Idaho Archives

17-Idaho- Craters of the Moon

Next on the list is Craters of the Moon, Idaho. I haven’t been there yet but it is on my bucket list. I shared my thoughts on that in a previous post. This natural wonder is a protected volcanic area with the best-preserved flood basalt in the country. While it may be on Earth, visiting the Craters of the Moon is certainly an other worldly experience.

18 – Nebraska- Chimney Rock

Well strike two for me on this post! I have not been to Nebraska either. The natural wonder for Nebraska is Chimney Rock. I could be wrong but I think it’s significance as a land mark for Oregon Trail, the California Trail, as well as the Mormon Trail makes this more impressive than it’s actual appearance although it’s height is impressive. It is approximately 286 feet high

19 – New Mexico – White Sands National Park

Strike 3! I haven’t been to New Mexico either but it too is on my bucket list. You can check out my thoughts on a New Mexico Vacation right here. I didn’t have White Sands National Park on my list because I was exploring in another direction. Maybe I will need to reconsider that.

White Sands National Park is comprised of white sand dunes made of gypsum crystals. The desert stretches 275 square miles. Preserved in the dune fields are human footprints and animal prints from over 10,000 years ago

20 – Kansas – Monument Rocks

I can’t believe it. I hit another state I haven’t visited yet. I admit when I think of Kansas I think of tornados and the Wizard of Oz.

The natural wonder for Kansas is Monument rocks. When I first saw the photos on the internet I thought they looked like Monument Valley, AZ. The Monument Rocks in Kansas are made up of a series of chalk formations that are rich with fossils as far back as the Cretaceous Period (80 million years ago).

Well those are some impressive wonders but I hate that I haven’t seen any of them yet. I hope I do better when the list continues.

Idaho

Surprise! Idaho seems to be a popular vacation state. Who knew? Idaho is a northwestern U.S. state known for mountainous landscapes, and vast swaths of protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas.

I think we’ve all seen the commercials for the Idaho Potato truck

But Idaho is also know for gemstones. The mountains contain veins of gold, silver, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, and many other rare minerals. Some of these rare minerals are gems like star garnets (the state gem), jasper, opal, jade, topaz, zircon, and tourmaline.

Places To Stay

So now that I know what Idaho is known for lets see what resorts my timeshare has to offer.

The first resort to pop up is Elkhorn Inn located in Sun Valley. I’ve heard of Sun Valley but primarily for skiing in winter but the internet write ups seem to make summer a good time to visit too.

Elkhorn Resort | Idaho | Diamond Resorts

Summer in Sun Valley!

The City of Sun Valley sits at the edge of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forests; with the Big Wood River, a fisherman’s dream, running through the Wood River Valley.

Sun Valley enjoys a pleasant mountain desert climate. With an average humidity of only 30%, and 15 inches of precipitation per year, the northern latitude creates long days, with 15 hours of sunshine in the summer, giving the resort community its well-deserved name. Average summer temperature is 78 degrees.

Located in Central Idaho is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. I’ve wanted to visit Craters of the Moon and it looks like it’s about 1.5 hours from Sun Valley. Point for Elkhorn Resort.

How to get to Sun Valley

By Air:

The most convenient way to access Sun Valley by air is through the Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) in Hailey, a short 20-minute drive south of Sun Valley. During peak season months, there are daily non-stop flights from Seattle, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Please access Fly Sun Valley Alliance for flight schedules and ground transportation options to Sun Valley.

Other nearby airports include Twin Falls (90-mile south) and Boise (150-mile southwest).

By Ground:

Mountain Rides Transportation Authority runs public transportation for the Sun Valley area. Mountain Rides, a free town bus service, serves Warm Springs, Ketchum, Elkhorn, Dollar and River Run areas. In addition, to enable residents and visitors to get around the Wood River Valley in an economical and environmental friendly way, Mountain Rides operates the Valley Bus, serving Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley.

The 2nd Choice

Timbers at Island Park . This condominium style resort is located 22 miles from the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

The Timbers Condominiums At Island Park Village | Armed Forces Vacation Club

I’ve actually been trying to get a reservation here for a couple of years so I think I’ll keep this near the top of the list and keep trying. I want to explore Yellowstone from the West Entrance. My previous visit was from Wyoming which brought me into the park from the south. Yes, I got to see Old Faithful

Old Faithful Erupts- 2017

Getting There

The nearest commercial airports are 85 miles away in Idaho Falls, Idaho and 110 miles away in Bozeman, Montana. The resort is 22 miles south of West Yellowstone, Montana. From there is a car rental for the drive.