Traveling to the NW - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Traveling to the NW

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

With regards to the batteries, I'm sure others will give better information, but I would remove them and store them in a garage unless you can have access to electricity where the fiver is stored. With electricity nearby, you could probably hook up a trickle charger to keep the batteries charged.

Now, as a side thought on your travels, if you are interested in such things, while near the Craters of the Moon, check out the EBR-1 Nuclear Electrical Generating Museum. That is in the area of Arco, ID and highway 26 goes right through Arco. A cousin of the wife was interested in seeing that and even though they have lived in Idaho for 20-some years, he had never taken the time to go see it. So, we went to check it out on one of those days that the ladies were really into sewing/embroidery projects. Even though I'm not one that was really interested in such a thing as a historical site, I did find it interesting. They do some guided tours, but one can also do a self-guided tour.

Terry

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the info Terry, that definitely sounds like something Dave would like to see.

Regarding the batteries, we have full hookups on our RV site at the house. Should we just leave the fifth wheel plugged in? What is a trickle charger?

Thanks!

Russ Ranger · RV-Dreams Family Member

We stumbled across Crates of the Moon in 2013. I had no idea what was there. It is one of the strangest places on earth. Lava cones, underground lava tunnels and lava flows the size of the state of Rhode Island.

You are on your own to explore the underground caves. We only came equipped with regular small flashlights. That was a mistake, the vast blackness could eat up a flashlight beam in 5 or 10 feet. It was hard to keep our balance with no reference to up and down. Weird!!

Be sure to do the ranger led night time hike up a cinder cone. The ranger taught us a lesson in listening that we still use to this day.

The limited campsites are placed randomly between the lava flows. No two sites look the same. It is one of my favorite campgrounds in the US.

We plan to go back in the next few years.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Craters of the Moon is well worth the visit. If you have time, after you leave there, go slightly north to the Ketchum / Sun Valley area, the Sawtooth wilderness is lovely and well worth the visit. Red Fish Lake near the town of Stanley ID is beautiful and well worth a day visit. Driving through the Sawtooths is doable but not a fast trip, there's a very high (~10K) mountain pass if you choose to drive all the way through the Sawtooths. Boise is also a fun city to visit, there's a great bike trail (Boise Greenbelt Trail) with the Boise Riverside RV park right beside the trail if you are bicyclists. A little north of Crater Lake is Bend OR, which is another fun area to explore. There are some lava tubes near Bend to explore that are really interesting if you're not claustrophobic.

JonRV · RV-Dreams Family Member

You will definitely want to travel into/through Oregon via the Gorge. Probably one of the prettiest rides in the country.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Newberry caldera is the one south of Bend and it is really impressive. There are nearby cinder cones you can drive up to the top on (and there are geocaches there) and we did the walk down the lava tube. Rent one of the propane lanterns when going down it and make sure you have a jacket. It is something to explore. The Newberry Volcano is a National Monument and we spent several days there exploring it. In fact, we stayed in the area and drove down to Crater Lake one day. Personally I think Newberry is every bit as good as Crater Lake, but most people don't know about it since it isn't a National Park.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have taken US20 through Oregon many times from the mountains to Idaho, it is an interesting trip and good road. I don't see why you are dropping down to Lakeview, when Crater Lake is your destination. I would take US20 all the way to Bend and US97 south. Diamond Lake has both a national forest campground, no hookups, and a full hookup commercial campground, and is a good spot to explore Crater Lake from.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Candy,

Without knowing exactly what route you are planning on going through Idaho from Craters of the Moon, it is hard to say for sure what other places might interest you. However, let me mention a few places. South of Craters is Twin Falls where Shoshone Falls is located. Also in that area, but north of I-84 is the Minidoka Japanese Internment camp that is being restored.

If you were going on west from Twin Falls on I-84 there is Malad Gorge State Park that is right off of the interstate. A little further along is Glenns Ferry, where there is Three Island Crossing State Park. Three Island State Park is a lovely place to overnight if it were time for you to stop for the night. On west of Glenns Ferry is Mountain Home, Idaho and south of there is Bruneau Canyon, although its a ways south of Mountain Home. (Use Google Maps to see where each of these places lie relative to nearby communities.)

Here is a link to some photos I took on our trips to Idaho. The images entitled Cascade Mountains were taken going north of Boise towards Cascade and McCall. If you knew me at all, you would bet the farm that I took a lot more photos than what are seen at the link below. If you want any more information, you can Google each of the places I mentioned, or you could contact me via private message. Minidoka is the hardest to find because the "information center" for Minidoka is actually located in another town called Hagerman but is further west and south of the actual internment camp.

Oh, and the photos at the link also include some of Craters of the Moon that I took way back in 2002.

Photos of Idaho

Terry

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our first workamping job was in Elkton OR. and we now live in Ocean Park, WA. We discovered the PNW agrees with us over all the places we visited while full-timing. You should have a great time up here. BTW, Arco was one of the places we visited early in our RV days, and Craters of the Moon is where we made the decision to sell everything and hit the road as full-timers.

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks everyone for the recommendations! As always you people are wonderful! We are going to hit Craters of Moon and then head southwest toward Crater Lake as we want to check that out before we start our workamping commitment on August 1st. We will be spending the month at a fish hatchery on the Columbia Gorge so we will have plenty of time to get acquainted with the area from Portland and to the east along the Gorge. We will only have 10 days from when we leave Jackson, WY before we have to start the position. And since we know we will be concentrating our explorations along the Gorge we really want to see Crater Lake first, hence the drop south instead of along I-84 and the Gorge.

Since I was asking about Rt. 20 through Oregon, I appreciate your answer Bill and we will take 20 clear to Bend and then drop down to Crater Lake. Sounds like lots to see and do around Bend also.

With all the places suggested by Terry, Ruth and Barb I am sure this will not be our only trip to the PNW but the first. Great pictures Terry! Thanks so much! Since we aren't traveling this winter (boohoo) I am spending time researching all the places to see along our possible routes. How wonderful it is to be able to explore this great Country. I do have to say I am envious of all you full-timers, but in life and marriage compromise is key.

Again, thanks for the responses!
Candy

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Candy - life if full of compromises, we might be full timers, but we're still working so we don't have as much time to explore as others. My knowledge of the PNW is bolstered by the fact that I grew up in Spokane WA with a Dad who loved to take his family on camping trips and enjoyed the great outdoors. I then came back to the PNW as an adult with hubby in tow for 11 years. We now enjoy it every summer, but still don't have as much time to explore it as we would like. Our goal now is to find a different route each June and September as we head north and then return south so we can explore a new place or two enroute based on our work schedules.

Enjoy your time there!