From Nebraska back to Cascadia Typist: Bethany
Ah, the West! So many choices of amazing things to do and beautiful places to visit. With a heavy heart, I opted out of trekking through Colorado and Utah due to lack of time. We will be back! Happily, we are stopping in a couple of fantastic places in Wyoming, Idaho and, of course, on to Washington.
Ah, the West! So many choices of amazing things to do and beautiful places to visit. With a heavy heart, I opted out of trekking through Colorado and Utah due to lack of time. We will be back! Happily, we are stopping in a couple of fantastic places in Wyoming, Idaho and, of course, on to Washington.
This last leg of the trip is the most out of my comfort zone. My campgrounds of choice in Wyoming and Idaho do not take reservations. I have mixed feelings about this part of my trip planning. I am not a fan of parks that allow the entire campground to be reserved months and, sometimes, even a year in advance. To me, it takes some of the spontaneous romance out of camping. When I was younger, we'd say "wanna go camping," load up and go. Sometimes we'd just drive until we were tired and find a campground. It isn't that simple anymore. Unless you have an RV. There are plenty of RV parks but unless I am willing to pitch my tent on asphalt in a parking lot of RV's, I now prefer to plan ahead. So, while having two nights of unreserved camping after I leave Nebraska suddenly feels like the old days of camping, it also feels a little scary. Especially with 3 dogs in tow.
Road Trip!!
Obviously, I did some research. The Wyoming State Park campground I want to visit is very small but also pretty remote. We will be arriving on a weekday so that will likely up my chances of finding a spot. Since I don't know the area, I still thought it best to call. I left a message. A pretty long, rambling message to be precise. The dogs also barked in the background while I was leaving it. I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call back less than 24 hours later. The park ranger introduced himself as "from beautiful Wyoming!" He was very nice, reassuring me there was plenty of camping if not in the State Park, in the U.S Forest Service land adjacent to the state park. He recommended other websites to check out with photos, maps and descriptions of the park and he let me know they have firewood available by donation. When I asked about the pet policy, he made it clear leashes were required everywhere, cleaning-up after pets is required and they have clean up bags available. I love this Wyoming State Park so much already! At the end of our conversation he warned me that it will likely be cold there even in June. I tried not to laugh. I'm from Cascadia! But I assured him I'd be prepared, thanked him and told him I am really looking forward to my visit.
We are visiting state parks on every leg of the trip except Idaho. I want to visit a National Monument I have never seen: Craters of the Moon. I was turned off of it at first because, like a lot of National Parks and Monuments, dogs are not allowed on the trails and in the caves. But dogs are allowed on roads and in the rustic campground. The road is a seven mile loop through the park and that sounds like a perfect hike for us! This campground also doesn't take reservations. So I called them too. A park ranger answered and told me that she has never seen the campground fill up. She confirmed the pet policy I had already read. I was sold. When I printed out the campground map and park brochure I noticed it also says the campground rarely fills up. I guess I didn't need to bother the ranger but it was nice to have a persons voice soothe my worries.
We are visiting state parks on every leg of the trip except Idaho. I want to visit a National Monument I have never seen: Craters of the Moon. I was turned off of it at first because, like a lot of National Parks and Monuments, dogs are not allowed on the trails and in the caves. But dogs are allowed on roads and in the rustic campground. The road is a seven mile loop through the park and that sounds like a perfect hike for us! This campground also doesn't take reservations. So I called them too. A park ranger answered and told me that she has never seen the campground fill up. She confirmed the pet policy I had already read. I was sold. When I printed out the campground map and park brochure I noticed it also says the campground rarely fills up. I guess I didn't need to bother the ranger but it was nice to have a persons voice soothe my worries.
| After our stop in Idaho we travel back to Washington. I saw it fitting to spend our last night on the road along the mighty Columbia. That river is such a lovely natural marvel yet finding somewhere to camp on it was more difficult than I expected. One of the reasons for this leads back to my dislike of modern camping reservation systems. Washington and Oregon State Parks reserve camp sites very far in advance (9 months in Washington, 1 year in Oregon or on the first day of the year of the reservation) and most, to my knowledge, allow reservations to be made in the entire campground. They leave no sites as first come first served. While I am always glad to see my homeland state parks make money, I wish their policies were slightly different so as to allow for some good old fashioned spontaneous camping or a lovely place for a weary nomad to rest. I finally found a Washington State Park on the Columbia River with one open campsite and I grabbed it. I am guessing it was a cancellation. This is how I have lucked out with last minute (a month or two in advance) Washington State Park campsites before. I didn't need to check on Washington State Parks pet policy as I know it well. I do wish they had a more specific listing like so many of the great parks websites I have visited in planning this trip. Their vague "pets are allowed in most state parks" rule has left the dogs and I standing disappointed in front of "no dog" signs on trails in a few Washington State Parks before. | "Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through.  |
We will wake up next to the mighty Columbia rolling by with just a few hours left to drive to our Emerald City. So that's it. The entire trip is planned. We leave in a mere four weeks. Yet, really, a lot of the planning has just begun...
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