This past week our curiosity led us to Idaho. We had been told by many that Idaho was a hidden gem and that if we ever got the chance to go visit this state, so we did! We spent several days in the Sawtooths of Idaho. Our first day we ventured out on a 9 mile hike up to Sawtooth Lake.
The landscape of this area is really gorgeous. From its rocky formations to its high lakes, this 9 mile hike was definitely worth it when we arrived to the top. As we took in the scenery, Matt also did some fly fishing in the lakes. He was able to catch several small Cutthroat trout.
After our hike, we looked for a camping spot and it was so fortunate to have designated campsites along the Sawtooth scenic highway where you could camp for free! We found us an area to camp and it was right along the Salmon River. The next morning we got up to start our backpacking hike in the Sawtooth Wilderness. We hiked Petit and Toxaway Loop which was about a 20 mile loop. Most of the hikes in this area are dog friendly because it is mostly national forest land which was awesome, so our Chaca girl was able to join us on our adventures. We did this loop counter clockwise just from the reviews I had read this was a little less steep than going the other direction. Our first day backpacking in, we hiked about 8 miles which got us to Toxaway Lake. We found an area a little bit off the trail to set up camp. We were the only ones there and it felt like we had the lake to ourselves.
Of course after arriving, Matt did some fly fishing and again caught some more small Cutthroat trout. We enjoyed our afternoon by the lake just relaxing and reading.
The next morning we got up, packed up our hiking gear, and started making our way back on the trail to finish up the loop. We hiked about 3 miles before we reached the summit of this hike and it was worth every aching minute! The view of Twin Lakes from the top was breath taking.
There is just something about working so hard to get to a beautiful site and just having a peacefulness that sinks in as your soaking up the views. After taking a little break at the summit, we continued our hike which was down hill now. Our next break we took was at Alice Lake, which was another gorgeous lake also good for a campsite if you stretched this loop into three days.
The closer we got to the end of this hike the more our feet and shoulders ached but we made it out 20 miles in two days! That afternoon we found another area to camp at along the Salmon River and relaxed by the river.
Our last day in the Sawtooths, we headed into the town of Stanley. Stanley is where you’ll find your gas station, a small grocery store, places to stay, and a restaurant or two. Be sure to fill up gas if you plan on going for long distances because there is not much nearby. Matt checked out the fly shop in Stanley then we headed to Redfish Lake to check it out. This is a pretty lake and actually has a beach area with boats if you want a day to just relax by the water. Then we headed back North along the Salmon River towards Sunbeam. This area has a historical broken damn from when they used to do mining. We also checked out the Yankee Fork gold dredge which was pretty interesting and you are able to take a personal tour if you would like to for $5. The rest of the day we spent on the Salmon River stopping in areas that looked fit to fish in. Matt was able to catch a few more Cutthroat trout that afternoon.
That evening we ended up driving towards Salmon, Idaho to make our drive a little shorter the next day and found a nice camping area again a free one called Deer Gulch along the Salmon River.
To end our trip, the next morning we had breakfast in Salmon, Idaho at Wally’s Cafe. We would rate this place with 5 stars. This cafe was known for their breakfast pot pie and Matt is a sucker for pot pies so of course he tried it and I got the french toast. Our breakfast was phenomenal! We met the owner as well and she told us a little bit about her restaurant. There was a signature board on the wall next to where we were sitting and she pointed out a few people from the cast of “Yellowstone” for those who are familiar with that show. Kevin Costner specifically has come in her cafe a few times along with some of the other cast members. She also told us the film takes place in Darby, Montana and Park City, Utah and that we would be driving through Darby on our way back home.
So on our way home, Matt was able to spot the “Yellowstone” ranch, which is originally called Chief Joseph Ranch. You could see the “Y” on one of the barns and the entrance to the ranch that the film built for the show that said “Yellowstone Dutton Ranch”.
We just thought this was the coolest thing since we are actually in the middle of watching this series! Overall, our trip to Idaho was wonderful and so beautiful! There is so much more we want to explore here so hopefully this won’t be our only visit to this hidden gem.
