Author Archives: Roads Less Traveled

Sun Valley Idaho – An RV Traveler’s Delight in Ketchum, ID!

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August 2016 – Idaho is a gorgeous state that’s great for RV travel, and the National Forests offer up some stunning scenery. The folks that live in the beautiful communities of Sun Valley and Ketchum are very fortunate to have a playground of alpine glory right out their back door in the Sawtooth Mountains. We have been routing our summer travels to go through Sun Valley as often as possible since we started our full-time travels in our RV nine years ago.

00 721 RV camping in Sawtooth Mountains Idaho

Nature gave us summer peaches and blueberries in the sky.

In the summertime, the communities of Ketchum and Sun Valley spill out onto the sidewalks. Sun Valley, Idaho, is most famous for its ski resort, which gave the area its name, and it is loved for the fabled winter recreation that goes on in the surrounding mountains. But Sun Valley also thrives under the warm summer sun, and every eatery in town has tables with umbrellas out front.

Eating outside in Sun Valley Idaho

Sun Valley and the town of Ketchum are full of places to catch a bite under an umbrella in the sun!

Sun Valley is a relaxed community where life is lived at an easy pace. Yet what sets it apart from most small towns across the country is that it is a hideaway for the ultra rich and ultra famous. From Arnold Schwartzenegger to Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, lots of A-list celebrities have homes here, and they visit their alpine estates for a little down time.

Happy dog in Sun Valley Idaho

Sun Valley is a place where people (and dogs) come to relax.

For the rest of us, there’s no end of recreation opportunities around Sun Valley, even for those on a budget. Back when we first discovered Sun Valley for ourselves seven years ago, the Visitors Center published a booklet called 50 Fun Free Things To Do in Sun Valley. They were actually able to list 50 different things! We tried to tick them all off, and we made a good dent in the list, but there are still many things we haven’t yet done in the area!

Trail rides Sun Valley Idaho

There are loads of fun activities around town and in the mountains — and we haven’t exhausted them yet!!

From a trip to the historic Ore Wagon Museum to drinks at the stunning Sun Valley Resort to visiting Hemingway’s memorial to summer outdoor ice skating shows to enjoying the weekly Art Walk (with free wine offered at every gallery…watch your step!), it is impossible to get bored in this town. And when it’s time to slip away for some peace and quiet in the stunning Rocky Mountains out back, there are many wonderful ways to do that too…

Horseback riding in Sun Valley Idaho

Peace.

Because of the many celebrities who love this town, there is a lot of money floating around and lots of rich living going on. But somehow there is an inclusive grace to it that lets everyone share in the spoils.

Sure, it’s common to see a Porsche on the streets, or even a Bugatti Veyron when the Sun Valley Road Rally takes place in July, and it’s not like we ordinary folks can tap on the window and say, “Hey, can I have a ride?”

Ferarri in Sun Valley Idaho

My other car is…. a Ferarri.

But there are a few second hand stores in town that benefit the fabulous town library, and the cast-offs from the resident billionaires can make for some very interesting shopping!!

Sign at second hand store in Sun Valley Idhao

I loved this sign over the register in one of the second hand stores.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing that the very wealthy have given to Sun Valley and its summer tourists is the Sun Valley Symphony concert series that takes place each August.

Besides building an award winning performance Pavilion that is constructed of special travertine stone that was quarried from the same area in Italy as the stone used to build the Roman Colosseum, each summer for the last 32 years the wealthy of Sun Valley have funded a top notch symphony orchestra made up of musicians that are on summer break from the major orchestras across the country.

Best of all, the Sun Valley Symphony puts on a free concert almost every night for a few weeks each August.

Talk about a gift to the community!!

Sun Valley Symphony Summer Concert Idaho

From Pops to Classical, the Sun Valley Symphony keeps the music flowing for free almost every night in August.

The cool thing about these concerts is that you can grab any open seat in the Pavilion if you want to watch the performance in a traditional setting. Or you can bring a picnic and sit out on the enormous, lush, grassy lawn where rows of loudspeakers broadcast the music and a massive video screen shows close-ups of the musicians playing.

Sun Valley Symphony Free Concert

Outdoor summer concerts are a blast anywhere, but in Sun Valley they’ve been refined and perfected, thanks to the local gazillionaires.

We’ve enjoyed plenty of performances in the theater seats of the Pavilion over the years, but in reality, sitting out on the lawn is where the real action is!! For an hour or more before each concert begins, people show up with picnic blankets and get set up with their beverages of choice while the kids all run around on the grass.

Picnic at Sun Valley Symphony Summer Concert

Here’s how to unwind after a day of work on a Tuesday…

Although some of the picnic dinners are humble affairs in Tupperware, an awful lot of people go all out and bring a deluxe spread that makes the neighbors at the next blanket quite envious.

Picnic Basket at Sun Valley Symphony summer concert on the lawn

Cheddar cheese and Triscuits in Tupperware are fine for some, but others bring an elaborate spread in an elegant picnic basket.

Dog and picnic basket for Sun Valley Summer Symphony Concert

“Hmmm…. what are you having over there???”

The Sun Valley Symphony concerts are a very social affair, and friends enjoy each other’s company while the music plays in the background.

Kids playing on the lawn at Sun Valley Symphony Summer Concert

For the locals, these concerts are all about socializing.

While the dress code for these concerts is decidedly casual, some people prefer to dress up for the occasion, and there are lots of party dresses to be seen.

Little girl in party dress for Sun Valley Symphony summer concert on the lawn

For a night at The Symphony, some ladies wear their best gown and sparkly shoes!

Others just enjoy catching up with friends.

Kids playing at Sun Valley Symphony summer concert Idaho

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Still others take a load off on their nifty Thousand Trails picnic blanket and read the Symphony’s program notes that are published in a beautiful — and free — glossy book!!

Sun Valley Summer Symphony Concert on the lawn at the Pavilion Idaho

I would be doing cartwheels too, but the program notes were pretty interesting!

Throughout it all, the the orchestra’s melodies float across the lawn on the late afternoon breezes.

Sun Valley Symphony Summer Concert Series Idaho

The musicians hail from all the major orchestras and they love making music together in Idaho.

These nearly nightly concerts in August are enough to get our hearts singing, and when we were debating which way to head after we traveled down Idaho’s panhandle and basked on the beach in McCall, there was no doubt in our minds where to go: Sun Valley.

Unfortunately, despite wanting to stay in Sun Valley for a few weeks or more, with dreams of going mountain biking and hiking every afternoon, and sipping coffee on balmy summer mornings at the jaw-dropping Starbucks / visitors center in town, Nature had other plans.

Throughout our stay in northwestern Montana and Idaho this year, a wildfire called the Pioneer Fire had been burning near the town of Idaho City about 60 miles from Sun Valley as the eagle flies. It had started on July 18th and had been growing rapidly throughout July and August and proving difficult to tame.

While there was no risk of flames coming anywhere near us, the smoke blew in and out of Sun Valley and the Sawtooth Mountains on a regular basis, burning our eyes and making outdoor activities less than healthy.

Sunset through wildfire smoke

Sun sets through the smoke.

For those who don’t live or travel out west, the concept of wildfires can seem distant and unreal. But they are an integral part of every summer in the dry western states.

When we traveled to the eastern states last summer, we were amazed that we heard nothing in the news of any fires out west. Hadn’t there been any? Well, when we caught up with friends once we got back out west, we discovered it had been just as tough a fire season as any.

This year, as we dealt with smoke drifting into the valley so thickly that visibility was almost completely obscured at times, we followed the fire season’s progress on Inciweb. This government website tracks the hundreds of wildfires that are burning at any moment all summer long in the western states. Here’s a map of major fires that was on Inciweb in mid-August:

Map of wildfires burning in the US

It is alarming to see a map of America’s biggest active wildfires in mid-August.

Of course, particulates in the sky are the very fabric of stunning sunrises and sunsets, and we enjoyed a few during our stay.

Sunset Sawtooth Mountains Idaho

The smoke in the air created some beautiful sunrises and sunsets,
and this photo of Mark’s won “Photo of the Day” on Steve’s Digicam.

RV camping at sunset Sawtooth Mountains Idaho

Fire in the sky!!

But when the smoke rolled in and we could taste it on our tongues, we decided it was time to leave. Sigh.

Pioneer Wildfire Smoke Sun Valley Idaho

Heavy smoke rolled in and out of the valley every day, and we finally decided enough was enough.

Wildfires are reported in the news in terms of acres, and dividing by 640 yields the fire size in square miles (i.e., a fire that is 100,000 acres is 156 square miles).

The Pioneer Fire which made us flee Sun Valley this year was 42 square miles when we left in mid-August. As I write this blog post four weeks later in mid-September, that same fire is now 290 square miles and is 56% contained, although there are hopes it will be fully contained by September 15th. It is not known yet what caused the fire, and it will keep burning and smoldering right up until it is buried by snow this winter.

We did get our Sun Valley fix this year, but we didn’t have a chance to explore any new grounds. However, we will definitely be back, as it is a town that totally enchants us every time we visit.

I mean, who can’t love a town so classy that the man hole covers in the streets are stamped with artwork featuring a musical G-clef?!!

Classy Sun Valley Man Hole Cover

Sun Valley is a class act from head to toe.
Even their man hole covers are decorated with beautiful art work!!

We have enjoyed Sun Valley in the past so much that we have written articles about it for Trailer Life Magazine, Highways Magazine and the now defunct RV Journal! We hope you love it too, and to help with making plans for an RV trip there, we’ve got a few links below.

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More info about Sun Valley, Idaho:

Our blog posts from our RV travels to Sun Valley:

All of our RV travels in Idaho can be read by clicking HERE!

Other musical happenings that we’ve loved:

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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McCall, Idaho – Summer Beach Fun on Pretty Payette Lake

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July-August 2016 – McCall, Idaho, is perched right on the edge of beautiful Payette Lake, and in the summertime it is a wonderful waterfront beach town if there ever was one. What a great destination for an RV trip!

Payette Lake shore near Legacy Park McCall Idaho

McCall, Idaho, is a fantastic beach town!!

Even though McCall sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet, the temps in August were toasty warm and everyone was enjoying cooling off at the waterfront beach parks. What a beautiful setting!

Jet skis on the beach McCall Idaho

A rainbow of jet skis ready for action.

Beach umbrellas McCall Idaho Payette Lake

A nice spot to unwind for a while!

Kids were everywhere, and they were just loving the town beach. Two little boys were standing in the water blowing bubbles and two little girls up on the beach were trying to catch them.

Beach at Legacy Park McCall Idaho Payette Lake

Kids blow bubbles on the beach.

A little ways down the beach a little girl was playing with a wagon.

Playing on the beach McCall Idaho

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Boats were lined up at the docks, and there was a steady stream of boaters heading out onto the lake.

Payette Lake Sports and Marina McCall Idaho

Bikes and boats – what could be more fun?!

The main street of McCall is very cute with historic buildings wedged together cheek-by-jowel. For those that want to cool off without going swimming, we found a skating rink just a few doors down with sessions that are open to the public.

Historic buildings downtown McCall Idaho

The main drag, just in from the beach, has some classic old buildings.

We made our way to Mountain Java on many mornings, sipping a tasty cuppa joe while sitting in the colorful Adirondack chairs that fill the lawn in front of the Mountain Monkey Business store and look out onto Payette Lake.

This was a wonderful way to start the morning, and we met both locals and tourists alike while kicking back and savoring the view and a brew.

Mountain Monkey Business and Mountain Java McCall Idaho

These colorful chairs on a lawn overlooking the lake became our morning hangout!

By a stroke of very good luck, we happened to be in town during the Antique and Classic Boat Show at the elegant Shore Lodge on the edge of Payette Lake. What a fabulous display of lovingly varnished boats from yesteryear!

Antique wooden boat show Shore Lodge McCall Idaho Payette Lake

What good fortune to be in town on the weekend of the Antique and Classic Boat Show!

These gorgeous boats were known as “lakers” in their day, because they were specifically designed for happy boating days on fresh water lakes. Their meticulously varnished and gleaming woodwork wouldn’t hold up to the salt water of the ocean.

Cockpit of classic wooden boat Payette Lake McCall Idaho

I could handle a day on the lake in a classy boat like this!!

I can just imagine spending a day on the water in one of these, complete with lunch at anchor in some secluded cove on the lake.

Antique and classic boat show Shore Lodge Payette Lake McCall Idaho

Let’s go for a ride!!

These boats have a lot of get-up-and-go too, and many of them have been upgraded with modern engines that have even more zip. The owners of these classic boats just love them and love talking about them too.

Antique and classic boat show Payette Lake Shore Lodge McCall Idaho

This boat won Best in Show. No wonder the owner is grinning!!

Whenever one fired up its engine, a little crowd would form around the boat to listen to the engine purr and to find out where the owner had purchased the boat, what its history was, and what he had done to refurbish it to its former glory.

There’s nothing like a classic yacht, and last year during our travels in Maine, we took a fabulous factory tour of Hinckley Yachts, a boat builder that has morphed from producing stunning sailing yachts to zippy, luxurious powerboats.

Antique and Classic Boat Show Shore Lodge Payette Lake McCall Idaho

Some of the boats went out for a spin while small crowds watched from the dock.

The boats here in McCall, Idaho, were a lot smaller than the Hinckleys in Maine, but their owners got just as much pleasure from taking them out for a spin. Every time someone began untying the dock lines and shoved off into water, there was a murmur of oohs and aahs from the rest of us watching in envy from the dock.

The setting for this fabulous boat show was the equally fabulous Shore Lodge, a high end resort hotel that presides over one end of McCall’s lakefront.

Welcome to the Shore Lodge McCall Idaho

Welcome to the Shore Lodge… Come on in!!

We wandered through the elegant Shore Lodge and explored its many nooks and crannies. It dates back to 1948 and has many refined touches of an earlier age.

Shore Lodge dining room etched glass sign McCall idaho

The historic Shore Lodge is a very elegant hotel right on Payette Lake.

The dining room has a breathtaking view of the docks below and all of Payette Lake and the distant mountains too. For those that needed a break from walking between the antique wooden boats, this was a great place for a bite to eat with a bird’s eye view of the goings-on.

Waterfront dining Shore Lodge McCall Idaho

Enjoy a fine meal while watching the boat show out on the docks!

McCall, Idaho, has a lot more to offer than just beach and boating fun, though. We found some fantastic mountain biking trails west of town near Brundage Mountain, and we enjoyed a beautiful bike ride through Ponderosa State Park which is located on a peninsula that juts out into Payette Lake on the east side of town.

Mountain Biking Brundage Mountain McCall Idaho

We found lots of mountain biking trails and dirt roads on both sides of town.

Flowers

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One day we took a drive down Highway 55 to do some exploring south of McCall. We came across the historic town of Roseberry which was settled by a few Finnish families in the 1800’s.

Roseberry Idaho historic Finnish settlement

Roseberry, Idaho, was settled by Finns and is an interesting townsite today.

The whole area is now a museum that honors those rugged settlers and offers a peek into their lives.

Antique cabin Finnish settlement Roseberry Idaho

Finns had unique log cabin construction techniques that they brought to the New World.

There are some old log cabins that the families lived in as well as a fun town site with a general store, church, school, barn and other neat buildings.

Inside a cabin Roseberry Idaho Finnish historic settlement

And we think RV living is simple!

The town of Roseberry had its hey day in the early 1900’s, boasting a hotel, two black smith shops , a butcher shop, logging mill, creamery and restaurant. However, ten years later, the Pacific, Idaho and Northern Railroad line came through about 2 miles west of town, and Roseberry wilted while the bustling town of Donnelly right on the railroad tracks thrived.

Amazingly, lots of Roseberry people moved their homes and shops over to Donnelly to take advantage of the boom there, transporting their buildings by wagon! It’s hard to imagine that kind of boom and exodus today, especially given the easily driven luxury homes we RVers get to live in.

Historic Roseberry Idaho

Wandering around Roseberry, Idaho, made for an enjoyable afternoon.

Down at Lake Cascade, next to the town of Cascade, we found several campgrounds along the shoreline. RVers, boaters and fishermen were enjoying these lakeside campsites. We didn’t stay, but what a great spot to camp!

Truck camper and boat at Lake Cascade Idaho

Payette Lake isn’t the only game in town.Lake Cascade a few miles south is very beautiful and quiet too!

Back in McCall, we enjoyed some moonless nights, and one evening Mark snuck out with his new 12 mm fish eye lens to catch the Milky Way straight up overhead. This made a very cool effect!

Milky Way above the trees McCall Idaho

The Milky Way crosses the heavens high above us while a shooting star zips by.

If you are looking for a wonderful area for an RV trip in the heat of the summer, McCall, Idsho, is a very fun beach town. There are more links to help you plan your travels below.

RV camping in McCall Idaho

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Here’s a little more info about McCall, Payette Lake, Roseberry, etc:

Some related posts from our Idaho and the NW Montana / Idaho Panhandle RV travels:

    Our most recent posts:

    More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
    New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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    An Idaho Panhandle RV Trip on US-95: Sandpoint, Moscow & McCall

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    July 2016 – After a truly stunning few weeks in northern Montana — from adventures on the east side of Glacier National Park to learning about the unique history of Libby, Montana, and photographing the special wildlife and unique giant trees nearby — we took our RV on Idaho’s scenic back roads in the panhandle southbound from Sandpoint through Moscow to McCall.

    RV on a river in Idaho

    On the back roads of Idaho

    The summer was really heating up in northern Idaho, and when we arrived in Sandpoint, on the shores of beautiful Lake Pend Oreille, we were delighted to find that the small town of Sandpoint transforms into a beach town when the temps climb over 80 degrees.

    Sandpoint City Beach Park in Idaho

    Sandpoint City Beach Park on Lake Pend Oreille

    The small town hugs the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille, and people were taking full advantage of the summer sun to get out on the lake in anything that floated, from boats to kayaks to stand-up paddleboards.

    Standup paddle boards Sandpoint Idaho

    Sandpoint idaho has lots of summertime action on the lake.

    We discovered the wonderful Pend Oreille Bay Trail that runs along the water’s edge. This biking and hiking path offers both brief glimpses of the lake through the trees and open sweeping views.

    Pend Oreille Bay Trail Sandpoint Idaho

    Pend Oreille Bay Trail

    The trail is wonderfully shaded for much of its length and is a joy to walk, run or ride at any time of day.

    Pend Oreille Bay Trail bike path and running trail Sandpoint Idaho

    This shaded path goes right along the shoreline.

    There are paved bike paths all around Sandpoint City Beach Park too, and we rode everywhere.

    Riding the bicycle path in Sandpoint Idaho

    Sandpoint has bike paths all over the place.

    Sandpoint, Idaho, is such a bike friendly town, we even found a colorful sculpture celebrating two wheeled transport.

    Bike sculpture Sandpoint Idaho

    Sandpoint is a two-wheeler town!

    One day we spotted a van with bicycles on the roof. It turned out to be the famous PAC Tour, a challenging cross-country bicycle tour that puts even the hardiest cyclists to the test.

    Pac Tour cross-country bicycle tour in Sandpoint Idaho

    We bumped into the PAC Tour in Sandpoint!

    Their route travels from west to east and takes a little over 30 days. The cyclists were still fresh, as it was only Day 5. They had barely hit the big western mountains and were still a week away from the daylong 130 mile slogs across the flatter plains states. Kudos to all of them for taking on this huge athletic challenge!

    PAC Tour cross-country bicycle tour route for 2016

    These energetic cyclists had just started and had a long ways to go…

    The town of Sandpoint is very cute, and we enjoyed walking around the historic district. At one end of town we found the Libation District which has both brewpubs and a winery on both sides of the street. No shortage of fun there!!

    At the other end of town we found Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters where we got a peak at all of their coffee roasting equipment. For lovers of dark, rich coffee, their Guatemalan roast is really yummy. We took home a bag!!

    Evans Brothers Coffee Raosters Sandpoint Idaho

    Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters makes delicious coffee!

    We later discovered that they won 3rd place in the America’s Best Coffeehouse competition at the 2015 Coffee Fest Portland!!

    Just a few blocks away, we were very surprised to find the Litehouse Bleu Cheese factory where the popular salad dressing is made.

    Litehouse Bleu Cheese Factory Sandpoint Idaho

    Litehouse Bleu Cheese salad dressing is made here!

    But Lake Pend Oreille was the real focal point of our time in Sandpoint. One day we decided to get a view of it from high above. Locals suggested we take a drive up Schweitzer Mountain, a nearby ski resort.

    Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort Sandpoint Idaho

    Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort is on a nearby mountain overlooking the lake.

    The view from up there was wonderful!

    Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort view of Lake Pend Oreille Sandpoint Idaho

    What a view — Sandpoint tucked up against Lake Pend Oreille!

    After a week in Sandpoint we meandered south a little further and bumped into the cute town of Moscow. Instead of finding the grand turrets of Red Square, we discovered a lovely shaded main street that is lined with all kinds of boutiques and tempting eateries.

    Downtown Moscow Idaho streets

    Tiny Moscow, Idaho, has a cute downtown area.

    A fun paved bike path passes through Moscow, and we jumped on the Latah Trail to ride through the farmlands out to the village of Troy about 11 miles east.

    Latah Bike Path from Moscow Idaho to Troy Idaho

    Lovely rolling farmland on the Latah Trail from Moscow to Troy, Idaho.

    Much of this pretty trail goes through open land with views across rolling hills covered with pastures and farm fields.

    Latah Trail from Moscow to Troy Idaho

    The Latah Trail goes through pretty farmland.

    After a few hours of riding on the bike path, we returned to Moscow and stopped in at Bucer’s Coffeehouse and Pub. We got there shortly after the noon hour, perfect timing for a brew…either coffee or beer!!

    Bucer's Coffeehouse and Pub in Moscow Idaho

    We stopped for brews at Bucer’s Coffeehouse and Pub — coffee for me and beer for Mark!

    Continuing our journey south along Idaho’s pretty US-95, we passed lots more farmland with hay bales spread across the fields and farmhouses looking very quaint in the summer sun.

    Farmland in western Idaho panhandle

    The drive on US-95 was as lovely as the small towns along the way.

    Motorhome among hay bales in Idaho

    We passed some beautiful rural scenery.

    The Little Salmon River accompanied us on our drive, and we had to stop a few times to get photos as we passed through a wonderful canyon.

    Idaho scenery Little Salmon River

    The Little Salmon River ran alongside us the whole way.

    We had never thought of Idaho as being home to vibrant beach towns, but when we arrived in McCall, we discovered that, just like Sandpoint, the whole town was out in force soaking up the rays at the town beach.

    Sunbathers were lying on beach towels, and people were swimming and playing in the water, eating ice cream cones while strolling the paths by the water’s edge, and fooling around on boats and jet skis on pretty Payette Lake.

    We loved the vibe of McCall so much that we stuck around for two weeks!!

    Legacy Park on the beach in McCall Idaho

    What a great surprise to find another sweet little Idaho beach town in McCall!

    If you are taking your RV on a north-south route through Idaho, Route 95 makes for a very scenic and enjoyable drive. There are some links with more info below.

    Subscribe
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    Info about Sandpoint, Moscow and McCall, Idaho:

    Other blog posts from our RV travels in NW Montana and Idaho’s Panhandle:

    Scenic Drives for RV Touring in Idaho:

    Our most recent posts:

    More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
    New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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    Maine’s Pretty Acadia National Park in Motorhome Magazine!

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    Last summer we enjoyed a fabulous RV trip to the eastern states, and one of the highlights was Acadia National Park in Maine. We are very proud that the September 2016 issue Motorhome Magazine features our article about this beautiful oceanfront National Park: Maine Course: Acadia National Park Offers Beauty and History Off the Beaten Path.

    Motorhome Magazine Acadia National Park Maine Article by Emily Fagan

    Motorhome Magazine September 2016 Issue
    Article: Emily Fagan, Photos: Emily & Mark Fagan

    Acadia National Park was the first Eastern National Park to be established, back in July, 1916. The Park takes up much of Mt. Desert Island on the northern Maine coast. Very close to the Park entrance lies the small, upscale town of Bar Harbor.

    Bar Harbor Maine

    Bar Harbor is a trendy and charming town on Mt. Desert Island near the entrance to Acadia National Park

    There are boutiques and tourist shops of all kinds and a pretty waterfront walking path where you can take in the views.

    Bar Harbor Maine

    Bar Harbor has lots of boutiques and tourist shops.

    While Bar Harbor is where the human action is on Mt. Desert Island, the gorgeous scenic drive along Acadia National Park’s craggy coast is where Nature reins supreme.

    Pink granite boulders on the Acadia National Park shore

    Maine’s coast is all craggy granite boulders that lead to the sea.

    The beautiful granite slabs and boulders make for some really fun (and easy) scrambling, and there are a number of sights and hiking trails on this very quiet shoreline.

    Acadia National Park Maine

    Acadia National Park has a beautiful, rocky shoreline.

    Mt. Desert Island is a big island with two main lobes, several small towns and lots of little peninsulas that jut out into the sea. Acadia National Park takes up much of the land, and the whole island is fun to explore. Many spots on the shoreline are wonderful for relaxing and soaking in the view.

    Tranquility on the Maine Coast Acadia National Park

    Huge granite slabs on the shore are great for kicking back and enjoying the view!

    Lobster boats fill many charming harbors in the area, and the Schoodic National Scenic Byway is a gorgeous drive that passes by a few.

    Lobster boats on the Maine Coast

    Maine lobster is a delicacy, and the small harbors are filled with lobster boats that catch them.

    Of course, the lobstermen catch lots of lobsters. There’s nothing like a Maine lobster roll (lobster meat with mayo on a hotdog bun) eaten out on a sunny deck, or an all out Maine lobster dinner complete with a bright red whole lobster on your plate, a bib around your neck, butter melting in a tiny dish over a flame and a nutcracker and pick to get at the tasty morsels inside!

    Lobster restaurant Bar Harbor Maine

    There are lobster shacks on every corner and lobster restaurants on every pier!

    We were floored by the immense lupines that grow wild all over everywhere in the summertime. They range from pale pink to deep purple and they enhance every view in every direction!!

    Wild lupines Mt Desert Island Maine

    We were stunned by the gorgeous wild lupines growing everywhere.

    One of the biggest highlights in Acadia National Park is a trip up Cadillac Mountain. At the top we checked out the view while a seagull checked us out to see if we had any food to spare!

    Seagull Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park Maine

    On Cadillac Mountain we enjoyed the view while a seagull waited for a treat, or maybe a tip!

    We were very lucky during our stay in Acadia National Park to be there when a national Model A club was holding a rally.

    Model A car climbing Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park Maine

    A national Model A rally in Acadia National Park — How cool!

    There were Model A cars on every road, and we watched them climbing up Cadillac Mountain on roads that were originally built for them.

    Model A Car on Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park Maine

    Cute Model A cars were driving all the roads in Acadia National Park while we were there.

    Cyclists had a ball descending from Cadillac Mountain too, and what a view they had as they flew down.

    Cyclist rides down Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park Maine

    Flying down Cadillac Mountain on a bike would be a lot of fun!!

    One of the coolest things in Acadia National Park is the Carriage Roads that were built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. These roads were built to give the rich city folks from New York and Boston a place to go for a carriage ride from their vacation estates in Maine at the turn of the century and were closed to motorized cars. Nowadays, they are wonderful for biking.

    Acadia National Park Carriage Roads Maine

    The Carriage Roads are an ideal place for a leisurely bike ride through the beautiful Maine woods.

    Although we heard that John D. Rockefeller, Jr’s son, David Rockefeller, now age 101, can occasionally be spotted enjoying his dad’s carriage roads in his own horse-drawn carriage, the public can walk, ride a bike or ride in a horse-drawn wagon on these roads that wind through the thick and wonderfully fragrant Maine woods on Mt. Desert Island.

    Horse-drawn wagon ride Acadia National Park Carriage Roads Maine

    The 50 miles of Carriage Roads are unique to Acadia National Park and can be enjoyed many ways!

    Besides providing a road system that was free of motor cars, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. wanted all the bridges and tunnels on his roads to have a non-industrial and hand-made flare. Each was built by expert masons and is just beautiful.

    Acadia National Park Carriage Roads

    John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made sure the bridges and tunnels were finely crafted by hand.

    The Carriage Roads zig-zag for 50 miles all over Mt. Desert Island, and near the center of the island they pass by Jordan Pond. This is a haven for kayaks and has a wonderful little restaurant where you can sit on the deck and enjoy the view.

    Jordan Pond Acadia National Park Maine

    Jordan Pond in the heart of Acadia is a wonderful change of pace from the rugged ocean shoreline

    We enjoyed many sunny days during our stay in June, but late spring and early summer also bring a lot of fog to the Maine coast. This can be drippy and miserable, but there is also a special and mysterious beauty that shrouds everything in Maine when the fog rolls in.

    Lobser boats in the Maine fog

    Fog is common in Maine, and it can make for some very memorable and scenic images.

    As a side note, Acadia National Park is just outside of Bangor, Maine, where we had the first of our four major RV repairs that hit us last summer, all in a row: the replacement of our trailer axle. We had it done by an excellent RV repair shop, Harvey RVs in Bangor, Maine, and you can read about what happened here:

    5th Wheel Trailer Axle Replacement (a BIG repair job!)

    A major RV repair like that is disconcerting, to say the least, but northern Maine was a great place to be stuck for a while because it is so scenic, peaceful and calming!

    Calm harbor on the Maine Coast at Acadia National Park

    Life is very tranquil in Maine!

    Motorhome Magazine is a terrific monthly magazine that covers all things related to RVing, motorhome ownership and maintenance. We are very proud to be contributors this month.

    Occasionally, Motorhome posts our articles on their website. Some of our previous articles can be read at this link (this article about Maine is not among them): Motorhome Magazine Articles by Emily & Mark Fagan

    For newer RVers looking to learn about the RV lifestyle, learn about motorhomes and get ideas for cool travel destinations, Motorhome is a great resource. And for seasoned RVers who already know the ropes, there are lots of tid-bits to be gleaned from their pages too.

    You can subscribe here (please note that the digital subscription price is “$0” but you will be charged when you open the download):

    Motorhome Magazine Subscription – Print Edition
    Motorhome Magazine Subscription – Digital Edition

    A boat leaves the harbor in Maine's Acadia National Park

    A classic Maine image!

    If you are planning an RV trip to Acadia National Park or elsewhere in Downeast Maine, the blog posts below from our RV travels to the area may get you inspired and help with your travel planning.

    More Info for an RV trip to Acadia National Park:

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    Ross Creek Cedars & Kootenai Falls – Giant Trees & Swings in Montana!

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    July 2016 – Up in northwestern Montana, not too far from Libby and the beautiful eagle that lives at Libby Dam, we came across two wonderful out-of-the-way scenic spots: Kootenai Falls and the Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area.

    At Kootenai Falls, which is 12 miles west of Libby, the pretty hiking trail took us over an overpass high above a set of train tracks. We were lucky to be on it just as a big train zoomed underneath.

    Railway train at Kootenai Falls Montana

    Hiking into Kootenai Falls, an overpass took us high above an oncoming train – cool!

    As we hiked on the trail through the woods down towards Kootenai Falls, suddenly the view opened up and we could see the fast moving Kootenai River,

    Kootenai Falls Montana

    Kootenai River at Kootenai Falls in Northwestern Montana

    There were some slabs of rocks along the banks that had fabulous swirling patterns in them.

    Kootenai River at Kootenai Falls Wildlife Management Area Montana

    Swishes and swirls in the rocks on the riverbank caught my eye.

    The trail branches into several short offshoots that go to pretty overlooks, but the direction everyone heads is towards the Swinging Bridge.

    Kootenai Falls and swinging bridge Montana

    Besides the falls, this area is known for its wonderful and wobbly swinging bridge.

    This rickety bridge spans the Kootenai River high above, and it is not exactly a rugged structure. Only five people can use it at a time, so a little line had formed with people waiting to get across.

    Swinging Bridge Kootenai Falls Wildlife Management Area Montana

    Not everyone ventured across the river on this thing, but those that wanted to had to wait!!

    Once on the bridge, it felt a little dicey underfoot. Some folks tip-toed across, hanging onto the rails for dear life as the bridge swung and swayed, but most stopped for a pic and a wave.

    Swinging bridge at Kootenai Falls Montana

    It was a neat fun-house kind of walk high up in the air!

    On the other side there were many places to get a lovely view of the river, and we found a family fishing on the riverbank.

    Fishing on the Kootenai River at Kootenai Falls Montana

    Catching dinner on the Kootenai River.

    The falls themselves are shallow and wide, nearly spanning the width of a bend in the river, and the water pours over the slabs of rock at a very fast clip.

    Kootenai Falls Wildlife Management Area Montana

    The falls are flat and wide, but a telephoto lens brought them in close

    We enjoyed the tranquility and peacefulness of Kootenai Falls so much that after our first visit on a very busy weekend, we returned a second time mid-week when we had the trails almost to ourselves.

    Kootenai Falls Wildlife Management Area Montana

    Kootenai Falls

    Twenty-five miles south of Kootenai Falls is the wondrous Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area.

    Path through the woods Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    A boardwalk on the trail at Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area.

    This beautiful 100 acre woods is filled with cedar trees that are as old as 1,000 years.

    Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Kootenai National Forest Montana

    These mossy woods seemed to come straight out of a fantasy novel.

    The hiking trails wanderes around in glorious loops that were not particularly well marked. But that is part of the fun of this magical place.

    USFS Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    Beautiful greenery all around.

    We strolled here and there, mesmerized by the green mossy undergrowth and waving leaves.

    Leaves at Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    Mark’s creative juices were flowing with this shot!

    The ferns were thick and there was a delightful pungence in the air.

    Ferns and cedars at Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    Ferns grew thickly here and there on the forest floor.

    But the eye-popper at Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area is the massive cedar trees themselves. These giant and ancient trees bring out the kid in everyone who wanders these trails, and Mark was no different. When he saw a split in a tree trunk, he couldn’t help but climb inside!!

    Enormous Ross Creek Cedars Kootenai National Forest Montana

    What we came for — the ancient and giant cedar trees. Wow!

    Well, two can play that game, so I jumped into another one with him!!

    Happy campers at Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    There’s room for two!

    The trees’ tip-tops tower above this forest, but we couldn’t take our eyes off their enormous trunks. Walking from tree to tree, we pondered their age and gentle spirits and the many centuries of human history they have quietly lived through while standing in one place in a remote Montana forest.

    The Ross Creek Cedars are smaller than the Giant Sequoia trees we saw in Yosemite National Park years ago, but they have a special aura because they aren’t world famous and they can’t be found on post cards!

    Gigantic Cedar trees at Ross Creek Montana

    The gigantic tree trunks were awe-inspiring.

    Of course, this was a fun place for photography too. There are fallen trees strewn here and there, and we found many lying on the ground. At one point, we heard a loud crash and breaking of branches high in the trees about 100 feet away from us. Apparently, a huge limb had fallen. We searched and searched, though, and never found it!!

    Crazy trunks on fallen cedar trees Ross Creek Montana

    There were fallen trees that let us see their roots from underneath.

    One dead trunk was still standing but had lost all of its interior. It was just a shell of its former self with a small opening on one side.

    We stepped inside and were instantly surrounded by the outer walls of the tree. I couldn’t help but feel that this was as close as I would ever come to knowing what it’s like to be a tree. The trunk was so huge that it was like standing in a closet, but the tree went up and up and up to the sky high above me.

    As we wandered around on the trails — they all seemed to be loops, so no matter where we went, we eventually wound up where we started — we met lots of other people who were hiking in this magical forest too.

    Suddenly a very little boy appeared on the trail ahead of us. He was so young, he had only recently learned to walk. He was totally dwarfed by the giant tree trunks around him and seemed to be loving the hike.

    Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Kootenai National Forest Montana

    A wee hiker showed up between the trees.

    He made his way between the tree trunks and looked for all the world like he was out on safari, complete with a stick over his shoulder and a huge grin on his face.

    Ross Creek Cedar Scenic Area Kootenai National Forest Montana

    This little guy has adventure in his soul!!

    Nearby, we found a collection of Inukshuks in a riverbed. When we were up at Athabasca Falls at Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies, we bumped into a whole riverbank full of these unusual rock cairns that people had built. We had no idea what they were at the time, but several knowledgeable readers pointed out that they have their origins with the Inuit native people of the far north and can be found all over Canada.

    Apparently, they can be found in Montana too!

    Inukshuk at Ross Creek Cedars Montana

    We were surprised to see a collection of Inukshuks in a riverbed.

    We thoroughly enjoyed our RV trip through the northwestern corner of Montana.

    RV trip to Kootenai Falls and Ross Creek Cedar Scenic Area Montana

    Peace in Montana

    Full moon Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area Montana

    A full moon rises behind the trees.

    And we took our time making our way past lovely Bull Lake and on towards Idaho.

    Sunset Bull Lake Montana

    Sunset at Bull Lake.

    If you have a hankering to take your RV on a road trip to these beautiful spots, there are more links about them below.

    Reflections on Bull Lake Montana

    Morning mist on Bull Lake.

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    Kootenai Falls, Ross Creek Cedars, and Other Info:

    More blog posts from our RV travels in NW Montana and Northern Idaho plus another Famous Swinging Bridge:

    Dudley Moore’s Swinging Bridge – A Visit to the Set of the Movie “10” !! 12/21/2010

    Our most recent posts:

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    Eagles and Hummingbirds in Libby, Montana

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    July 2016 – While RV camping in Libby, Montana, we had some fabulous encounters with wild birds: a beautiful big bald eagle and a mixed flock of tiny hummingbirds. Over at Libby Dam, we were thrilled to see a bald eagle soaring high overhead.

    Bald Eagle Flying in Libby Montana

    A bald eagle flies near Libby Dam in Montana

    This eagle was well known to the employees and volunteers who work at Libby Dam. He liked to fish in the water just below the dam where the fish pile up as they migrate upstream and find themselves trapped by the dam. The pool of fish made a smorgasbord for this very happy eagle, and he had an easy time getting breakfast, lunch and dinner whenever he got a bit hungry.

    One morning we spotted him sitting high up in a tree right by the dam.

    Bald eagle near Libby Dam Montana

    We looked up to see this guy at the top of a tree.

    We started snapping photos as we crept towards him, and assumed he would fly off any second. Surprisingly, he stayed put!

    Bald Eagle Montana

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    Hoping for some better pics, we returned the next morning with our long lenses and tripods. There he was again, checking us out over his shoulder.

    Bald Eagle in tree Libby Montana

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    He sat still for a while, preened a little bit, and then started making noises. I think he was trying to talk to a good buddy on the other side of the Kootenai River. He let out a loud squawk.

    Bald Eagle squawking Libby Montana

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    We didn’t hear a response, but he squawked a few more times.

    Bald Eagle Calling Libby Montana

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    He must have heard a reply, or decided to go looking for his friend in person, because suddenly he crouched.

    Bald Eagle Ready to fly Libby Montana

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    And launched…

    Bald Eagle Taking off Libby Montana

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    Bald Eagle Launching Libby Montana

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    What a magnificent sight in the sky!

    Bald Eagle flying Libby Montana

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    Bald Eagle in flight Libby Montana

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    Meanwhile, back at our trailer, we had noticed some hummingbirds poking around, peeking in our windows, and generally scoping us out. We put out our window hummingbird feeder that attaches to the RV window with suction cups, and sat back to see if anyone would find it.

    Within minutes, the word was out. The hummingbirds in this area know what feeders are, and they have passed the info on from friend to friend and generation to generation. As soon as a new feeder is found, a memo goes out to the whole community.

    Hummingbirds at feeder on RV window

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    By sunset, the feeder had been drained! By noon the next day it had been drained again!

    We’ve always had a few hummingbird feeders with us, but we were chagrined to find that they all leaked because we hadn’t used them in a long time. We were also out of regular granulated table sugar. So, we went into town to get another five pound bag of sugar and a second feeder. Luck was with us, and there was one last window feeder left on the shelf!!

    Hummingbird flying above feeder

    Almost close enough to touch!

    For the next 10 days, we filled these two feeders every morning and every evening, and our world was abuzz with hummers.

    We noticed that these little hummingbirds had different spots and colors, and we got curious about which ones they were. Our general purpose Peterson bird guides and National Geographic bird guide don’t make it so easy to tell one hummingbird species from another.

    Luckily, we have found a super book about hummingbirds that makes it really easy to know who’s slurping up all the sugar water we’re putting out.

    Hummingbird flying Libby Montana

    Black chinned hummingbird. His neck flashes violet in the sun!

    It’s a small book called the Beginner’s Guide to Hummingbirds by Donald and Lillian Stokes.

    What’s neat is that the very first two pages show which hummingbirds can be found in which of the four regions in the country: East/Central, Gulf Coast, West, and Southwest. It also delineates the species by the color of the male’s throat: Orange, Red/Pink, Purple/Violet, Green, White and Blue.

    It also marks the sides of the pages by color, so you can easily flip to the appropriate section and see multiple photos of both the males and females and see a map of where they live.

    Hummingbird in flight Libby Montana

    The female black chinned hummingbird wears a whole different wardrobe!

    We determined that we were seeing Black Chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds. The males were easy to spot because they have dramatic coloring on their necks and heads. But the muted and spotted colors of the juveniles and females made them all look alike!

    The fun thing about the Black Chinned hummingbirds is that they truly buzz when they fly. They sound like a bunch of bees as they zoom around, but they’re a whole lot cuter.

    The Rufous hummingbirds have bright orange on their necks and an orange tint to their little bodies. They are beautiful and very petite. But they act be like little Napoleons sometimes. They are extremely skittish, but nonetheless some of them want to rule the world anyway, and they make every effort to.

    Rufous Hummingbird Libby Montana

    Rufous hummingbird – Small, skittish and domineering!

    All hummingbirds can be very territorial about their feeders, and the turf wars can be astonishing to watch.

    The King of the Feeder will stand watch over it from a nearby branch, and will dive bomb any other hummingbird that tries to get a drink! It is particularly funny when one little Rufous decides to chase off twenty other hummingbirds from his personal feeder. He is one busy little guy!

    Rufous Hummingbird_

    Mine!

    Over the years, when it has seemed that one particular hummingbird has become a little too dominant at our feeder, we’ve found a good solution is to put out multiple feeders in such a way that one hummingbird can see only one feeder at a time. Hanging them on opposite sides of the trailer is a good trick.

    But for the most part, it seems that everyone gets a turn eventually.

    Hummingbirds share a drink at the RV window feeder

    Hummingbirds can be territorial, but they do know how to share too!

    We got immense pleasure from watching these guys from inside our RV. Our trailer’s windows are darkly tinted, and with the feeder mounted on the window, if we didn’t move or make any noises in the trailer, we could watch them from just a foot or two away from inside.

     

    We were astonished to see that sometimes the hummingbirds would double dip, with two of them poking their beaks into one hole in the feeder at the same time, even though the holes in the feeder are tiny. At other times, the bird sitting on the perch would lean way back while the one hovering overhead got a quickie slurp. They would take turns drinking that way.

    Hummingbirds share RV window feeder

    Two for one!

    Sometimes they even lined up in front of the feeder, like airplanes in a landing pattern, with each bird getting a chance to drink his fill before flying off.

    Hummingbirds line up at RV window feeder

    The hummers get into a landing pattern at our feeder!

    By the way, the recipe for hummingbird nectar is super easy:

    1 part sugar
    4 parts water

    I like to mix up one cup of nectar at a time. I’ll put 1/4 cup of sugar into a 1/4 cup of warm water and stir it until it dissolves. Then I’ll add another 3/4 cup of cold water and stir some more before serving.

    Hummers aren’t Natural Food fanatics, so they don’t go for Raw or Turbinado sugar or brown sugar, and they don’t like other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave syrup or confectioners sugar either.

    There was lots of wildlife in around Libby Dam and in the neighboring Kootenai National Forest, and staying in the Libby area, it felt like we were a world apart.

    Deer near Libby, Montana

    We saw lots of wildlife in Libby, Montana.

    If you take your RV to northwestern Montana, and especially to the small town of Libby, pay a visit to the Libby Dam and keep an eye out for the big, beautiful bald eagle. And if you are there in July, put a hummingbird feeder out, and be prepared with a stockpile of sugar and your camera!!

    There’s more info on Libby, Montana and hummingbirds below.

    RV at sunset Montana

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    More info about Libby Montana and attracting hummingbirds:

    More blog posts about birds and Montana:

    All our RV travels in Montana
    Our RV trip to Libby, Montana

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    Long Ride Travel by Horse and Bicycle!

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    July 2016 – One of the best things about our traveling lifestyle is having a chance to meet some of the really unusual and inspiring people who are out there traveling and seeing the world.

    There are many ways to get out of the house and away from convention to start a life on the road exploring, and because we are out and about ourselves, we’ve bumped into some fascinating folks who have taken an approach to travel that is nothing like our own. Each one, in their own way, is having an adventure that is truly extraordinary.

    Long Ride Lady with horses in Montana

    Traveling full-time by RV is cool, but how about doing it by horse?!

    On the 4th of July we stopped in Troy, Montana, way up in the northwest corner of the state near Idaho and Canada, so we could enjoy their “Old Fashioned” small town Independence Day celebration with a parade and a car show.

    Troy Montana 4th of July Parade

    The 4th of July parade kicks off in Troy, Montana!

    The parade was terrific. There were lots of fire trucks and sirens and honking of horns, and tons of candy was thrown out on the ground for the kids to scramble after.

    Little girl at 4th of July Parade Troy Montana

    Little kids were diving for candy all over the place!

    We joined a sizable throng lining the highway (which had been temporarily shut down for the parade), and we cheered everyone on.

    Troy Montana 4th of July Parade Car Show

    Now there’s a sweet ride!

    Near the end of the parade, some horses went by. One in particular caught our eye. A petite woman in a very broad brimmed hat sat astride a horse, and she held the reins for a second horse that she had in tow. The second horse was carrying saddle bags and had a large sign on its back that said:

    Lady Long Rider. 12 Years. 28,000 Miles. Today ends 8,000 mile Coast to Coast Journey.

    Long Ride Lady Bernice Ende 28000 miles 12 years

    28,000 miles…by horse?? Wow!

    Holy Smokes!! Who was this gal and what was her story??

    In a few seconds she was gone down the road, along with the rest of the equestrian part of the parade, and we were caught up once again in watching the kids dive for candy and cheering the floats that went by.

    Later that evening, as we went through our photos from the day, we both stopped at our pics of this unusual “lady long rider” and wondered again what her story was.

    The next day, when we were driving on a back road near the town of Libby, we were both completely shocked when we looked up the road and saw the Lady Long Rider walking towards us with her two horses, right down the middle of the road.

    What luck! We pulled over and jumped out to talk to her.

    Long Ride Lady Bernice Ende in Montana

    The Lady Long Rider paused for a few minutes to chat with us and answer our flood of questions about her life.

    She smiled warmly and began telling us about her journey as her horses took advantage of the moment and started doing some serious grazing in the tall grass.

    Norwegian Fjord Horse

    Her two beautiful Norwegian Fjord horses passed the time grazing while their mistress talked to us.

    Her name was Bernice Ende, and we found out she has been traveling alone with her horses since 2005. She has covered 28,000 miles all together, criss-crossing the US and Canada several times. Her two horses, Essie Pearl and Montana Spirit, are both Norwegian Fjord horses. They are steady, strong and mellow horses that are ideal for this kind of long distance journey.

    Bernice Ende Long Ride Lady with horses in Montana

    We had a wonderfully low key encounter on a little used road.

    Raised on a Minnesota dairy farm, and trained as a classical ballet dancer, she enjoyed a twenty-five year career as a ballet dance teacher that included teaching stints from San Francisco to Montana. After retiring from teaching, she struck out on a 2,000 mile Long Ride at age 50 with her first horse, Pride, to see a bit of the world. She hasn’t looked back since.

    Her story touched me deeply, because much of it paralleled my own journey, with my performing arts figure skating background and my own powerful middle-aged yearning to seek adventure on the open road.

    Like me, Bernice was raised by a strong, colorful mother who, along with her four aunts, inspired her with their independent and brave spirits. She says her mom “sought to change the world through education, the arts, science and…adventure,” and she instilled in Bernice an insatiable curiosity to find out what lies over the horizon.

    Long Ride Lady Bernice Ende with horses in Montana

    Bernice has been traveling with her horses since 2005.

    She carries everything she needs on her horses, and she told us she hasn’t slept in a bed in a house since 2008. Totally self-sufficient, she even shoes her horses herself! We were amused to discover she lives without a cell phone too, just as we do.

    She has dealt with adversity and faced some scary experiences, but the twinkle in her eye gave away her total love of this lifestyle.

    “I cried the day I left and cried for weeks until fatigue finally broke the fear into tiny digestible  pieces. I eventually found a life that tantalized and called to me, a life that suited me. I remember thinking, ‘How will I ever return to a normal life?’ Well, I guess I never did.”

    Her long rides have taken her all over North America on treks ranging from 2,000 to 8,000 miles and lasting from a few months to a few years, always bringing her back to Montana for a little R&R between trips.

    Boots and packs on a long ride on a horse

    Everything she and the horses need, from clothes and food to boots and shoes, is carried in packs.

    We were both astonished to hear her story unfold. When Bernice started traveling, although she had ridden horses her whole life, and had even galloped around standing on her bareback horse at age 8, she knew little about long riding. Like so many brand new full-time travelers, she had much to learn.

    She has ridden these long rides with several different horses. One of her most beloved horses, named Honor, died in a tragic corral accident that nearly ended her horseback travels. But she persevered and was encouraged and supported by newfound friends along the way, and she resumed her travels with another eager and willing horse named Hart who carried her for 8,000 miles before retiring at age 18.

    Bernice Ende on 28,000 mile long horse back ride

    Bernice, and her special mares Essie Pearl and Montana Spirit.

    As we chatted, Bernice’s two mares munched the grass around us. She introduced us to each of them, but they were content to let us chat with each other while they got a quickie mid-morning snack and ignored the conversation.

    Bernice’s little traveling trio was once a quartet that included her faithful companion Claire Dog. Named after Clara of the “(Not Quite) Nutcracker” performances her ballet classes put on, but with a much more unruly personality than her namesake, Claire Dog accompanied her mistress for 7,000 miles on her own four paws (sometimes wearing leather doggie moccasins) and then rode in a doggie box atop a horse for another 12,000 miles.

    Sadly, Claire Dog left this earth last year at age 16, but Bernice herself shows no signs of slowing down or ending her travels.

    Horses with Bernice Ende the Long Ride Lady in Montana

    Bernice lets the horses know that snack time is over.

    After spending a little time back in her cabin, which has been cared for by a friend in her very long absence, she will be out on another Long Ride to the eastern states soon.

    One of her reasons for her Long Ride is to encourage women’s leadership. She visited Seneca Falls, New York, the birthplace for the women’s rights movement, and she has been invited to speak at Harvard University as well as at several women’s colleges in the eastern states. So, in her next tour she will travel to these campuses on her way to the Appalachian Mountains and the Smokies.

    Essie Pearl and Montana Spirit with Bernice Ende in Montana

    This trio will be walking and riding the eastern states very soon.

    Our jaws were still agape long after Bernice had gathered her horses together and begun making her way down the road once again.

    We had forgotten to ask her how far she was going that day or where she planned to stay that night. But she had told us she never plans ahead too much, and she camps much as we do, finding out-of-the-way places on public land.

    Essie Pearl and Montana Spirit and Bernice Ende on Long Ride in Montana

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    Adventure travelers come in all shapes and sizes, and just a few hours after seeing Bernice disappear down the road, we bumped into a pair of cyclists who have been touring for 3,000 to 4,000 miles each summer for the past five years. This couple had pitched their tent near us, and when I saw their cycling shorts hanging out on a line, I had to go over and find out more.

    Rupert and Cyndy long distance cycling on bikes

    Our Luxury Mobile makes a fine backdrop for these two rugged cyclists and their touring bikes.

    Their names were Rupert and Cyndy, and it turned out that they had ridden with some of the same bike clubs and on some of the same long distance bike tours as we had back about ten or fifteen years ago, and we knew quite a few of the same people and cycling routes. What a small world!

    For this summer, Rupert and Cyndy had decided to do multiple “loop tours” in western Montana, rather than riding in a straight line from one destination to another or doing a single big loop from home. So far they had covered about 1,000 miles around east and west Glacier National Park, up into Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park and around Whitefish, Montana.

    Rupert and Cyndy long distance bike riding cyclists

    Rupert and Cyndy have about 18,000 miles of international self-supported
    bike touring under their wheels.

    Like Bernice, Rupert and Cyndy are very experienced in their mode of travel. They have done about 18,000 miles of self-supported bicycle tours all over the world. They have ridden all around the western states, up and over the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado, all through Maine and New Hampshire and into Nova Scotia and even in Newfoundland. They’ve ridden throughout the Canadian Rockies, including two trips along the breathtaking Icefileds Parkway.

    They’ve also ridden their bikes overseas, touring both the north and south islands of New Zealand and cycling all over Italy.

    Perhaps the most fun surprise for me, though, was discovering that Cyndy studied ballet for 13 years and had a 30 year career as a gymnastics instructor. What are the odds of meeting two such similar women as Cyndy and Bernice within hours in one day?

    Long Distance Cycling

    The rainy forecast didn’t daunt these two as they set out to ride 60 miles or so to their next stop.

    Rupert and Cyndy often take advantage of a wonderful website for cyclists, WarmShowers.org, where folks that wish to host traveling cyclists can make their home available to them and where cyclists looking for a place to pitch their tent and take a warm shower can find one.

    They have hosted lots and lots of cyclists from all over the world at their home, and during their cycling tours they have been hosted many times as well. They’ve found it’s a really rewarding way to travel.

    They sipped a cup of coffee with us at our campsite before they left and then headed out for the day’s 60 mile ride to their next destination. Like Bernice, they weren’t sure exactly where they would bed down that night, but they talked with excitement about the travel adventures that lay ahead, and they couldn’t wait to hit the road and get started.

    18 721 Long distance cycling

    There are many ways to travel, and our truck and trailer and sailboat have given us some beautiful experiences over the last nine years. But it is a thrill to cross paths with other travelers who are voyaging long distances for extended periods of time via very different means.

    I’m not sure I could be a Long Rider or a long distance self-supported touring cyclist, but what a joy it was to chat with these travelers and hear about their lives on the road. In the end, though, as our conversations flowed and we found our common bonds, it seemed that the most significant journey we had all taken in our many years of travel was not to one particular destination or another but was the journey within that happens when you leave convention behind and follow the rhythm of your own heart.

    As Bernice wrote on her website after six years of travel:

    “I think with each ride I grow a deeper appreciation for others, for the country I live in, and for the animals that willingly travel with me… Now, with nearly 17,000 miles under my saddle, I am beginning to know what long riding is about….A never ending education. A reminder that the most important thing about traveling from A to B is what is in between.”

    There are links for Bernice’s website, Long Riding and Long Distance Cycling below.

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    Here’s a litle more info about these travelers and the way they travel:

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    Whitefish to Libby – Big Surprises on the Back Roads of Montana

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    June 2016 – With the wonders and spectacular beauty of the east side of Glacier National Park still vivid in our minds, we took our RV south and west around the bottom of Glacier and out onto the back roads of northwestern Montana. On our way, we passed an RV park sporting a fantastic mock-up of a Volkswagen Beetle towing a small trailer. What fun!

    Volkswagen Beetle Towing a Trailer RV Whitefish Montana

    Now there’s a cool rig!!

    In an earlier life, we were both avid recreational racing cyclists, riding well over 200 training miles a week. To make it through our long training rides and races, we relied a lot on products made by Hammer Nutrition, a company that is based out of Whitefish, Montana.

    So we had to stop by and pay them a quick visit as we went through Whitefish!

    Hammer Nutrition Headquarters Whitefish Montana

    Hammer Nutrition makes amazing supplements for athletes and for good health.

    They were more than cordial when we knocked on the door, and they gave us an impromptu tour of their facility. We’d expected to see enormous vats and cauldrons with steam rising out of them, but the products are actually made elsewhere by subcontractors. However, this is where the order fulfillment happens.

    Besides their electrolyte replacements (very handy during a long, hot, sweaty hike), Mark got a few bottles of Tissue Rejuvenator which has been working wonders on his tender knees.

    Hammer Nutrition Truck Whitefish Montana

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    With our shelves restocked with Hammer goodies, we continued on Montana’s back roads, passing some beautiful scenery on the way.

    Bridge and colorful rocks Montana

    There is some lovely scenery on Montana’s back roads.

    We stopped to watch some horses in a pasture and saw that one had a little bird riding on its back. The horse didn’t seem to mind. It was busy eating grass!

    Horse and bird in Montana

    A little bird catches a ride.

    We dropped south along the shores of Lake Koocanusa, and we enjoyed several lovely stops to catch a view.

    The lake gets its name from the first three letters of the word “Kootenai,” the word “Canada” and the word “USA,” all concatenated together, because it spans both countries and is located in the region of the Kootenai tribe.

    Lake Koocanusa Libby Montana

    Lake Koocanusa

    There are quite a few National Forest campgrounds along the banks of Lake Koocanusa, and lots of families were enjoying boating and playing in the water.

    Kootenai River Libby Montana

    Crystal clear water at Lake Koocanusa.

    The daisies were out in force everywhere too, soaking up the sun.

    Daisies in the sun Montana

    Daisies were sunning themselves in the summer sun.

    Lake Koocanusa is formed by the Libby Dam which blocks the flow of the Kootenai River just east of Libby, Montana. Like all the big western dams, this dam is quite an engineering marvel.

    We took a wonderful tour and were amazed by the high stakes game the US Army Corps of Engineers has to play to satisfy the widely varying needs of everyone that is affected by the dam.

    Libby Dam

    Libby Dam

    From communities that need electricity, to farmers wanting water for irrigation, to the fish and ecological system that are disrupted by an unnatural obstruction in their way, to fishermen, swimmers, boaters and campers looking for some good old fashioned summertime fun, the Libby Dam supports many uses of the lake and river.

    Lake Koocanusa Recreation Area and Boat Dock

    Lake Koocanusa

    I’ve written quite a bit about public land management on this blog, as public lands are an integral part of our lifestyle. Too often, we’ve seen the government’s land management agencies reducing public access, threatening to transform these precious places until they become “public” in name only.

    Former campgrounds and dispersed camping areas have been blocked off with “Road Closed” signs. Behind these blockades weeds grow tall, graffiti grows wild and structures deteriorate.

    Other former campgrounds sport brand new “Day Use Only” signs, but they go unused because no one is going to drive a long distance to a remote place just to have a picnic.

    Worst of all, 40% of America’s public lands that were given to 11 western states at statehood have been sold off. For more info click here.

    Kootenai River dusk Libby Montana

    The Kootenai River below the dam.

    However, on the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa at Libby Dam, the US Army Corps of Engineers is getting it right, and it is a total thrill to see a public area so well taken care of. In addition to managing the dam, they have also built a wonderful recreation area on the banks of the river that offers a little something for everyone. We dabbled our toes in the water at a large boat dock that has swim ladders.

    Swimming dock Kootenai River Libby Montana

    There’s a nice boat dock with swim ladders near Libby Dam.

    They even offer free “borrow and return” life preservers for boaters who get to the lake and realize they don’t have enough to go around.

    Life preservers Kootenai River boat dock Libby Montana

    If boaters forget their life preservers, they can borrow one from here.

    The kids’ playground and its massive series of jungle gyms, slides, chutes and climbing bars near the dam are truly heaven on earth for the three-to-twelve set. I have never seen a jungle gym or playground that is so big and so inviting, even for the over 50 crowd (I confess, I really loved swinging on the big swingset!).

    Corps of Engineers Playground Libby Montana

    The playground built by the Corps of Engineers next to Libby Dam is wonderful.

    Out on the Kootenai River below the dam, fly fishermen zip downstream carried by a very fast moving current. The oars on these cool fishing boats are just for steering purposes!

    Fly fishing Kootenai River Libby Dam Montana

    Fly fishermen float downstream.

    Hiking trails from Libby Dam’s recreation area took us past pretty lake views, and we found wildflowers blooming on the trails.

    Lavender wildflowers Montana

    Pretty lavender wildflowers.

    We rode our bikes on some of the back roads in the area, and along with discovering beautiful scenery we also bumped into a woman “long rider” who has been traveling cross-country on horseback for 12 years and 28,000 miles (blog post here).

    Fog and mist on the Kootenai River Montana

    Fog and mist on a small fork of the Kootenai River.

    With all this quiet beauty surrounding us in every direction, we were blown away when we learned that due to decades of vermiculite mining as well as carelessness on the part of the mine owner, W. R. Grace, the area around Libby, Montana, is now a Superfund Site.

    We discovered this when we camped with a group of out-of-towners who had grown up in Libby while the dam was being built in the 1970’s. They had returned to celebrate their 38th Libby High School reunion. While they were in the area, besides hanging out with old friends and reminiscing, they were all getting tested for Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

    Sunset at Lake Koocanusa Libby Montana

    Sunset at Lake Koocanusa.

    Although this vermiculte mine had been active since 1919, when W. R. Grace bought it in 1963, they began distributing excess asbestos related material around town by for use in playgrounds, gardens, roads, school yards and even the high school track (which was known as being especially springy and fast!).

    In the end, W. R. Grace was fined $250 million to contribute to the cleanup of the area. The EPA has removed the asbestos from 2,100 properties, including all the public areas, and has a few hundred more private properties to take care of. The cleanup has cost $540 million to date with at least $64 million more in anticipated expenditures.

    Recently, asbestos has turned up during controlled burns in the Kootenai National Forest around the former mine site. The EPA is has shifted its Superfund focus in Libby and has increased the size of the area they are concerned about.

    Lake Koocanusa at sunset Libby Montana

    Sunset on Lake Koocanusa

    Unfortunately, the latency period for Mesothelioma cancer symptoms to surface is 20 to 50 years. Several hundred residents of Libby and nearby Troy have died already, and another few thousand are suffering illnesses related to asbestos exposure. As our newfound friends waited nervously for their cancer test results, one of them told us he had already tested positive last year.

    It was very shocking to look around at the stunning beauty of this part of Montana and hear this sad tale.

    Reading about Superfund Sites while living far away from them, I’d always imagined them to be forelorn, desolate communities that had a post-nuclear explosion look about them. I had no idea that one of the most pristine natural areas that America is fortunate enough to embrace, a beautiful place that is so remote in spots that you can’t get cell phone service for many miles, is a Superfund Site.

    Lake Koocanusa Libby Montana

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    We were charmed by Libby and the warmth of the people we met, both camping and around town.

    There’s a sweet little campground right in the middle of town (smaller rigs only), called Fireman’s Memorial Park Campground, and there’s a fun microbrew pub, Cabinet Mountain Brewing, that refers to itself as “Libby’s Living Room.” They serve a fantastic coffee porter and have live music many nights.

    Live Music Cabinet Mountain Brewing Company Libby Montana

    Cabinet Mountain Brewing Company has great beer and live music.

    We stopped in Libby because we got a flat tire on our truck while taking photos at the Libby Dam (blog post here). That turned out to be a wonderful stroke of good fortune, because otherwise we might have kept going and missed this really pretty part of Montana. Instead we stayed in the area for two weeks!

    RV at sunset Montana

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    For RV travelers heading to Libby, Montana, there are some travel planning links below:

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    National Parks & World Heritage Sites in America, Canada, Mexico & SE Asia

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    National Park Service

    The National Park Service was created by the “Organic Act” and signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, August 25, 1916.

    Since we began our full-time travels in our RV in 2007, and during our cruise of Mexico on our sailboat (2010-2013), we’ve made it a point to visit as many National Parks, National Monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites throughout North America as possible.

    This page provides an index of links to all of our blog posts from these special places, grouped by country. They appear in reverse chronological order. America’s National Parks are also broken down by state. This page is accessible from the Menus as well.

    If there is a particular park you are looking for, use the “Ctrl-F” key (Windows) or “Command-F” key (Mac) to search for it on this page.

    Links to the official websites for each of North America’s National Park agencies plus lists of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in each country are given at the bottom of this page.

    Google Maps links to the locations of all the parks we’ve visited are at the bottom of this page as well. These are interactive maps that you can zoom in and out of.

    You can navigate to each section of this page using these links:

    In our travels, we have loved all of the National Parks we have visited, and we were intrigued to learn that Yellowstone National Park was the first National Park ever created in the world. It was established by the US Congress with the Yellowstone Act of March 1, 1872, which was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant. Lots more National Parks followed, both in the US and abroad.

    On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service, a bureau in the Department of the Interior, to consolidate the management of Yellowstone and the 35 other National Parks that had been established in the years since 1872.

    Following is the index of posts from our visits to these wonderful places…

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    America’s National Parks and National Monuments

    The National Park Service manages not only America’s National Parks but also the National Monuments, National Seashores, National Historic Sites, Battlefields, some of the National Recreation Areas and much much more.

    As of the summer of 2023, the National Park Service is managing 424 sites that spread out across nearly 133 square miles. The sites were visited by nearly 312 million tourists in 2022, down from the pre-pandemic peak of 331 million tourists in 2017. In 2022, the NPS had 20,000 employees and 279,000 volunteers.

    Here are the National Parks we’ve visited in our RV travels:

    ARIZONA

    Sunrise Horseshoe Bend Arizona

    Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

    CALIFORNIA

    Death Valley National Park California

    Death Valley National Park

    COLORADO

    Mesa Verde National Park Colorado

    Mesa Verde National Park

    FLORIDA

    Gulf Island National Seashore Florida

    Gulf Islands National Seashore

    IDAHO

    Craters of the Moon National Monument

    Craters of the Moon National Monument

    MAINE

    Ford Model A car drives down Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park Maine

    Acadia National Park – Cadillac Mountain

    MISSISSIPPI

    Natchez Trace Parkway Mississippi

    Natchez Trace Parkway

    MONTANA

    Happy camper Glacier National Park Montana

    Glacier National Park

    NEW MEXICO

    White Sands National Monument New Mexico

    White Sands National Monument

    NORTH CAROLINA

    Indian Creek Waterfall Deep Creek Hiking Trail Great Smoky Mountains National Park N. Carolina

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Indian Creek Waterfall

    OREGON

    Crater Lake National Park Oregon

    Crater Lake National Park

    TEXAS

    Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon iin Big Bend Texas

    Big Bend National Park – Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande

    VIRGINIA

    Mabry Mill Blue Ridge Parkway RV camping adventure

    Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia – Mabry Mill

    UTAH

    Turret Arch Arches National Park Utah

    Arches National Park – Turret Arch

    WYOMING

    Mirrored magic in Grand Teton National Park Wyoming

    Grand Teton National Park at Dawn

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    Canada’s National Parks and World Heritage Sites

    In 1911, Canada was the first country in the world to establish a government agency specifically to oversee its National Parks. This agency is Parks Canada.

    Parks Canada preserves and protects nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural history and is mandated to commemorate Canada’s history. In 2016, Parks Canada is managing 46 National Parks, 168 National Historic Sites and 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites covering nearly 350,000 square miles of land and water.

    We’ve enjoyed the extraordinary beauty of Canada’s National Parks located in the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta as well as the picture postcard perfect town of UNESCO World Heritage Site Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

    Moraine Lake RV travel Banff National Park Alberta Canada

    Banff National Park – Moraine Lake

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    Mexico’s National Parks and World Heritage Sites

    Many of Mexico’s most thrilling places are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and some are National Parks as well. These sites include expansive grounds of ancient ruins that were built by the Mayans, Zapotecs and other cultures 2,000 years ago as well as historic Spanish Colonial cities that are home to exquisite architecture and cathedrals built by the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries.

    Unique natural sites have also been preserved, including some of the islands in the Sea of Cortez as well as habitats on the mainland where migratory monarch butterflies come each year.

    If you have never traveled in Mexico, we highly recommend it. The Mexicans have an exuberant and colorful culture that is extraordinarily friendly. Mexico is easily the friendliest place we’ve traveled (besides Maysville, KY…). If you are concerned about safety, we jotted down some notes that are worth pondering at this link: Is Mexico Safe?

    Other helpful posts for planning a travel adventure in Mexico are: Spanish Learning Tools and Long Distance Bus Travel in Mexico and Mexican Dentists.

    Monte Alban Ancient Zapotec Ruins National Park Oaxaca Mexico

    Monte Alban – Oaxaca, Mexico – Step Pyramids Built by the Zapotecs 2,000 Years Ago

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    Thailand’s National Parks and World Heritage Sites

    Thailand has many stunning National Parks, both in the jungle and on the coasts where the water is turquoise and the reef fish are extraordinary.

    Most beautiful waterfall in Thailand Erawan Falls Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi_

    Erawan Falls – Erawan National Park, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

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    More info about North America’s National Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

    Map Links for the Locations of America’s National Parks & Monuments We’ve Visited

    These maps will give you an idea of where these wonderful sites are in each state, but they are not intended for routing or itinerary purposes. You can only absorb the beauty of so many National Parks at once! Please note that you can zoom in and out of each map too.

    Map Links for Canada’s National Parks & World Heritage Sites

    Map Link for Mexico’s National Parks & World Heritage Sites

    For our European readers, renting an RV is great way to explore America:

    Our most recent posts:

    More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.   New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff. Also check out our COOL NEW GEAR STORE!! *** CLICK HERE *** to see it!

    “Going to the Sun” from Glacier National Park’s East Side – Breathtaking!

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    June 2016 – During our visit to the east side of Montana’s Glacier National Park, we saw lots of storm clouds roll in and out, and at dawn and dusk the sky lit up in astonishing patterns and colors.

    RV at sunset Glacier National Park Montana

    We saw some amazing light shows in the sky.

    The Going to the Sun Road is the famous and extraordinarily scenic drive that cuts through the center of the park from west to east, and one great way to do it is on one of the Red Bus Tours. Many of these buses were built by the White Motor Company in the early 1900’s but have been converted to run on propane and gasoline. Some have been in service since the 1930’s!

    Glacier National Park Red Bus Tour

    Here’s a fun way to tour Glacier National Park – with a Red Bus Tour!

    We saw the red buses all over the place. They have tours of the west side of the park and tours of the east side of the park.

    Red Bus Tour Glacier National Park Montana

    What a classy ride!

    Sometimes we saw them in groups of two or three. With the top of the bus rolled back, folks could stand up inside to take pics of the mountains with a totally unobstructed view. This seemed like the best way to enjoy this incredible drive, as the traffic can be pretty intense. Why not leave the driving to someone else?

    Three Red Bus Tours Glacier National Park Montana

    We saw the red buses everywhere!

    Of course, there are many ways to enjoy the Going to the Sun Road, and driving it in a Led Zeppelin van looked pretty cool too.

    Stairway to Heaven on the Going to the Sun Road

    Take a drive up the Stairway to Heaven on the Going to the Sun Raod!

    The views of Saint Mary Lake on the east side are just gorgeous, and we marveled at the ever changing colors of the water and the sky as the storms rolled in and out.

    Saint Mary Lake Glacier National Park Montana

    Saint Mary Lake – teal blue water under misty gray skies.

    One of the nice things about driving your own vehicle (especially if you have a sweet hubby who chauffeurs you around) is that you can stop in every single pullout and see what’s there. We found wildflowers blooming on the banks of Saint Mary Lake.

    Wildflowers Saint Mary Lake Glacier National Park Montana

    Pretty flowers throw a splash of color in the greenery.

    At the beginning of the Going to the Sun Road, we were greeted by tall, craggy, gray mountains that didn’t have a whole lot of snow on their peaks.

    Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park Montana

    Going to the Sun!!

    As the road twisted and turned and rose higher, the mountains grew taller too, and they were dressed in their snowy white best. The road snuck right through a mountain at one point too!

    Tunnel Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park Montana

    The Going to the Sun Road has snowy peaks and cool tunnels!

    The temperatures quickly cooled as we climbed higher, and the snow on the highest peaks got thicker.

    Snowcapped mountains Glacier National Park Montana

    Mid-June in Glacier National Park!

    Near the top, we found ourselves rounding a tight curve that took in an incredible view of the vivd green valley floor. What a setting!

    Happy camper Glacier National Park Montana

    The views down into the valleys from the Going to the Sun Road are stunning.

    There were patches of snow on the ground in the valley, and the tall evergreens seemed miniscule so far below us.

    Snow and trees Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park Montana

    Patches of snow were tucked between the trees in the valley.

    In 1995, Waterton-Glacier National Park was named a World Heritage Site.

    A century earlier, America and Canada joined hands across the border to to unite their adjacent National Parks, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, and Glacier National Park in Montana, USA.

    12,000 years ago, thick, moving slabs of ice and snow — glaciers – carved the valleys between these towering mountains, giving them a distinctive U-shape.

    Glacier valleys Glacier National Park Montana

    Eons ago, glaciers carved wonderful U-shaped valleys.

    Waterton-Glacier National Park is referred to as the “Crown of the Continent,” and no wonder. The spiky mountains that encircle the valleys and lakes look like a crown.

    This area also straddles the Continental Divide, the ridge that runs north-south down the continent and separates the water flow through the eastern states provinces from that going through the western ones. The water that spills down the mountains from the Continental Divide in streams and rivers heads towards the two opposite and very distant oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific.

    Happy Campers Glacier National Park Montana

    Happy campers on the Crown of the Continent.

    Far below us, tucked between the cliffs and grassy slopes and pine trees, we spotted a waterfall that was about a quarter inch tall from our vantage point. No doubt this is a tall cascade that plunges down with a thunderous roar.

    Waterfall Glacier National Park Montana

    Far below us we saw a tiny waterfall.
    A zoom lens brings it in close!

    We found another waterfall right alongside the Going to the Sun road near the top of the continent’s crown. This one was wide and shallow, and it scurried this way and that as it rushed downhill between the rocks.

    Waterfall Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park Montana

    We explored a beautiful wide waterfall right by the road.

    Up near the visitors center at Logan Pass, the snow was still very deep in places.

    Thick Snow Glacier National Park Montana

    Mark stands by a wall of snow at the visitors center.

    Snow covered much of the ground, and it was really fun to follow the little animal tracks in the snow until they disappeared into round and deep holes. We didn’t see anyone peeking out of their burrows, but we knew they were under there. We threw a few snowballs at each other too!

    Snow Glacier National Park Montana

    The Going to the Sun Road had just opened at Logan Pass when we were there in mid-June!

    There are three entrances to Glacier National Park on the east side. The Going to the Sun Road starts/ends in Saint Mary, but 37 miles south of there is the entrance at Two Medicine, near the town of East Glacier Park Village.

    Two Medicine is home to a fabulous historic log building that was once part of the Two Medicine Chalet rustic vacation destination built by the Great Northern Railway in the early 1900’s. Today it is just the Two Medicine Store, but it offers a little bit of everything to visitors.

    From souvenirs to guidebooks, hiking gear and tourist info, they also serve fancy fluffy lattes and yummy lunch fare and bottled microbrew beer. This cute cabin in the middle of nowhere has everything the modern hiker needs!

    The Lodge at Two Medicine Glacier National Park Montana

    This simple log building serves up cheap beer and lattes as well as yummy lunches and souvenirs.

    We were shocked at how reasonable the prices were too, especially after visiting the village of Waterton in the heart of Waterton Lakes National Park where the prices of certain essential food items (beer) were more than double the norm.

    We were also very intrigued to chat with our latte barista and find out she was a college student from Colorado who was working at the store as a summer job. Her boyfriend was also working a summer job nearby at Amtrak’s East Glacier Park station.

    People often wonder how to make a living while RVing full-time. One option is to get fun seasonal jobs at popular tourist destinations. You just have to be as much of a go-getter as a college kid and be willing to do things like make espresso drinks or work at a train depot!

    Inside the lodge at Two Medicine Glacier National Park Montana

    Inside the historic Two Medicine Store.

    Mark had just purchased a Rokinon 12 mm lens for his camera, and he was absolutely loving the very wide angles that it could capture. He also found it made fantastic starbursts, so he had a wide-angle-starburst theme going for a lot of his photos at Two Medicine.

    Starburst Two Medicine Glacier National Park Montana

    A fiery sun shines on Two Medicine Lake.

    Two Medicine Lake is a beauty. We wanted to get out on it for the little boat ride that goes across, but we ended up saving that treat for our next visit!

    Beach Two Medicine Glacier National Park Montana

    Two Medicine offers Glacier National Park beauty with a bit of peace and solitude to go with.

    There are lots of canoe rentals, and this lake would be a great place for a kayak too, especially in the mornings before the wind picks up.

    Canoes Two Medicine Glacier National Park Montana

    Rental canoes wait for a ride at Two Medicine.

    Besides camera-created starbursts in the sky, we also loved seeing the stunning crepuscular rays at sunset when the sun lit the sky on fire.

    RV in sunset Glacier National Park Montana

    The changeable weather at Glacier National Park created some wonderful sunrises and sunsets.

    On the morning we left Glacier National Park, the gods treated us to some unbelievable theatrics in the heavens. It began innocently enough with a beautiful pastel sunrise over the mountains. The thick forest of dead trees below seemed to mirror the shades of gray in the heavy moisture-laden clouds.

    Sunrise over dead trees Glacier National Park Montana

    Storm clouds mirror the dead gray forest while pink shades dance in the sky.

    As we drove, the sky began to turn wild shades of yellow and orange, and heavy rain fell from the clouds in the distance. We pulled over the enjoy the spectacle and were stunned by the light show that followed.

    RV in dawn stormy skies Glacier National Park Montana

    As we were leaving, the sky went wild.

    The rising sun cut across the valley and lit the mountains in the distance with soft orange hues while rain fell from black clouds. Suddenly a brilliant rainbow appeared.

    RV in rainbow stormy skies Glacier National Park Montana

    Wow.

    We ran around like mad snapping photos, and as if in joyful response to our excitement, the rainbow got brighter and brighter.

    RV under rainbow Glacier National Park Montana

    The rainbow seemed to jump out of the clouds!

    Then a second rainbow appeared outside the first one. This surely meant double good luck — but which one led to the pot of gold??

    RV in a double rainbow Montana

    And then there were two rainbows, one inside the other.

    The outer rainbow eventually faded, so we knew it wasn’t that one! Off in the distance the remaining rainbow seemed to fall right into the heart of the valley below.

    Rainbow Glacier National Park Montana

    The rainbow ultimately aims right at the pot of gold down in the valley at Glacier National Park.

    As clouds slowly parted and we made our way back to our buggy, we were breathless with excitement. What a sensational light show that had been.

    Rainbow Glacier National Park Montana

    The rainbow lands in the middle of the forest of dead trees, promising a new beginning.

    We loved our visits to Glacier National Park this year, both the west side and on the east side. If you have a hankering to take an RV trip there too, there are more links for planning your adventure below.

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    More info about the east side of Glacier National Park:

    Other blog posts from our RV travels to Glacier National Park:

    Other blog posts from our travels where the Sky went Wild

    Our most recent posts:

    More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
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