Anyone ever checked out the Idaho Power campsites in Hells Canyon?

Started by Walt H, Mar 18, 2007, 10:21 PM

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Walt H

We spent this past weekend at Woodhead Park in Hells Canyon and must say we were really surprised and impressed. Full hook-ups and showers for just $8/night in the off-season (November - March) and $16/night the rest of the time. The only problem is that you can't reserve a site ahead of time.

I was wondering if anyone else had spend any time over there. If so, what were your impressions? How hard is it to find a site during the late spring/early summer (early June, say) or late summer/early fall (mid-September to early October)? Thanks.

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HWe spent this past weekend at Woodhead Park in Hells Canyon and must say we were really surprised and impressed. Full hook-ups and showers for just $8/night in the off-season (November - March) and $16/night the rest of the time. The only problem is that you can't reserve a site ahead of time.

I was wondering if anyone else had spend any time over there. If so, what were your impressions? How hard is it to find a site during the late spring/early summer (early June, say) or late summer/early fall (mid-September to early October)? Thanks.


During the summer good luck getting a site on the weekends place will be full of jet boaters try during the week.

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HWe spent this past weekend at Woodhead Park in Hells Canyon and must say we were really surprised and impressed. Full hook-ups and showers for just $8/night in the off-season (November - March) and $16/night the rest of the time. The only problem is that you can't reserve a site ahead of time.

I was wondering if anyone else had spend any time over there. If so, what were your impressions? How hard is it to find a site during the late spring/early summer (early June, say) or late summer/early fall (mid-September to early October)? Thanks.[/QUOTE

If you haven't tried Lost Valley Res. That is probably one of the best places I have camped at. It had started getting a little crowed a couple of years ago but the forest service shut down most of the trails to ATV's so not as many frequent the area nowthe fishing is awesome and they have a full hook up area and plenty of areas to dry camp around the lake. The drive is very easy from Boise and once you turn off the highway you only travel on about five miles of dirt road which is usually grated.

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350If you haven't tried Lost Valley Res. That is probably one of the best places I have camped at. It had started getting a little crowed a couple of years ago but the forest service shut down most of the trails to ATV's so not as many frequent the area nowthe fishing is awesome and they have a full hook up area and plenty of areas to dry camp around the lake. The drive is very easy from Boise and once you turn off the highway you only travel on about five miles of dirt road which is usually grated.
Thanks for the tip; I'll take a look. Which direction is that from Boise?

As for the Hells Canyon campgrounds, I expected they'd be pretty busy/popular in the summer, but I wasn't sure when exactly the busy season might start over there. We're looking at it more for "off-season" use (April-May and September-October).

By the way, have you had any luck yet finding a PU?

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HThanks for the tip; I'll take a look. Which direction is that from Boise?

As for the Hells Canyon campgrounds, I expected they'd be pretty busy/popular in the summer, but I wasn't sure when exactly the busy season might start over there. We're looking at it more for "off-season" use (April-May and September-October).

By the way, have you had any luck yet finding a PU?

Go east On I-84 take the Payette exit go through Fruitland and Payette to Weiser an keep on the highway through about 3 more towns, Midvale, Cambridge , and Counsil. The turn off to lost valley is about 17 miles out of Council. There is a store and on the left which last time I went there it was closed and probably still is. This is where you turn off. You can also go through MCcall and loop through New Meadows but there is way more traffic.

As far as a popup. Nothing yet. I will probably have to wait until the market swings toward the buyer instead of the seller. Seen alot of junk going for way too much. I saved up more money so I am looking into a little newer, we will see what turns up. It will be either a Jayco or Fleetwood nothing else is built to handle the roads I go on.

Take care Walt and happy camping
I will let you know what I find.

Steve

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350Go east On I-84 take the Payette exit go through Fruitland and Payette to Weiser an keep on the highway through about 3 more towns, Midvale, Cambridge , and Counsil. The turn off to lost valley is about 17 miles out of Council. There is a store and on the left which last time I went there it was closed and probably still is. This is where you turn off. You can also go through MCcall and loop through New Meadows but there is way more traffic.

We'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the tip and good luck with the PU search.

mercc350

Sorry Walt Go east On I-84 take the Payette exit go through Fruitland and Payette to Weiser ( go west instead). You probably knew that though.

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HWe'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the tip and good luck with the PU search.

Well I finally made the plunge. We found a 1996 Jayco 1206 or I should say my wife found it. Just brought it home today. And got it in the garage. Man does it make my garge look small. All I can see wrong with it so far is it needs a good cleaning although I am sure there will be other things. Came equiped with over size 3-way fridge bathroom with shower, hot water heater, outside shower, dual 5lb propane tanks, new battery. I checked the roof goes up and down as it should and the canvas and screens look good just very dirty. The roof looks brand new. After comparing it with others I have seen I couldn't walk away. It would be my luck that I get my yearly sinus infection today though so I can't do much with it tonight.

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350Well I finally made the plunge. We found a 1996 Jayco 1206 or I should say my wife found it. Just brought it home today. And got it in the garage. Man does it make my garge look small. All I can see wrong with it so far is it needs a good cleaning although I am sure there will be other things. Came equiped with over size 3-way fridge bathroom with shower, hot water heater, outside shower, dual 5lb propane tanks, new battery. I checked the roof goes up and down as it should and the canvas and screens look good just very dirty. The roof looks brand new. After comparing it with others I have seen I couldn't walk away. It would be my luck that I get my yearly sinus infection today though so I can't do much with it tonight.

Sorry to hear about the sinus infection, but congratulations on finding a PU. We love our Jayco 1007. We've been out a couple of times this year already and are looking forward to more.

Does your PU come with a furnace? We haven't used our hot water heater or outside shower yet, but the furnace has come in handy on several occasions.

Enjoy the new addition. I hope you get a chance to do that soon.

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HSorry to hear about the sinus infection, but congratulations on finding a PU. We love our Jayco 1007. We've been out a couple of times this year already and are looking forward to more.

Does your PU come with a furnace? We haven't used our hot water heater or outside shower yet, but the furnace has come in handy on several occasions.

Enjoy the new addition. I hope you get a chance to do that soon.
Yeas



It does have a furnace, this PU has everything. I remember when I was first looking I was just trying to find one in decent shape that had only that. I guess the fun thing will be is to figure out how everything works. I plan on this weekend if weather permits to get it out of the garage set it up and get a good idea of what I need to do with it first. I do know that I will  need to cleanup the canvas and just a good overall general cleaning through the whole trailer. It hasn't been used in quite awhile so I am sure there will be a few small issues but I only paid $2000.00 for it. Not bad for a highwall. The seller didn't have an owners manual unfortunatly so I will be posting alot of questions on Popup Times since I know absolutely nothing about RV's in general.

I am going to try to get set up with Webshots so I can post some pic's on my progress, I think you will be impressed with this one. I hope it is alright to ask you a question or two now and then about the operations of these since you have a jayco as well.

Take Care,

Steve

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350I am going to try to get set up with Webshots so I can post some pic's on my progress, I think you will be impressed with this one. I hope it is alright to ask you a question or two now and then about the operations of these since you have a jayco as well.

Take Care,

Steve

By all means. I don't guarantee I'll know the answer, but I'll do my best, which will likely include the manuals for my PU. Even though the model is different (I think you said yours is a highwall - mine isn't), I suspect some of the components will be similar.

You might also want to check out http://www.popupportal.com/manuals_2.asp?mf=Jayco. There is a Jayco manual online there that may also have some useful information. Enjoy!

mercc350

Quote from: Walt HBy all means. I don't guarantee I'll know the answer, but I'll do my best, which will likely include the manuals for my PU. Even though the model is different (I think you said yours is a highwall - mine isn't), I suspect some of the components will be similar.

You might also want to check out http://www.popupportal.com/manuals_2.asp?mf=Jayco. There is a Jayco manual online there that may also have some useful information. Enjoy!

Thank's Walt. I set the PUP up yesterday. I only had about 15 minutes to tinker with it before started to rain so we stripped out all the curtans and cushions out and everything out of the drawers and cupboards and found all the owners manuals in the original bag talk about lucky. I am sure I will still have questions though some of the appliance maunals don't appear to be very helpful.

Did you go camping yet??

Talk care,

Steve

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350Thank's Walt. I set the PUP up yesterday. I only had about 15 minutes to tinker with it before started to rain so we stripped out all the curtans and cushions out and everything out of the drawers and cupboards and found all the owners manuals in the original bag talk about lucky. I am sure I will still have questions though some of the appliance maunals don't appear to be very helpful.

Did you go camping yet??

Talk care,

Steve

We've been out twice so far this year. We went to Woodhead Park in Hells Canyon in March and to Farewell Bend State Park near Ontario last weekend. We're think of making another trip next weekend or perhaps the first weekend in May (my son's birthday would be that Sunday, the 6th).

We figure the more we can get out and use the PU, the more cost effective it will become. I think right now, it is only costing us $500 a night. :p Maybe by the end of the season we can get the average per night cost down under $250.  :)

mercc350

What did you think of Farewell Bend SP? I have never heard much about it other then the fishing isn't bad. I think we are going to go to Bruneau Sp on our Maiden voyage but that could change. I want to go somewhere close the first time out since I have never camped in an RV before. I will post some picks of my PU and progress of getting it ready to go. Hopefully by the end of May I can take the first trip. Thought of even going to Jackpot and staying in the RV park there for the heck of it but I am coming up with new place all the time that I would like to check out.

I heard there is a nice park right on the river in Hagerman that has a hot springs. A co-worker of mine took his camper there and really enjoyed the place. If you are interested I will get the directions for you.

Take care,

Steve

Walt H

Quote from: mercc350What did you think of Farewell Bend SP?
I liked Farewell Bend, although I don't fish. It did get very windy the Saturday night and Sunday that we were there, which I am told is not that unusual in the spring. The PU handled the wind fine, although the sound of some of the gusts slamming into the canvas kept waking me throughout the night.

Quote from: mercc350I think we are going to go to Bruneau Sp on our Maiden voyage but that could change. I want to go somewhere close the first time out since I have never camped in an RV before.
We're going to be at Bruneau Dunes over Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully, that will be before it starts to get really hot.

I think you'll like the PU. It still has some of the feel of tent camping, but it is a lot easier for my son to enjoy and a lot easier on my back. Plus, you have the option of a little more luxurious camping if you go somewhere with hookups. Last Labor Day, we stayed at Three Island Crossing State Park and celebrated our anniversary early by having dinner at Carmela's Winery and Restaurant.

Quote from: mercc350I will post some picks of my PU and progress of getting it ready to go. Hopefully by the end of May I can take the first trip. Thought of even going to Jackpot and staying in the RV park there for the heck of it but I am coming up with new place all the time that I would like to check out.

I think that may be half the fun. We're always looking for new spots to take the PU. Eventually, we plan to add a porta-potti and privacy curtain or tent. Then, we won't even need a park if we don't want to visit one.

Quote from: MERCC350I heard there is a nice park right on the river in Hagerman that has a hot springs. A co-worker of mine took his camper there and really enjoyed the place. If you are interested I will get the directions for you.
I've been down that way once, although I wasn't looking for camping locations at the time. I'd love to get directions. Thanks.

Take care,

Steve[/QUOTE]