City of Rocks, Idaho

Day 29: June 21, lots of daylight today

Camping at Lake Walcott State Park, Rupert, ID

Today we visited City of Rocks National Reserve and I took too many photos for one blog post. The flowers will have to wait.

Yesterday, while biking around to explore this state park, we ran into an older couple who were picking up trash. These volunteers did it just to help the park—they collected the Karma Points, as I say. In any case, striking up a conversation, Jan and Rob couldn’t have been nicer about helping us find interesting things to do. We mentioned that we were going to visit City of Rocks National Reserve today and it turns out that their son is Head Ranger Stephen there! We looked for him and enquired of him, but alas, never found him!

Today’s blog post will be the first of two. I’m allowed since I didn’t post yesterday! 😂 There were so many good shots from today’s visit/hike, that I am breaking off the wildflowers into a Day 29’ post all on their own. They are worthy. 

Today, it’s all about the rocks and the scenery. This area was reported during the great migration west in covered wagons in the mid-1800s. Diaries record that this area became a landmark on the California Trail and it came to be known as the City of Rocks. 

What is a National Reserve? This is one of only a few nationally that are co-managed by the federal park system but also with local controllers, often the state. This Reserve has no maintained roads in the winter. The campsites are primitive and some will accommodate campers, but tents are the rule of the day. Some of the sites (we hiked by several on the way to Window Arch) offer the most spectacular views I’ve even seen of valleys and interesting rock formations, all of which will change with the light as the day progresses. 

I will start with my favorite photo, of Window Arch. After that, interspersed in today’s photos, we will be playing a little game: how many people can you see on the rock face, both climbing and assisting/getting ready to climb? Look carefully. One photo has seven people, but some are hard to see!

Window Arch

 

Window Arch from the other side

And one more, just because I really liked this formation

One floral snuck into today’s post—this appears to be a cousin of the yarrow that grows in our yard, but I’m not sure.

Count the people on the rock face

My boys remember hiking with me and me telling them, “Stop there. Right there”. Here, Dan was already stopped in the shade and I just took it, but I did ask him to face the camera (ie: phone). It smelled so good when we were hiking under the trees—the air was scented with sage, juniper, and pine. It was wonderful.

Aspen-shaded picnic area with a view of the valley beyond

Elephant Rock

Count the people on the rock face

Register Rock is to the left, the BAT is to the right

I could tell you that Dan seems to take lots of breaks but in actuality, it’s him having to wait for me to catch up. I can hike with two poles but I’m still slow. I thought it picked a great spot to wait for me to catch up. (Somehow I never get to rest..haha…I find things to photograph and that is my rest!)

Count the climbers. There’s more than one!

Mud swallow nests on Register Rock

It was called Register Rock because those on the wagon trains on the California Trail would sign their names on this rock Some have been painted over so they are more legible. 

Ruins of a stone structure near the entrance of the park (on private property, but still a cool structure); Note the sagebrush growing inside

A formation seen through a missing window and wall

Stone structure in ruins

Taken from the passenger seat through the front windshield…so a bit degraded; such an otherworldly landscape!

Next up: a BONUS POST of all the flowers not included in this post. Stay tuned!