On the way north, we stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho to grab dinner and check out the mile-long canyon Evel Knievel attempted to jump in 1974. It was such an amazing view! There's a canyon rim trail that follows along the Snake River.
Had we realized all that Twin Falls has to offer, we would have spent a few days and made it to the waterfalls. Next time!
As soon as we hit Hailey, the scenery changed. Suddenly these hills appeared draped in green velvet, just begging to be climbed. A few turns later we arrived at our Boondockers Welcome site for the next few days.
It's such a beautiful area! This is probably my favorite Boondockers Welcome site. You can't beat this view even in high end campgrounds, and this was FREE! We paid just $5 per day for water and electric!
While staying in Hailey, we learned some interesting history. In 1988 Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were looking for the perfect place to raise their children away from the spotlight. They found beautiful Hailey, located just down the road from Sun Valley's ski resorts and the gateway to the Sawtooth Mountains. He ended up buying a house, then the adjacent properties, then the town movie theatre (white building pictured below), a bar and more. His downtown transformation drew attention and soon a tourism boom hit the small town. They were back in the spotlight in California's newest playground. After the couple divorced in the 90s, Willis began selling off his properties and halted the development of a town recreation center and pool, which meant laying off 10% of the town's population. He listed his home in 2011 for $15m, but finally sold it 7 years later for just $5.5m. Still this set a record for the most expensive home sale in the town. His impact on this area still remains, much to the chagrin of the locals.
Another bit of interesting info is that neighboring town, Sun Valley, hosts an annual "summer camp for billionaires". Hosted by Allen & Company, CEOs from major corporations and their families come together for outdoor experiences and to make some major business deals.
When we left Hailey, we decided to stay a few nights at Hayspur Hatchery. It's free to stay at this scenic campground (no utilities, donation requested). There is a pond and two rivers you can fish in, but you'll have to fight off the mosquitos! And watch out for moose!
I actually LOVE this photo.
It shows how much my boy loves his sport.
Look closely and you'll see the clouds of mosquitos we were enduring!
While he was fishing, I was birding next to him (can't go far when a moose had been spotted in the area) when I watched a Swainson's Hawk dip into a nest. Later I was able to locate it and found two fluffy white nestlings!
Common Nighthawks were plentiful in the campground. If I looked closely, I could easily find 4-5 perched in just one tree! I love watching them flying around the campground.
We visited the nearby Silver Creek Preserve. It offers opportunities to see wildlife, float the river and fishing, although the rules here are extremely difficult to understand. Only floats (no kayaks or boats) can be used on the water, and the river is divided into 9 sections, each of which have different rules, and each year those rules may change. Two of these rules we've never heard of before: children under 14 don't need a license ONLY if they are a resident. Non-resident children DO NEED a license or to be fishing with a licensed person (and counting their fish together). Some sections only allow fly-fishing, something we've never heard of before. When we asked a ranger what the purpose is for restricting to fly-fishing, he couldn't give a reason. I believe they intend to limit the number of people who are able to fish. The cheapest fly rod we could find was $150, while you can find a $25 rod with a reel at any grocery store in the area. So if you want to fish, I'd suggest calling a ranger and asking for all the regulations for the specific location. Or keep it simple and just go birding! It is a beautiful preserve.
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