf Also, check the brochure for regulations before heading out to fish anywhere in Idaho. A blog to watch: The Picabo Angler’s blog — at Picaboangler.net/sunvalleyflyfishingreport — is a good source for the inside scoop on Silver Creek and its hatches.

those with an intermediate or slow-sinking fly line. Access: Reitz buys a state park pass and uses the boat ramp and docks — and other amenities — at Henrys Lake State Park. Information: Parksandrecreation.idaho. gov/parks/henrys-lake

Big Wood River in Late October, early November‌

Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir in June‌

The rainbow-cutthroat hybrid planted each year in Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir is a fast-growing, aggressive trout with a tell-tale orange slash mark on its throat. “They’re a special fish — they fight harder, beautiful coloration in them,” Twin Falls fly fisher Glenn Buscher said. “They’ll jump and run and pull your line out.” For a decade, Magic Valley Fly Fishers has cooperated with Fish and Game to plant tens of thousands of the hybrid in this reservoir each year. Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir is a yearround fishery, and if the ice is off Buscher might start catching trout and walleye in February. But because of water temperature, Buscher calls June and late fall the best times to catch the reservoir’s hyrids, rainbow trout, walleye and bass. His tips: For the reservoir’s trout Buscher recommends a Woolly Bugger or Woolly Worm with a long marabou-type tail, in black, brown, olive and red, and a hook size of 8 to 8 3X. The real secret to success here? “Location, location, location. You literally have to go find them, because they move around.” If you want to catch a lot, get a boat and search out the pods. Access: Buscher recommends launching a boat at Salmon Falls Dam (west of Rogerson on Three Creek Road) or at Greys Landing (south of Rogerson, off U.S. 93). Even if water is fully drawn down for irrigation, three miles of fishable reservoir remain, he said, and boats can launch from both places in low water.

COURTESY OF CHAD CHORNEY‌

Dennis Brauer of Twin Falls casts to rainbow trout on a windy afternoon on Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir.

Henrys Lake in Early Summer‌

In late June or early July each year, stillwater angler Les Reitz of Twin Falls spends a week or 10 days at Henrys Lake in eastern Idaho. “They have a damsel hatch that goes off about that time,” Reitz said, and the water isn’t too hot yet. When the water warms in late July and August, the lake’s cutthroat trout and cutthroat-rainbow hybrids will grow lethargic and feed less during the day. And weed growth will reach the lake surface. “You get tangled in it, trying to fish around it.” So why not fish Henrys Lake even earlier? If Reitz drives that far, he wants to be certain he can fish without enduring miserable weather. “You can have snow there the 25th of June.” His tips: You can fish from the shore or a pontoon, but you’ll need a motorboat to reach the cooler streams coming into Henrys Lake and the trout that congregate there. It’s easy to tell which stream mouth is fishing

the best, Reitz said: You might see 20 to 50 boats there. The lake’s old-timers anchor their boats in their favorite spots at daybreak. They talk in code and won’t tell an outsider what flies they’re using. That’s a challenge to Reitz, who tries to come up with something that can outcatch them. His damsel fly can work well, depending on that hatch, and some mayfly emergers have been good. Reitz typically fishes

Twin Falls angler Dusty Jenkins likes to hit a particular stretch of the Big Wood River when its brown trout get aggressive before fall spawning. That stretch: from the hot springs that enter the Big Wood just before it dumps into Magic Reservoir, upstream to Stanton Crossing, where U.S. 20 crosses the river. Brown trout summer in the reservoir then start upstream to spawn, Jenkins said. In late October or early November — a time that weather and water temperature can vary by several weeks — fly fishers can target the trout here without taking them off their redds, which could be a danger farther upstream. Wading is most practical here, where the river is too shallow and fast for float tubes. “You definitely have to be prepared for the weather that time of year. It can change in a hurry,” Jenkins said. His tips: “It doesn’t take a whole lot of skill,” Jenkins said, because these trout are aggressive. “You’re not necessarily matching the hatch, you’re just throwing something at them that’s going to make them mad.” Try big Woolly Buggers, streamers or big articulated flies such as Montana tier Kelly Galloup’s — to look like smaller fish trying to attack the trout’s eggs or redds. Access: Use the Stanton Crossing sportsman’s access (two miles west of U.S. 20 and Idaho 75) or the Hot Springs Landing (farther west on U.S. 20, at the north end of Magic Reservoir). From either place, Jenkins said, it’s a pretty easy walk through grass, though there isn’t a trail. You’ll stay close to the river because of private property.

Camping • Fishing Hunting • Groceries Much, Much More… 280 S. Idaho • Wendell • Id

208-536-6651 Adventure Guide 2016 • K27

t s e B ’s o h a d I l a r South-cent 16 0 2 n i s t n e v E y t i Commun MAY

May 28: Lincoln County Live History Days Parade, Shoshone. Lincolncountychamber.org, 208-886-9811. May 28-29: Lincoln County Historical Society’s Live History Days, Shoshone. Demonstrations, displays, vendors and opening of the Lincoln County Museum. Lincolncountyhistorical.org, lincolncountychamber. org, 208-886-7787, 208-886-9811.

JUNE

June 3-5: Twin Falls Western Days. Parade, Pioneer of the Year award, live music with several bands, 3-on-3 shootout basketball, carnival rides. Facebook.com/twinfallswesterndays, 208-733-2094. June 4-5: Camas Lily Days, Fairfield. Children’s free fishing derby, arts, crafts, music, community breakfast, children’s activities, Native American dancing. Fairfieldidaho.net, 208-539-9239. June 4-5: “Classics on the Grass” car show by Mini-Cassia Auto Collectors at Cassia County Fairgrounds, Burley. Cars, raffles, giveaways. Minicac.com, minicassiachamber.com. June 9-11: Magic Valley Dairy Days, Wendell. Parade, entertainment, car show, crafts, carnival, food, exhibition booths. Wendellchamberofcommerce.org. June 11: Richfield Outlaw Day. Community breakfast, parade, arena and rodeo events, mud bog races, street dance. 208731-2176 (Lori). June 23-26: Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival, Hailey, Ketchum, Sun Valley. Cycling events with Scott Enduro Cup races, Sheeptown drag race, children’s mountain bike race, downtown criterium team relay, pump track state championships, live music, local stoker rides. Ridesunvalley.com, visitsunvalley. com. June 24: Hagerman fireworks show. Hagermanvalleychamber.com. June 24-25: Highway 30 Music Fest, Twin Falls County Fairgrounds, Filer. Music with 20 bands. Hwy30musicfest.com. June 24-26: Idaho Regatta, Burley. Boat races on the Snake River. Includes K Racing Runabouts, Super Stocks, Pro Stocks, Grand Nationals, Crackerbox, Sportsman E, Competition Jets, GPS 95. Idahoregatta.org. June 30, July 1-4: Rupert’s Fourth of July celebration. Parade, fireworks,

28 • Adventure Guide 2016

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO

JUNE: Children wave from a pickup during the 2015 Western Days Parade in Twin Falls. entertainment, patriotic program, fun run/ Southern Idaho campus. Twinfallsfireduathlon, lawnmower races, carnival, horse works.org. races. Rupert4th.com, 208-436-9600. July 4: Burley Fourth of July celebration with fireworks. 208-878-2224, 208-878JULY 7371. July 4: Fairfield Fourth of July celebration July 2: Mug bogs in Fairfield. 208-539with fireworks. 208-539-9239. 9239. July 2: Sun Valley on Ice opens at Sun July 4: Gooding community fireworks Valley Ice Rink. Ice show continues on most show. Goodingidaho.org, 208-934-5669. July 4: Hailey’s Days of the Old West celSaturdays through Sept. 3. Features Olympic medalists, national champions and world- ebration. Parade on Main Street, Sawtooth class skaters. Sunvalley.com, visitsunvalley. Rangers Rodeo (July 2-4), criterium bike com. 208-622-2135. race, carnival, fireworks, pancake breakfast, July 3-4: Sagebrush Days, Buhl. Trout antique fairs, Draper Preserve River Festival feed, tractor pull, parade, pancake break- with Big Wood River activities and music. fast, fun run, fireworks. Buhlchamber.org, Haileyidaho.com, visitsunvalley.com, 208208-543-6682. 788-3484. July 4: Twin Falls’ Fourth of July celebraJuly 4: Richfield fireworks show, hosted by tion with Magic Valley Citizens’ Fourth of Richfield American Legion, at the Richfield July fireworks show on the College of High School football field. 208-487-2755.

July 4: Shoshone Fourth of July celebration. Community potluck, fireworks. 208886-2030. July 4: Stanley Fourth of July celebration. Parade, street dance, fireworks. Stanleycc. org, 208-774-3411. July 8-9: Camas County Rodeo, Fairfield. Idaho Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeo events. Fairfieldidaho.net, 208-7204457. July 8-9: Kimberly Good Neighbor Days. Parade, community benefit dinner, Good Neighbor of the Year presentation, live music, fun run, car show, children’s activities. Cityofkimberly.org, 208-4234151. July 8-10: Ketchum Arts Festival. Works by Idaho artists and craft makers, music, children’s activities. Ketchumartsfestival. com, visitsunvalley.com.

TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

JULY: The Oinkari Basque Dancers of Boise perform the sagar-dantza, or apple dance, during the 2014 Gooding Basque Picnic.

AUGUST: Members of the Blue Stars team jump the fence to compete in pig wrestling at the 2015 Jerome County Fair.

July 9: Declo Day. Parade, hammer run, barbecue, entertainment, games. 208-6542124. July 9-10: Shoshone Arts in the Park. Arts, crafts, live music, children’s events, hay rides, petting zoo. Lincolncountychamber. org, 208-886-9811. July 16: Hansen Day celebration in City Park. Parade, community potluck, children’s games, fireworks. 208-423-5158. July 16-17: Sawtooth Mountain Mamas Arts and Crafts Fair, Stanley. Original artwork, crafts, music. Sawtoothmountainmamas.org, stanleycc.org. July 17: Gooding Basque Picnic festivities at Basque Cultural Center, Gooding. Catholic Mass, lamb lunch, chorizos, Basque dancers and music, adult weight-carrying competition, children’s competitions. 208308-5051. July 18-23: Magic Valley Folk Festival in Burley, Rupert, Twin Falls. Features dance teams and musicians from several countries. Parade at Rupert Square, youth culture presentations and workshops in Burley, gala performances in Burley and Twin Falls. Magicvalleyfolkfestival.com. July 20-23: Elmore County Fair, Glenns Ferry. Rodeo, junior rodeo, livestock shows, entertainment. Ecfr.weebly.com, 208-5872136. July 21-23: Sun Valley Center for the Arts’ Wine Auction events, Ketchum and

Dutch oven cobbler, ice cream social. Minidokacountyfair.org, 208-436-9748. Aug. 3-7: Camas County Fair, Fairfield. Parade, games, street dance. 208-764-2230. Aug. 8-13: Blaine County Fair, Carey. Rodeo, family fun day, entertainment, animal shows. 208-788-5585, blainecountyfair. com. Aug. 9-13: Jerome County Fair. Parade, PRCA rodeos, junior rodeo, Redneck Olympics, Extreme Motocross, free stage entertainment, livestock shows. Jeromecountyfair.com, 208-324-7209. Aug. 12-14: Sun Valley Center Arts and Crafts Festival, Ketchum. Outdoor juried art show, artist demonstrations, music, children’s activities. Sunvalleycenter.org,

Sun Valley. Gala auction and celebration, vintner dinners, Junior Patrons Circle’s tastings and tapas, wine and dine event, wine tasting, entertainment. Sunvalleycenter.org, visitsunvalley.com, 208-726-9491. July 22-23: Sun Valley Road Rally. Ketchum cruise and car show, world-class car road rally, raffle. Sunvalleyroadrally.com, visitsunvalley.com, 208-727-8768. July 22-23: Oakley Pioneer Days. Parade, barbecue, rodeos, gymkhana, team sorting, dance, fireworks. 208-862-3313. July 25-30: Lincoln County Fair, Shoshone. Parade, IMPRA rodeo, junior rodeo, truck pull, children’s activities. Lincolncountyfairandrodeo.weebly.com. July 29-30: Twin Falls Arts in the Park. Juried artwork, ceramics, wood carvings, crafts, music, food, children’s activities. July 30: Kids Art in the Park workshops for ages 3-14, Art Play workshops for adults, Rotary Club’s Ice Cream Funday. Magicvalleyartscouncil.org, 208-734-2787. July 30: Spudman Triathlon, Burley. Course is 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run with men’s and women’s age divisions and teams. Spudman.org, burleylions.org.

Your Steelhead Fishing Advantage

AUGUST‌

Aug. 1-6: Minidoka County Fair, Rupert. Concert by Due West band, Aug. 2; lawnmower races, junior rodeo, open rodeo, gymkhana, ranch sorting, barbecue fundraiser,

visitsunvalley.com, 208-726-9491. Aug. 15-20: Cassia County Fair, Burley. Parade, PRCA rodeos, team ranch sorting, ATV rodeo, free stage entertainment; Aug. 13, concert by Brothers Osborne and The Cadillac Three. Cassiacountyfair.com, 208678-9150. Aug. 15-20: Gooding County Fair. Parade, PRCA rodeos, American Freestyle Bullfighters event, Cowboy Trappings of the West art show, street dance, cowboy reunion, music in arena after rodeos, carnival. 208-9344529. Aug. 20: Joe Mama’s Car Show, Jerome. Race and show cars, antique cars, sports and custom cars, trucks. Joemamascarshow.com.

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Aug. 26-27: Sawtooth Salmon Festival, Stanley. Tours of salmon spawning beds, music, food, children’s activities. Idahorivers.org, stanleycc.org. Aug. 27: Snake River Vikingman, Riverside Park, Heyburn. Swim-bike-run races (Olympic distance triathlon, half triathlon, sprint triathlon, half marathon, aquabike, duathlon). Vikingman.org. Aug. 27: Paul Palooza celebration, Paul City Park. Entertainment, games, food. 208-438-4101. Aug. 31, Sept. 1-5: Twin Falls County Fair and Magic Valley Stampede, Filer. Sept. 4, concert by Sawyer Brown with guest Locash; All Star Monster Truck Show, PRCA rodeos, free entertainment, comedy magic show, carnival. Tfcfair.com, 208-326-4396.

SEPTEMBER‌

Sept. 1-5: Wagon Days, Ketchum. Big Hitch Parade, live music, cowboy poetry, arts, crafts, pancake breakfast, carnival, antique fair. Wagondays.org, visitsunvalley.com. Sept. 2-3: Stanley-Sawtooth Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering, downtown Stanley. Cowboy music and poetry. Sawtoothmountainmamas.org, stanleycc.org. Sept. 3-5: Rocky Mountain Motocross Series at Minidoka County Fairgrounds, Rupert. Dirt bike racing. Minicassiachamber.com, mxseries.com, 208-436-9748. Sept. 4-5: Bellevue Labor Day Celebration in Bellevue. Parade, music, crafts, food. 208-788-2128. Sept. 9-11: Lost N Lava Cowboy Gathering Trail Ride, Shoshone. Horse riding with routes around the Richard and Eric Barney ranch and the West Magic Dam area; gather around the campfire for music, games and food. Lostnlavagathering.com, 208-886-7787. Sept. 10: Perrine Bridge Festival, Twin Falls. Run-bike-paddle event, 5k run, children’s superhero fun run, family activities, BASE jumping exhibit. Facebook.com/ perrine-bridge-festival. Sept. 10-11: Jerome County Historical Society’s Live History Days, Jerome. Live demonstrations, pioneer games and music, tours of historical buildings, displays of agricultural exhibits, nondenominational church service, community picnic. Historicaljeromecounty.com, 208-324-5641. Sept. 16-18: Lost N Lava Cowboy Gathering, Shoshone. Entertainment by cowboy poets and musicians from throughout the West. Day shows, evening concerts, jam sessions, muzzleloaders rendezvous, dinner, dance. Lostnlavagathering.com, 208-886-7787. Sept. 17: “A Blast on the Grass” car show, Hagerman. Cars, DJ music, cruise,

STEPHEN REISS, TIMES-NEWS FILE PHOTO‌

SEPTEMBER: Visitors enjoy the water and the booths at the 2015 Thousand Springs Festival of the Arts on Hagerman’s Ritter Island. fun run, scavenger hunt. Hagermanvalleychamber.com, 208-590-1839. Sept. 22-25: Idaho Mountain Festival at Castle Rocks State Park, Almo. Rock climbing, trail running, athlete workshops, games, prizes, speakers, music. Idahomountainfest.com. Sept. 24-25: Thousand Springs Festival of the Arts at Ritter Island, Hagerman. Presented by Magic Valley Arts Council with assistance from Southern Idaho Land Trust. Entertainment, juried artwork, ceramics, glasswork, crafts, children’s activities, food. Magicvalleyartscouncil. org, 208-734-2787.

OCTOBER‌

Oct. 6-9: Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Ketchum and Hailey. Sheep parade, Folklife Fair, Sheep Tales Gathering, music, dancers, lamb feast, fiber festival, workshops, demonstrations and displays, children’s

activities, sheepdog championship trials. Oct. 19-23: Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival. Music performances on several Trailingofthesheep.org, 208-720-0585. Oct. 14-15: Crosstoberfest, Hailey. stages; dance lessons, dance competitions. Cyclocross bike racing, music, brewers Sunvalleyjazz.com, 1-877-478-5277. fest. Crosstoberfestidaho.com, visitsunvalley.com, haileyidaho.com. —Calendar compiled by Ramona Jones

SUMMER FUN at the REC Pool is open to the public: • Mon.-Fri: 1pm-5pm & 8pm-9:30pm • Saturday: 1pm-4pm & 5pm-7pm Sunday: • Sund

1pm-4pm

SWIMMING LESSONS: For Classes & Costs go to www.jeromerecreationdistrict.com

GolF lESSoNS & oTHER SummER acTiviTiES Full Fitness & Recreation center enter

JEROME RECREA RECREATION • 2032 South Lincoln, Jerome • 324-3389

Adventure Guide 2016 • K31

On Water, Rock, or Snow, Enjoy Your Adventure

Hours Of Operation:

Mon- Fri: 10am- 6pm • Sat: 10am- 5pm • Sun: Closed

701 2nd Avenue South, Twin Falls, ID 83301 (208)735-8697 • www.riverrattwinfalls.com