The Real Wild, Wild West

Bring along a light snack and some water and expect this simple day hike to lift your spirits and make you feel relaxed. The initial start to the trail is rather steep, and I've slipped down it a number of times. However, once you've traversed that little obstacle, the trail continues on relatively level ground, following the babbling Crooked River. It's a trail that is mostly shaded and cool, thanks to the mixed foliage and the nearby water. You can jump off in quite a few spots and spend hours reading on a rock with your toes dangling in the cold mountain stream.

The trail is well-maintained for the first mile and a half, but there is one point at which you need to traverse the river to continue further along the 8-mile trail. Currently, there are no easy ways to cross without stepping into the river - this is not difficult when the water level is low and the flow is not strong, but you will get wet regardless. There are no rocks to hop or trees to act as bridges. At the end of the short part of the trail is a small campground (you'll pass a few others on your way in as well), so you can bring a pack and camp. It's a good route for the kids--a weekender--or if you're just getting into hiking/camping/backpacking, as it doesn't stress you out. You're still able to walk back to the car if you forgot something. Parking at the trailhead, as well as just past the trailhead. Open year-round if you have 4-wheel-drive (it's where we go to cut our Christmas tree each year).

Stopping in Idaho City is like stopping in a Wild West Museum. Doing this near a holiday or any weekend in summer is akin to being in the museum, when the exhibits come to life. Every resident of Idaho City has done their part to make summer weekends a wonderful experience for families - dressing the part, singing, and acting as if you've stepped back to the days of the Gold Rush. Idaho City was once the state capital as well as a Gold Rush city.

The town has done well to keep up the historical facade, and during the summer months, visitors can engage in traditional Western BBQ, outdoor concerts, rodeos, and mini-plays acted out along the two main thoroughfares in town. Walking the mile-long loop around Main Street and its neighboring streets is like stepping back in time - the buildings all retain their original character and many of them have been converted into museums celebrating the region's unique history - Chinese workers, moveable type and letterpress, Idaho's Gold Rush, and the great fishing found in along the tributaries to the Middle Fork and Salmon Rivers.

This particular 4th of July weekend we saw a town transformed with locals dressed in 1800s couture and fake shootouts with the real sheriff! The town was ablaze with fun and tourists but no smoke - it's the height of the dry season, so campfires and fireworks are off-limits in this forested land. All entertainment was free - including the 20-minute play production in an empty lot between hundred year old buildings. There was music along Main Street and a picnic in the park ($1 hot dogs). The aroma of BBQ was everywhere, and the museums were free and open to the public. In all, it made for a wonderful stop before the short hike along Crooked River.