Idaho Dirt

---

---

Thursday morning brought sun to the Sawtooth peaks well before reaching our camp. The ride to Challis (the best breakfast so far) was through some remarkable high country, vast grazing basins, cattle, antelope, and miles of sage and grass. Down the Salmon River to Stanley the twisties were fast and fun. We headed over the pass and south toward Lowman, where we turned west in search of hot springs.
After a little local quizzing, we set our sites on Boiling Springs, about 22 miles of dirt from the road. The road surface was well graded as we followed the Middle Fork of the Payette River up into the forest. Firs changed to pines and sandstone replaced granite as we ascended the river corridor.
We found a beautiful riverside campsite in an otherwise scabby campground at road's end. After making camp and gathering wood, we walked further up-valley to the springs. A Forest Service rental cabin sat at the site of the springs, a couple of shallow sketchy pools at the base of a rocky steaming outcrop. The springs had seen better days, and the pools, while warm, were too shallow to beckon us.
Due to the minimal nature of our last grocery, we settled for chili over the campfire. Nothing like eating your dinner out of a can. Life IS good.

---