Growing up in Alaska, the idea of visiting any place that averages 100 degrees in the summer sounds miserable! Anchorage is a temperate 60 all summer long, and I like it about as much as the cold hardy vegetables in my garden do!
When Brad said we needed to go visit his family's farm in Wendell, Idaho this summer, I have to admit, I wasn't all that stoked. Getting me to leave Alaska anytime between June and September is asking a lot; summer here is short and I want to soak up as much as I can!
To my surprise, I realized Southern Idaho is a bit of an oasis in the heat of the summer. By the end of our one week stay, I was ready to pack up and move to the desert full time! Turns out, I adapted to the heat just fine, thanks to some fifty degree spring fed water.
Niagara Springs
Our first mini adventure took us to Niagara Springs, where we laid out like lizards on big granite boulders. Whenever I got too hot, I would simply roll off my rock of choice into icy cold, crystal clear water. I received my fair share of cold therapy on this day, spending as much as two minutes at a time sitting up to my neck in the frigid water.
As I sat there, feeling the goosebumps grow ever larger on my shoulders, I spotted a muskrat, a garter snake, some teeny tiny fish that were going to be big fish someday, and more birds than I can count. It was a magical, ease filled afternoon lounging in the sun and trying to erase the whiteness from my legs (you don't get to wear shorts very often living in Anchorage).
If I had a camper in Southern Idaho, I would DEFINITELY set up shop here! There's a big, beautiful lawn, boatloads of parking, and easy access to spring water. We saw a group of folks playing bocce ball on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and I was ready to make camp and join in on the lawn games!
Blue Heart Lagoon
Later in the week, eager to spend more time in our swimsuits, we took off to find the ever so popular Blue Heart Lagoon. We packed a picnic for lunch (so wholesome!) and plugged
Blue Heart Kayak into our GPS. Less than half an hour later, we were slathering on copious amounts of sunscreen, strapping a cooler to our rented paddle boards, and floating down the Snake River.
I can't say enough good things about our experience renting from Blue Heart Kayak! The customer service was great, the rental process was painless, the folks working the dock were nice as can be, and they had a German Shepherd shop dog named Ace who was lounging in the shade. If you're looking for an awesome day trip, go rent kayaks or paddle boards from these folks!
After twenty minutes of standing on my paddleboard like Bambi, we paddled into the Blue Heart Lagoon. We were there mid week, so it was not overly packed, and it is worth the hype! We quickly found ourselves anchored to shore, lounging on our paddle boards, and taking countless dips in more ice cold crystal clear water. I would go back in heartbeat!
Our paddle board rental was for four hours, but I could have stayed forever! The sun was shining, we had plenty of snacks, and I was making great progress on my tan. The paddle back up the Snake River to return the boards was another fun part of the adventure; I had two pelicans fly just over my head as I was slowly making my way upstream. If you haven't spent time on the Snake River...GO! Do it! It is absolutely spectacular.
Box Canyon
On our way to Blue Heart Lagoon, we noticed a side canyon that poured more fresh water into the Snake. Brad had mentioned, "I think there's a lake up there you can hike into!" That was all the motivation I needed to go on yet another swimming mission.
A couple days after our paddle board adventure, we packed up our swimsuits again and located the trailhead for Box Canyon. It's very unassuming...you're basically driving through farm country until you arrive at a small parking lot, then hop on the dirt trail that takes you down to the water. We parked, slathered on way more sunscreen (did I mention it was HOT?!), and took off to go find our next swimming hole.
Once down in the canyon, you're walking along a beautiful creek that is pumping more pristine water over hunks of lava rock. It is STUNNING! There's waterfalls and eddies just calling your name to jump in for a quick dip.
We kept going down the trail until we found the jackpot...a big, luxurious lake with a rocky beach. There were maybe four people when we arrived, and quickly we had the whole place to ourselves.The air smelled like sage brush, there were ravens clucking their little hearts out in the cliffs up above, and the breeze blew every so slightly to keep the bugs down. It was PERFECTION!
I've spent a significant amount of time in the desert, and I never tire of it. The sites, the smells, the sounds of canyon wrens, the unrelenting sun, it all just tears at my heart strings. It feels like home, and this place was no different.
If you're looking for an easy, fun and rewarding afternoon adventure in Southern Idaho, I would check out all three of these spots! Be sure to bring your swimsuit, a towel, some
Packaroons from Sportsman's Warehouse in Twin Falls, and plenty of water! The desert is a bit unforgiving at times, but add a little bit of spring water, and you have the closet thing I've found to my little version of heaven.
Heather Kelly is the founder and CEO of Heather’s Choice. She was an NCAA National Champion and CRCA/Pocock All-American in women’s rowing, and holds a degree in evolutionary nutrition. Heather is also a certified eating psychology coach and has coached hundreds of athletes on developing a nutrition plan for optional performance and a healthy, satisfying relationship with food.
Heather lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her boyfriend and business partner Brad, along with their dog Jango. You can likely find her playing with food, building her urban homestead, or rafting rivers in her spare time.
