City of Rocks National Reserve

Thinking about making a short stop at City Of Rocks National Reserve while driving in July on highway 84 north from Salt Lake City. I checked nps.gov and this park looks very interesting. What is the best exit from rt.84? How much time do you think I need to add to my trip to visit this place? Can anyone recommend a nice walk/very short hike? Is the road to the city of rocks paved all the way? Thank you

City of Rocks National Reserve

Pat, the best exit is the one for Albion/Almo in Idaho. You can also take the old highway 30 in Utah but that road is gravel most of the way and very rough. I%26#39;d plan several hours or even an overnight stay if you have that much time. There is lodging in both Almo and Albion. The road from the exit in Idaho is usually paved all the way, but there%26#39;s been some construction on it and I don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s finished yet. As for walks/hikes, we just get out and walk around. I%26#39;m not sure about formal trails. But watch for snakes!

We like to go to City of Rocks and watch the rock climbers. It%26#39;s best to go in the morning or evening, can be hot during the day, especially in July.

Have a great trip!

Pug

City of Rocks National Reserve

Thank you Pug. Great info. No driving on unpaved roads on this trip.

You%26#39;ll be on gravel roads in the reserve itself, but there%26#39;s blacktop all the way to Almo.

Hmm, maybe I%26#39;ll make a trip out there this weekend! :)

Pug

That%26#39;s what I want to know. I%26#39;m just wondering because of a noon heat if I can walk/hike July 2nd since I%26#39;ll get there between 11-12. If not I can do what you do, just get out and walk around before is too hot. Thank you Pug, you are very helpful with last details of my trip

drive from Seattle to Calgary to Jackson Hole to Seattle

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions following my post of May 7. Here is our 2-month itinerary, after flying in to the USA from Australia in July. Suggestions please as to good thing to do for a family with 3 small children (4,7,8)? esp for our time in Montana. We%26#39;re hiring a SUV in Seattle and have booked accommodation in the national parks.

Day 1-2 Los Angeles

Day 3-6 Alaska (Anchorage %26amp; Seward)

Day 7-8 drive Seattle to Jasper

Day 9-12 Jasper NP

Day 13-15 Banff NP

Day 16-18 Calgary

Day 19-22 Glacier NP

Day 23-29 Montana

Day 30-35 dude ranch, Jackson Hole, WY

Day 36-40 Grand Tetons NP

Day 41-44 Yellowstone NP

Day 45-49 drive Yellowstone to Seattle

Day 50 Vancouver

Day 51-55 kayaking with Orcas, Johnston Strait BC

Thanks!

Kokera

drive from Seattle to Calgary to Jackson Hole to Seattle

You have got one fantastic trip outlined! It is rare that people can devote so much time to each area. The only place where you might be shortchanging things is in the Seattle/western Washington area. Not only is Seattle a wonderful city with much to see, there are some incredible national parks closeby, including Mt. Rainier, Olympic and the North Cascades, as well as Mt. St. Helens. You might want to consider some of that on your trip back from Yellowstone to Seattle. But to answer your question of activities specific to young children, I suggest the following:

Day 45 - Yellowstone to Stanley, Idaho. Take Highway 20 south to Rexburg for kids to see bears up close and personal at Bear World. At Idaho Falls drive west on Hwy 20 to Craters of the Moon, where they can explore lava tubes and cinder cones. Overnight at Redfish Lake or in nearby Stanley, Idaho

http://www.yellowstonebearworld.com/

http://www.nps.gov/crmo/

http://www.redfishlake.com/

Day 46 - spend the day at Redfish Lake. The kids can swim and play on the beach, horseback or paddle boat rides, or hike on the many alpine trails

Day 47 - Stanley to Pendleton, WA, via Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway and Boise, Idaho

Day 48 - Pendleton via the Dalles on I-84 to WA-14. See Mt. St. Helen%26#39;s volcano and overnight near Mt. Rainier National Park perhaps at Longmire or in the park

Day 49 - 2 hour drive to Seattle.

drive from Seattle to Calgary to Jackson Hole to Seattle

To go from YNP to Seattle I%26#39;d recommend travel from West Yellowstone and hook up with I-90 (or go out the north enterance depending on where you stay). We just got home and stopped in Kellogg, ID on the way. They have a new indoor water park that just opened that your kids might enjoy. They have very nice suotes and the water park is included.

acne

honeymoon?

Hi - getting married in december in mexico and looking for a snowy honeymoon. would sun valley be a good place? i am just starting research and would love any help you can offer. we both want to ski, be social and generally enjoy a new place. any suggestions of places to stay would be good also, we love room service! thanks!

honeymoon?

sun valley would be a lovely snowy place to honeymoon. quite romantic. look at the sun valley lodge, very romantic and room service. the view from your room is of the mountain and the famous ice skating rink. let me know. enjoy

honeymoon?

Thanks for the info. This forum is a quiet one and I appreciate the feedback! do you you happen to know if the mountain is usually open in early - mid december?

This forum is always quiet...i am amazed, as i can not think of a more wonderful place to live. We are all so friendly, my friends from the East are amazed at how many people, look you in the eyes, and say, %26#39;Hello';...The mountain is always open the weekend before Thanksgiving. We have absoultly the best snowmaking in the world. And if the HEAVENS are looking out for us...real snow from the sky....enjoy

Hi

Sun Valley would be a great place for honeymoon

It is so nostaglic it was the first destination ski resort in north america. It was the spot for hollywood movie stars in the 30%26#39;s and still is.

you never know who you might be skiing with or shareing mountain. but nobody makes a big deal about they are just people like you and me. that s the Idaho way.

check out some of the old movies made in the 40%26#39;s in sun valley like Sun Valley Seranade

they used to play sun valley serenade for free each night at the movie theater in sv...i cook for the .....in sv and really they are everywhere and no one blinks (well, maybe when i was around sting..pant, pant) an eye. that is why the famous love the valley, amongst other things.

Thanks for the info, SV sounds like it will work nicely. Given where I live (LA) and work (a movie studio) I am not too starstruck, so it should work nicely! Have a great weekend!

I am getting married in February and we are looking to go skiing in Idaho for a honeymoon. I%26#39;ve heard the runs at Sun Valley are breath-taking, but slow a long. Is this true? Is there another ski resort in Idaho with steeper runs? Is there still good snowfall in February? Do you have anymore sugguestions on places to stay or things to do that would be ';honeymoonesque'; thank you!

HI

Gladys I am sure you will find as much steep and deep as you want.

Unless you are an expert some of the blue or even green runs scare the hell out of flatlanders LOL.

Plus there is always helli skiing if you want extreme

i have lived here for 30 years and constantly hear people say that this mountain is tooooo steep. I am not sure if you are talking about Sun Valley, maybe the small ski hill, but not our big one..no way. I could give a scare or 2 to you!!! and great snow in Feb.

Dog Track?

Just wondering if there is still a open dog track in the Coeur d%26#39;Alene area. I thought there was one in the Post Falls area. I can%26#39;t see, to find any current information online about it.

Just wondering when they are open?

Thanks

Dog Track?

The track your thinking of is in Post Falls, just about 10 minutes from Coeur d%26#39;Alene right before you enter Spokane.

Here%26#39;s a link to their website

http://www.gpeventcenter.com/

Dog Track?

Thanks.

Any ideas when its open for racing? I called the phone number a just got a generic voicemail.

I looked at their website a little and they didn%26#39;t say which days are open for off-track wagering. They have a calendar ';coming soon';.

To the best of my knowledge, they don%26#39;t actually run races there anymore -- just off-track dog and horse races from around the country.

You can try emailing them at

SimulCast@GPEventCenter.com

They don%26#39;t actually do anymore dog racing there, I%26#39;ve had to call them before for other visitors. They are used primarily as an event center now, but they usually have stuff going on in the summer.

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Traveling through Idaho Falls on the way to Yellowstone...

I am looking for a scenic spot to have lunch with my family. We have three young kids, so if there is a family friendly restaurant somewhere on the water that is ideal for us. Anybody have an idea where we can stop, eat and enjoy the view? Thank you!!

Traveling through Idaho Falls on the way to Yellowstone...

Hi sagtravelgal,

Our favorite place downtown on ';The Falls'; is the Brownstone Restaurant. If you%26#39;re here in the summer, you can sit outside and enjoy the view; and the greenbelt is right in front of you to go feed the geese if you%26#39;re of a mind. Take exit 118 off the freeway (Broadway street), head east about 5 blocks and take a left just before you cross the river - can%26#39;t miss it.

Enjoy your trip!

Traveling through Idaho Falls on the way to Yellowstone...

Thank You! Sounds perfect!

Breakfast in Twin Falls

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you could tell me if there is a scenic location for breakfast in Twin Falls. Is there someplace to eat breakfast on the water or looking at it? Thank you!

Breakfast in Twin Falls

Sagtravelgal, only on Sunday mornings right now. Canyon Crest Event Center, right on the canyon rim, has a Sunday brunch but otherwise is not open for breakfast.

For breakfast without a view, try the Buffalo Cafe at 218 4th Avenue West -- a local favorite, not fancy but plenty of good food! Also Idaho Joe%26#39;s at 598 Blue Lakes Blvd. North. We also have chains such as Perkins, Shari%26#39;s and IHOP.

Pug

Breakfast in Twin Falls

For the best food, you have to go to the Buffalo! No view, as mentioned, but absolutely the best homemade everything.

Thank you so much for both of your replies! We will try it out. Thanks!

Be sure you Mapquest or Google the address before you go because it%26#39;s not on the ';main drag'; and is easy to miss if you%26#39;re not really looking for it. The streets in downtown Twin Falls can be a little confusing. Have a great trip.

Getting from Salt Lake to Idaho Falls

Hello

I am looking to see if anyone knows of any private transfer companies that would pick us up at Salt Lake Airport and drive us to Idaho Falls.

I know about the Salt Lake Express bus service that is still an option but thinking it would be quicker if there was a private company that operate.

We don%26#39;t want to hire a car as we will have been traveling for nearly 24hrs by the time we get to Idaho.

I have also posted on the Salt Lake forum see if anyone on there could help.

Thanks

Joanne

Getting from Salt Lake to Idaho Falls

We%26#39;ve always used the Salt Lake Express bus (formerly S.L.A.S.H.) and have never had any problems. I don%26#39;t know of any other private companies operating from SLC to Idaho Falls.

Getting from Salt Lake to Idaho Falls

Hello

Someone of the Salt Lake forum found this company they offer the private transfer at $60 per hour for 7 hours.

Does anyone know of any similar companies in Idaho Falls or nearby that might be able to help as they could be cheaper.

Any more help would be great

http://www.saltlakecitytransportation.com/

Thanks

Hello Johannes27,

I actually did come across a private transport company in Idaho Falls that will do a SLC airport run. It%26#39;s Idaho Transportation Company, and the email is slava32@aol.com and the phone number is 208-223-7720.

Have a great trip!

Hello

Thanks for the info on the last post for that company got a quote from them but it was about $400.

I have found a company through the Salt Lake Airport website that will take us from SLC to Idaho Falls for $70 each. Have posted the web link for the company below.

If anyone has heard or used these before would be grateful for an option before I go ahead and book with them.

http://www.bltshuttle.com/services.html