After months in quarantine, it was extremely exciting to get away for a week. One of my favorite parts of my job is tour development. Due to COVID-19, I was eager to offer more domestic tours for clients that still have the desire to travel. We live in such a beautiful country and I enjoy exploring the place I call home. I picked a location that was isolated and would be a great place to unplug and unwind. A place that would be a welcomed and appreciated the change of scenery. Idaho was perfect!
Lodging
The cabins are spaced a nice distance apart and there are only eight on the property. This limited the number of people that we came into contact with at dinner and on the property. Each evening, we never had more than a handful of people at distanced tables. We enjoyed being able to eat outside, with staff wearing a mask at all times. I always felt safe. We arranged for a breakfast basket each morning and enjoyed dining on our front porch with a lovely river view.
Hiking
Hiking was at the top of my list, as the trail possibilities were endless. Because there were so many options, it limited the number of people on any one trail. I definitely want to take you on this old cabin hike. We were out for hours and never encountered another soul. The views were amazing and it was an easy elevation gain of about 900 ft. We meandered up and down near the river and then behind lush bluffs. Did you know Northern Idaho has a temperate rainforest? It was so lush and green. I’m hoping for some nice fall colors in September for the group, fingers crossed.
I was a little worried about Harper going on this hike. But she made it look like a breeze, with not a single whimper out of her! She is officially an adventure dog.
This little mini fern grotto reminded me of the huge grotto we visit on our Kauai Adventure tour.
The end goal on this hike was this cute little abandoned cabin deep in the forest, alongside the river. It is not the original(due to a fire). This replacement was built in the ’30s. A nice little fixer-upper…..
This little frog kept us company while we enjoyed lunch and relaxed. The water was nice and cool as you would expect mountain water to be.
I could have stayed all day. This was such a great disconnect from the world. I’m eager to give the group extra time here to relax and maybe even read a book!
Not sure what type of mushrooms these are, so strange. It looks like someone started them on fire.
These wild roses were everyone. We timed our visit just right.
Rafting
The water levels were ideal for some rafting today! Come September we will most likely be in duckies as we meander our way through shallower waters. There were so many little beaches on this journey and they will be even bigger once the water level drops.
Apparently, this area is huckleberry central. I’ve never had the honor of tasting this tiny little fruit and I could not get enough of it once I started. There were so many options and I had to try them all! I enjoyed huckleberry pie, ice cream, and this tasty huckleberry shake. Such a nice new flavor to introduce into my life.
This secluded beach was on another hike we checked out and it was pretty spectacular as well. I was delighted to stumble upon so many beaches.
Beach Time
This beach is 1 mile up the road from our lodge. Again, no people to be seen! Grab a bottle of wine and walk on down for some great views. I may need to rename this tour a beach getaway…..
Warm Springs
Enough about beaches, let’s talk about hot springs! Oh yes, we stumbled upon a hot spot that we will be enjoying lunch at….maybe even a cold beer.
This tour is as social-distanced as possible while offering daily rewarding experiences. I hope to see you on tour!
Click here to read about the Idaho Getaway Tour.
