Stanley, ID
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Our day began at Blind Creek Campground near Sunbeam, Idaho. It was a quiet, peaceful place to stay along the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River. The only thing we could hear overnight were the rushing sounds of the river beside us. We had the entire campground to ourselves.
Our travels continued today through central Idaho with Andi’s cousin Laura and her husband Shaun tagging along. They are pulling a camper with their pickup truck, and it’s nice that we both have our own space when we’re not out adventuring. Shaun is retired and Laura is on vacation this week, so both seem content to let us take the lead on the daily schedule. That works out well for us so that the kids and I can continue to do schoolwork in the mornings and Andi can handle any work things he needs to.
Mornings have been chilly in our camper this week since we’ve been dry camping (ie: not hooked up to any power or campground services). Our RV has a propane heater so we’re using that to stay warm, but we have to be mindful of how much we use as it can be hard to find places to refill propane unless we’re in a bigger city. Today, Aden and I stayed warm and cozy while we did school together, laying under a mountain of blankets.
After school, the six of us decided to drive about 5 miles up the road to Custer Ghost Town. This abandoned mining town sprung up in the 1870’s thanks to mineral deposits in the surrounding mountains. However, when the mining dried up, so did people’s livelihoods and the town was deserted. Then, nearly one hundred years later in 1981, the town was deemed a historical site and renovated to reflect its original state. Several of the restored buildings are on display in the summer months for visitors to walk through, and signage posted near the buildings describe what life was life for early settlers.
None of the buildings were open in mid-October, of course, but it was still interesting to walk around and imagine the history of this place. It’s hard to comprehend how challenging life would’ve been living here in the 1800’s.
After walking around the ghost town, Andi, Tory, Aden, Laura, Shaun and I climbed into our respective family vehicles and made the short drive to Stanley, Idaho. Andi and I have fond memories of Stanley after traveling here in 2018 to hike the Alice-Toxaway Loop Trail. Long story, but we ended up hiking the 3-day hike in half the time, thanks to a big snow storm. It was a travel adventure we’ll never forget!
Stanley, Idaho looks exactly the way you’d picture an old western town. Dirt roads and rugged, wood-sided buildings with the towering Sawtooth Mountains in the background. The town has such a cool vibe, but I’ll admit it felt more touristy since the last time we visited five years ago.
We stopped by the Stanley Baking Co. to grab coffees and a sweet treat. This cafe was buzzing with a long line of people at the register and a full outdoor patio of patrons. For a town with a population of 100, you have to wonder where all these people came from?! Andi ordered us cups of tea and coffee, plus a cinnamon roll and a gigantic cookie for Tory and Aden. We sat outside in front of the restaurant with our provisions and soaked in the sunshine. Cool autumn morning temperatures quickly give way to warm, sunny afternoons in central Idaho. Perfect weather!
Our next stop was to find a campsite for the night. Andi guessed we’d be able to secure a spot at one of the many campgrounds surrounding Redfish Lake. Since it was mid-October, there was only one loop in one campground still open for the season, but fortunately we had our pick of spots there. Andi and Shaun chose a “double site” — meaning, it was big enough for two campers to park beside one another. We spent the next few minutes backing into position and getting settled.
What a campsite! This spot was so beautiful. Located right on the water, it was the kind of campsite that probably books out a year in advance during the summer season. Today, we rolled right in and claimed it as ours.
Laura and I pieced together lunch for everyone with food from our two RV refrigerators — leftover salad, roast beef sandwiches, more cowboy caviar and a couple Montana Moose Drool beers to share.
There’s a lot to do around Redfish Lake. Our group considered taking the Redfish Lake boat shuttle across the lake to hiking trails on the other side, but then decided we didn’t want to deal with the limited shuttle times to get back home. It was already 2:00pm so we didn’t have a lot of sunlight left in the day. We settled on hiking the Redfish Trail which is actually a 15-mile trail close to our campground; we’d walk a few miles and then turn around.
From the trailhead, it was a fairly flat path winding through the forest following Fishhook Creek. Two miles in, we reached a meadow opening with a pond and the Sawtooth Mountains towering in the background. It was a breathtaking view, especially with all the vibrant fall colors.
We stopped at the pond and rested for a bit, taking in the view. What a sight!
From there, we turned around to walk back to the trailhead. This afternoon hike in the woods was exactly what our group was looking for — a short 4 miles, easy trail, and gorgeous surroundings. During the walk back to the parking lot, we talked travel tips with Laura and Shaun. They, too, are avid travelers, and told us about the many perks of cruising. That’s a way of travel that Andi and I have not done a lot of, and our conversation with them got our minds thinking. it’s fun to talk, share, and brainstorm travel experiences with others who have a wandering spirit! Our family really enjoys spending time with Laura and Shaun because we have so many things in common.
Next, we drove over to Redfish Lake Lodge to have dinner. Andi and I stayed at this gorgeous lodge when we visited Stanley a few year ago, and we definitely wanted to share this special place with Laura & Shaun. Redfish Lake Lodge makes me feel like I’m stepping back in time. The historic hotel features a bar & restaurant inside, as well as a beautiful wrap-around porch to sit and enjoy views of the Sawtooth Mountains and a sandy beach around the lake. Visitors can rent pontoon boats or paddleboats from the marina.
We purchased cocktails from the bar and took them outside to walk around. Honestly, we couldn’t have stayed inside if we wanted to because no one under the age of 18 is allowed in the bar area and the lodge was very strict about that rule.
It wasn’t overly busy at Redfish Lake Lodge that night, obvious that the season was winding down. This was the last week it would be open for business until late spring.
Around 6:30pm, the six of us went inside the lodge for dinner. The ambiance of the dining room is so neat with its big wooden furniture and historical decor surrounding. Our server was friendly and accommodating, too — he told us about his upcoming travels to the British Virgin Islands over winter to work as a server. Both Andi and Laura ordered the prime rib for dinner and were not pleased with the cuts, so our server brought the table free dessert to share. Tory and Aden were all about that!
Our night concluded back at Sockeye Campground. Aden and Tory winded down by watching their iPads in our RV while Andi and I went next door into Laura and Shaun’s camper for a nightcap. Tomorrow, we’ll push onward about an hour south to Ketchum, Idaho.
