This was my first boondocking experience in the wild and I must admit I was little nervous. I brought out the chair and rested while looking out at the picture perfect landscape of Snake River and the mountains behind it.Īs the sun started to fade and the temperature started dropping, I watched the sunset over the mountains and the sky turn these brilliant colors of orange reflecting off of Snake River. There were fly fisherman fishing in the sparkling waters of Snake River, birds singing, and water trickling around the embankments. It was so incredibly beautiful and beyond what I thought it would look like. The first spot proved to be a little too muddy and there were dirt bike riders enjoying some of the hilly areas nearby so I decided to leave and check out my second spot on Snake River around Island Park, Idaho. I had scoped out a few spots and headed out to survey my findings. Prior to coming out to Mesa Falls, I knew that this was all National Forest land so I could boondock for free on any spot I found. Boondocking on the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway Lately I've been looking at the Hymer Class B vans which seem to have everything I need and want and I would be able to get in and out of spaces easily. That was a real bummer, but such is life sometimes and we just adapt and move on. Unfortunately I was not able to see the Upper or Lower Mesa Falls due to the holiday weekend crowd and nowhere to park my big ole RV. Leave it to the romanic French to come up with such a glorious name that we still use today. I could see the Teton mountains in the distance, named from early French trappers called Les Trois Teton, which means the three breasts. Mesa Falls Scenic BywayĪ quick drive North to Ashton, Idaho would begin the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway and #4 of 300 on my quest to complete the National Geographic's 300 Scenic Highways and Byways. They were traveling from The Bay area of California and they too were traveling East to Yellowstone National Park for some adventorous fun. This includes TP, biodegradable soap, etc.Best of all, there is a potato cafe to order potato fries made to order!Īs usual, I met the nicest people while traveling and this time I met Priyanka Patel and family while in the potato museum. Bring your own personal hygiene supplies. Plan on maintaining a 6-foot distance from other people even when you’re outdoors and wear a cloth face covering if you’re interacting with others. Human waste must be buried at least 6 inches underground and away from trails, parking areas, bodies of water, and any areas where people may be gathered. Leave no trace and take out everything that you brought in-including trash. No restrooms or garbage disposal sites are available at dispersed sites. So, if you’d like to maintain your access to outdoor spaces like these here are a couple of things to keep in mind: Remember when our National Parks turned into a literal sh*tshow during the government shutdown because there was no one to issue fines and run the parks? Yeah, it's crazy how a little bit of effort can keep these outdoor havens accessible for everyone. Expect these closures to persist through May 25 due to COVID-19 restrictions. And once again, we’re reminded why we can’t have nice things. RELATED: Tommy Caldwell on Climate Change and POW's Outdoor State of MindĬampers failed to take out their waste, and current conditions, “are hazardous to the public and our employees,” according to State Forester Peter Daugherty. As of Monday, May 11 the Oregon Department of Forestry closed sites in order to make them safe for public use again. Apparently, recent campers didn’t get the memo. You’re expected to pack out everything you bring in, in order to keep the site usable for future campers. Dispersed camping, better known as boondocking, is pretty barebones. Just on the cusp of camping season, dispersed camping in Oregon State Forests has been temporarily banned due to excessive trash and human waste accumulation. "Gee what a lovely place to dump my trash," apparently thought a few lazy campers.
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