In early summer 2021 we decided that Covid 19 conditions had improved enough that we could safely do some exploring. We had wanted to see some of the nation’s southwest National Parks and reasoned that if we did that by automobile and stayed in responsible chain hotels, we would be out doors most of the time and at low risk. Of course, since we live in Seattle, that gave us a considerable distance to cover; so we made a plan to see other things along the way as well.
This overall map shows the states we travelled through with overnight stays indicated by the large white circles. The parks themselves, all on the lower part of the map, are shown in green. To make each part of the trip easier to follow, I’ve made smaller maps of each segment to accompany each leg of the trip. The first was from Seattle to Boise, Idaho, as shown on the map below.
Jane’s daughter lives in Boise, so we have made the trip there and back a number of times, usually stopping someplace along the way to break up the trip, this time in Baker City, Oregon. The first leg of the trip runs east from Seattle on I-90 in uneventful driving, up and over the Cascades through Snoqualmie Pass.
At Ellensburg, the landscape flattens out into broad agricultural sweeps.
Instead of continuing on the freeway, we turned south onto one of our favorite drives, following the Yakima canyon and river downstream to the City of Yakima.
Here, the road, river, railroad and landscape wind in roughly parallel fashion through the canyon. I don’t know the precise geographical origins, but I have read that the river was here first and the rest of the formations grew up around it during many cycles of upwelling that have taken place along our volcanic mountain environment. If you want to see more of this amazing canyon, click HERE to see a description from another trip.
From Yakima, WA we continued south on the Freeway, past Pendleton, OR and up and over the Blue Mountains towards Baker City.
On a previous trip we drove through the Blue Mountains, spent some time in Baker City and visited the Oregon Trail Museum there. This time we stayed again at the Geiser Grand Hotel, a smartly renovated 19th century landmark.
Baker City is the commercial center for a large ranching valley between the Wallowa and Elkhorn Mountains and along the Powder River that flows eventually to the Snake. It’s not large but has some substantial buildings.
The architecture of downtown tends towards ‘sturdy commercial’ with a lot of brick buildings, many of which have seen better days but are being fixed up for the next round.
Although we didn’t stop there on this trip, we previously visited the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, a few miles out of town on a site through which the ruts of the original wagon trains still run.
The museum does a pretty good job of helping you feel that you’re part of the situation by making many displays life size and setting them into rugged landscapes that frame your viewing experience.
The subsequent trip from Baker City to Boise runs in places along the Snake River. We found that getting off the freeway and on to back roads near the river was quiet, refreshing, and provided an opportunity for Jane to do a bit of birding.
Boise is the state capitol of Idaho, so it has a presence that it might not otherwise.
The city has been urbanizing rapidly the last few years and it shows each time we visit. Some of it includes restoration work of historic structures.
Other additions are definitely more contemporary – and a bit anonymous.
Jane’s daughter lives in a near north end neighborhood within walking distance of downtown but with about the right amount of separation from the hustle and bustle as well.
Alternatively, Boise has a special connection with the surrounding landscape, in that parts of it have been preserved as parkland that comes right up against the growing city.
It should be said, though, that each time we visit, there are more houses being built in the rolling hills between downtown and the mountains.
On this latest trip we took a drive out to a relatively new Lucky Peak Lake State Park, built along a reservoir a few miles east of the city.
Even though this is a state facility, its size and dramatic surrounding landscape felt like an introduction to our upcoming tour of the national parks in Utah and Arizona – though this would be the last time on the trip when we saw this much water all in one place.
Next Stop: Salt Lake City
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