Travelling Idaho in our skoolie has been so much fun. This state has some gorgeous scenery, has quite a bit of history, and has some really nice people.
It’s an outdoor lovers paradise because there are so many sports to participate in. Just about every kind of water sport, biking in the warmer months and snow activities in the colder ones. Base jumping, riding horses, or hiking through lava fields, the activities are endless here.
So how do you decide where to go if you want a road trip or weekend getaway in Idaho? Let me suggest Bruneau Dunes State Park.
Impressions
At first glance Bruneau Dunes State Park didn’t look all that attractive. But boy, did we fall in love with this place! So much that we extended our stay (a bonus to travelling a little off season).
Our first day started with a beautiful morning as the sun rose up from the East.
We were excited to get going, as I had promised the kids we would be sandboarding.
One of the big draws here at the park are the sand dunes. Did you know that the sand dunes are actually the tallest single-structured sand dunes in North America? Yes! The highest peak rises 470 feet up.
So on that note we headed straight twords the visitor center to rent our boards. Ok, not quite straight, as we oppted to take a walk through the desert to get there.
A fantastic way to get immersed into nature is to opt to go by foot when you can. So much happens in the desert that you really don’t notice unless you intentionally slow down.
Even the kids who grumbled at first, were later calling my attention to animal tracks or to the interesting sounds the birds were making.
The Visitor Center
A first stop must is the visitor center. We were very impressed with the video they showed about Idaho. We enjoyed the whole thing from beginning to end while sitting on the floor.
They have beautiful animal displays, informative geological plaques to read, a great gift shop, and the very important sand board rentals!
If you have kids, in my opinion, the plaques are a must read. What better way to learn about earth science than on location.
The Sand Dunes
Created from the Bonneville flood some 10,000 years go, winds blowing both and about equally from the Northwest and Southeast keep the dunes in pretty much one spot (another thing that makes Bruneau Dunes State Park so special).
Hiking them is a great workout, but doable for mom, dad, and the kids of any age when taken in stride.
It’s a beautiful view when looking down and out, but the best time is when you’re sliding down them!
Renting boards was really fun, but just as fun or possibly more, was going down on your belly. I would defiantly recommend not using your nicest jacket for this.
Ellie looked just like a penguin going down them with her black jacket on and her arms up and back.
We were all full of smiles going up and down those dunes for two days.
Stargazing and endless conversations were also pretty great up there.
Other Activities
Bruneau Dunes State Park is part of the Dark Sky Reserve, making it a great location for an observatory. Unfortunately we did not get to go inside as it was closed down for maintenance (the downside to travelling off season).
There is a lake where you can fish as well as being able to use a loaner fishing rod! What?!
Yes, this park is one of the few participating parks in the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game offering this loaner program (hopefully there are or will be nine parks participating in this program soon).
The lake also has a boat ramp and swimming is permitted.
Bike riding, or riding your horse (and camping with them), and bird watching are more activates that you can do here.
The Finale
As the day closed (and each night) I was in aww. I felt as if there were more hours in the day here to enjoy life.
The changing light in the sky was so impressive. The colors changed from salmons, pinks, bright blues, golds, plums, and all in-between.
We would light a fire and enjoy our dinner surrounded by and in beauty.
In the distance we would sometimes hear a coyote.
On the last night we were called by the natural beauty of mother nature back onto the dunes. Stars were starting to flood the sky.
We heard an owl hoot.
Bruneau Dunes State park was an impressive place to be at.
Things to Consider:
We traveled here in fall, and the temperatures were quite pleasant. It is a dessert. Understand that it can get really hot in the middle of summer, and plan accordingly.
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