Oregon/Idaho High Desert

Bend, Oregon to Mountain Home, Idaho

Followed the Oregon Trail route across the high desert from eastern Oregon to Idaho.  Can’t imagine how they did this in wagons.  Stayed in Mountain Home, Idaho for a few days to be able to plug in during the heat and use our air conditioner.

Juniper bushes

Juniper Campground, Ririe, Idaho

Found a great county park campground at a dam, and “damn nice it was”.  Juniper bushes around 15 feet tall that smelled great, made us crave a gin and tonic.

Grand Teton National Park

After a hair-raising drive through Teton Pass (10% uphill grade, we white-knuckled it up the pass), we arrived in Jackson, Wyoming.  Headed just a few miles out of Jackson to Grand Teton National Park.  The mountains seem to spring right out of the prairie.  I think we probably say this at each and every park, but "this might be our favorite".  

Jackson Wyoming from the top of Teton Pass 

Grand Teton National Park view

Gros Ventre Campground, Teton National Park

Our campsite was surrounded by sagebrush with a view of the Tetons.  A huge bull moose walked through the campground early our first morning there. Buffalo were roaming along the road.  The sunsets were spectacular!

Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in Grand Teton

Sunset in the Tetons

Jackson Lake at Colter Bay

Moved to this campground on Jackson Lake in the Tetons.  Nice trail from our campsite to the lake and a little village with a general store just down the path.   

Yellowstone National Park  

Yellowstone Lake visitor center

Drove the highway between Grand Teton and Yellowstone.  Only stayed in Yellowstone for the day.  It seems to have a little of everything - lakes, gorges, rivers and geysers.  Wish we could have spent more time here.  That might be another trip.

Bighorn Mountains 

Drove through the Bighorn Mountains to get into South Dakota.  Seems that each mountain range has its own unique appeal.  Lots of driving in low gear on steep downgrades in a really rugged mountain range.  Again, gorgeous scenery!

Badlands National Park

Devil's Tower on the road to the Badlands

Last national park on the tour.  We had been here once many years ago but enjoyed it just as much the second time.  Surreal.

Kilen Woods

Spent our last night of the trip back in Minnesota at a really pretty Minnesota State Park, Kilen Woods, outside of Worthington.  

The State Parks in Minnesota are unrivaled by any state parks we saw on the trip. 

Back to Northeast the next day.  

Guess there’s no place like home…

Time to plan the next trip.

WASHINGTON AND OREGON COAST

Drove down the coast to Tillamook Bay, as most of the listed State Parks on Highway 101 were day use and not camping, we ended up in a great RV park outside of Tillamook. This part of the coast has mountains on one side, grazing dairy cows in the middle and the ocean on the other.  Known for their cheese.

The farmer’s market had really great fresh peaches and nectarines.  Had to go out for seafood a couple of times.  

Took a hike on a historical interpretive trail to Tillamook Bay.  Paul’s opinion - “a few too many history lessons", but a nice trail all-in-all.

Rocks at Oceanside, Oregon

A pensive moment

Caught by the waves

At the wine and cheese shop - another pensive moment

Drove about an hour south to Depoe Bay.  Checked out the Whale Watching Center.  Learned a lot about the gray whales that stay in this area.  Had a number of whale sighting, a fin here, a water spout there, from the shore of our campground.  Still pretty awesome to get a glimpse of these giants.

The drive down the Oregon coast was awesome, yet terrifying.  This, however, is no comment on the driver, who did an excellent job!

Whale watching area in Depoe Bay

Met this guy in Depoe Bay

June's favorite camping spot so far - she couldn't stop smiling

WINCHESTER BAY/SALMON HARBOR MARINA

Stopped at Winchester Bay, Oregon for a couple of nights of camping on Salmon Harbor Marina.  Two nights turned into five.  Really different from the usual parks we’ve stayed.  Boats on the harbor are our closest neighbors.  Lots of small seafood restaurants and bars located right on the harbor.  Again, had to try the seafood at a few of them, and bought fresh prawns and scallops to cook at the trailer. Did a couple of day trips to see the lighthouse and the huge sand dunes.

Salmon Harbor Marina

The Nomad trying to fit in

Seafood restaurant on the marina

Our favorite place to pick up fresh seafood

June's favorite neighbors looking out the window

The fog rolling in to the marina in the evening

Next up, a drive across the high desert into Idaho and on to Grand Teton and Yellowstone.   

MONTANA TO THE PACIFIC 

Stayed on Flathead Lake in Montana.  We had access to electricity and internet!   Nice walk along Flathead Lake - a lake that is 39 miles long and many miles wide, nestled in the middle of the mountains..  Walked past Wayne Newton’s vacation home.  No Wayne sighting, however.  

Wayne Newton's infamous vacation home - at least to the residents of Rollins, Montana

Cool Wayne Newton treehouse

Paul thought he heard Wayne singing "Danke Schoen"

Drove into Idaho through probably the prettiest area we’ve seen yet.  The Clark Fork River runs through a few small towns in the mountains, one of which is Paradise - and it is.  Took the scenic mountain highway to the interstate with only one wrong turn and a long driveway to back the trailer down, and then into Idaho.  Sadly, we took no pictures of Paradise.

Once in Idaho we stopped at Lake Killarney for camping.  It was like we had a private lake to ourselves.  The campsite is part of the Bureau of Land Management, so cost was only $10 per night. Sat outside both nights and watched the ospreys fishing. 

Killarney Lake in Idaho

Quincy Lakes outside of Moses Lake, Washington:  Heed the “Mosquito Alert” sign, even if you are from Minnesota.  Chased out by 6:00 a.m. with mosquitos clinging to our screens.  Never packed up so fast! No time for pictures.

Drove through the Cascade Mountains and stayed 3 nights at a National Forest along the Tieton River. 

Mount Rainier

Drove the scenic byway to Mount Rainier National Park.  Stayed in the National Forest campground called La Wis Wis - odd name but we were lucky to get a campsite at such a great location right at the base of Mount Rainer. Huge Douglas firs! 

Finally made it to the Pacific Ocean.  We walked on the beach at Ocean Shores, Washington. Exciting to finally get to the ocean.  

Took off the next day for the Hoh Rainforest at Olympic National Park.  Unreal, Sitka spruce trees about 200 feet tall.  Nice hiking right out of the campground.

Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park.
Like being in Jurassic Park

East and West Glacier National Park

Things We've Learned:

1. Get gas when you get to 1/4 tank!  Otherwise, you will be very nervous.

2. Leveling blocks are mandatory.

3. Propane refrigerators are cool (no pun intended).

4. Wifi is a luxury!

5. Stock up on groceries when you can or you will be eating hot dogs for 

days.

6. The podcast “Serial” from This American Life is binge-worthy.

Fort Peck Dam

Spent one night at Fort Peck Dam on the border to Montana.  Big site on the Missouri River.  Again, super friendly campground hosts, which seems to be what we’re starting to expect.  Crossed over into Montana the next day.

Fresno Reservoir

Stayed at a donations-accepted campsite owned by the local Walleye Club.  Fresno Reservoir was a super friendly place to stay outside of Havre, Montana.  The host shared her wifi and let us charge up our laptop.  It was a treat to have wifi access for a night!  Spent our evening on the internet.  Big plus, cleanest bathrooms we’ve seen.



GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Glacier National Park (East Side):  

Pulled into Two Medicine Campground in Glacier and found a great site. The sites are numerous but each seemed so private.  Every way you turn is another fantastic view of the mountains.  Struggled a little with trailer leveling (well actually it was an hour or more).  Spent three nights here checking out the area.  Took a drive on “Going to the Sun Road”.  More spectacular views.  Wildlife we’ve spotted so far:  antelope, elk, buffalo and very tame deer wandering around the town in Glacier.  

Two Medicine is much less touristy than other parts of Glacier we visited. It was our favorite area in what we saw of Glacier National Park.

Two Medicine Campground

Retired guy on a bench at Two Medicine Lake

View from our campsite

Campground General Store

St. Mary Lake - Going to the Sun Road

Running Eagle Falls
Named for a prominent woman warrior
of the Blackfeet tribe

Glaciers on the mountains

Glacier National Park (West side):

Just a 57 mile drive from East Glacier to West Glacier.  Totally different climate on this side.  Warmer, less windy and not as rugged.  Camped at Fish Creek Campground in the National Park for two nights.  Nice campground but much less private, but this was easy to overlook as they have free hot showers, unlike the other sites we’ve stayed.

Did a short drive to some landmarks - McDonald Lake Lodge in Glacier since 1914, which looked like a great place to stay, but what could beat the Nomad.

Avalanche Creek

Lake McDonald Lodge

Inside McDonald Lake Lodge

Hold, please...