16 replies to this topic

[kmcintyre]

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

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

[Foy]

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

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

 

Go for it JD!

 

Foy

[searching for nowhere]

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

[longhorn1]

Thanks

[clikrf8]

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

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

Edited by clikrf8, 09 November 2018 - 07:46 PM.

[longhorn1]

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

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

Great ideas, thanks

[buckland]

Just reading this makes me stir crazy! I want to go!... Have to put the camper in the barn for the winter tomorrow but I love reading these trip planning threads and the trip reports... All winter to plan next year. WTW is wonderful.

You will have a fantastic time from the sound of it,

Edited by buckland, 11 November 2018 - 10:54 PM.