I thought this ribbon of rocks was an interesting feature on our drive between Idaho Falls and Declo.

There were about 25 horses in a pasture beside our campground. The group was mostly mommas and babies, with only a couple of extra “adults” in the mix. I watched them for hours because it was almost therapeutic seeing them interact.

These were my favorite. I’ve never seen a horse quite the same color. They looked like they had been dipped in pewter.

This section of the Snake River in Twin Falls was flanked with golf courses and parks on both sides of the water.

The I.B. Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls.

I just loved this Twin Falls Sculpture. It is simply called the Twins Statue.

Only a couple of miles from this spot is where Evil Knievel attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon in 1974. He was on a specially engineered rocket motorcycle, but he failed. A parachute on the motorcycle malfunctioned when he became airborne and he floated to the bottom of the canyon. He landed on the riverbank and not in the water. Coincidentally, while we were in the area, another stunt man made an announcement that he would attempt the same stunt in September of this year. We shall see if he can complete the mile wide leap.

Shoshone Falls is about 3 miles outside of Twin Falls. Some people call it the Niagra of the West because it is 212 feet high and 1,000 feet wide. In the early spring the snowmelt creates a massive water flow. By the time July rolls around, some parts of the falls are just a small trickle. Still pretty, though.

The full view of Shoshone Falls, complete with an enchanting rainbow and everything!

Dierkes Lake was just above Shoshone Falls. We drove over to take a look and watched these kids jump off the rocks for a bit.

Our spot at Village of Trees RV Resort was C8. The sites were a little skinny, but the owners paid meticulous attention to the grass.

Crop dusters flew over farm fields on every side of us, so we got fertilized almost daily.

CAT!

The City of Rocks National Reserve was about an hour south of our campground.

Emigrants heading west on the California Trail passed through this area. In 1852 about 52,000 people traveled this route on their way to find gold.

A view from the Circle Creek Overlook near the Almo entrance to the City of Rocks.

Rock climbing in the City of Rocks. No. Thank. You.

This is what the California emigrants would have been looking at when they passed through the area.

The little park on the Snake River by our campground had a boat launch and some floating docks. A couple with a 2008 Monaco stayed next to us for a few nights and they had this cute little blow-up boat that they kept down by the water. It was a Sea Eagle, which is the same brand as Mike’s inflatable kayak.

We drove over to the next town of Burley one afternoon to walk the dogs on their greenbelt trail. The only problem was that it was SO HOT! We made the mistake of going during the late afternoon and I was genuinely afraid the dogs were going to have a heat stroke. We only walked for about 20 minutes before we felt like we needed to turn around and hurry back to the car.

The address for The Village of Trees RV Park was Declo, Idaho, but the little town of Rupert was just as close in the opposite direction. Declo had a school, a post office and about one dozen abandoned buildings. We ended up going to Rupert for eating and shopping.

After our failed walk in Burley, we drove back to Rupert in search of drinks, shade and an early dinner. Only one spot fit all of our requirements, and they were dog friendly to boot! Henry’s Drift Inn was a restaurant and small hotel inside of a beautifully preserved historic bank building. The flowers that decorated their outside space were absolutely amazing.

Sunset at the little park by our campground.

Mike was able to get his kayak in the water from this spot.

Mike’s typical bounty at the conclusion of his fishing excursions.

The dogs were grateful for the soft grass with no stickers.

Our view as we drove to Craters of the Moon.

Lava. Lots of lava. In Idaho, of all places.

When Craters of the Moon was proclaimed a National Monument in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge used the 1906 Antiquities Act to preserve “a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself”.

Selfie on the way to the top of Inferno Cone.

A panorama from the top of Inferno Cone.

Pine trees growing out of a bed of lava rocks. I have never seen anything like this in my life.

We were lucky to find a picnic table near a tree with some shade. It was a hot and sunny day, and all the black lava everywhere made it even more toasty. The dogs waited in the shadows while we finished our lunch.

The first thing Mike must do when he returns from fishing is get his catch approved by Piper.