Bozeman to Sun Valley
Our buddy, Bryant Dunn, recently opened up a fly fishing shop in Sun Valley, Idaho. We took it upon ourselves to make a long weekend trip from Bozeman to Sun Valley to support him and his new outfitting shop. Instead of taking the interstate, we opted for the fun way out to Sun Valley.
After a long and fun day at Ennis Lake with our friends, we chased the sunset to our camping spot on the Big Hole River outside Twin Bridges, Montana. This would be a good time to mention that a Four Wheel Camper makes for an excellent sanctuary away from those pesky summertime mosquitos. With sanctuary found, we popped the roof up and flopped into bed, drifting off to sleep with the tranquil sounds of the river going about its course.
The following morning, we packed up and rolled out. After passing through Dillon, Montana, for breakfast and coffee, we set course for the Lemhi Pass. In 1960, Lemhi Pass was designated a National Historic Landmark for its significance to the Lewis and Clark expedition. As we drove the well maintained roads, we couldn't help but reflect in the times of Lewis and Clark and how all of their exploration was made possible by their two feet and a boat they pulled upstream along the Missouri. Here we were, on our own mission to Sun Valley, sitting in our air conditioned truck with a camper on the back, thinking about their expedition through Lodgepole pine trees and upstream waters.
Though our mission of the trip was Sun Valley, we did have a mission for the day, which was to hike to Goldbug Hot Springs in Elk Bend, Idaho. Soaking in hot springs felt surprisingly good on a such a scorching day. Goldbug Hot Springs would best be visited on a weekday when the crowds are turned down a notch. Hiking later in the afternoon would also ensure a more intimate experience. However, the heat and slight crowd was worth soaking in cliffside pools of hot and cold water, overlooking the valley we just hiked through.
Later, we pulled off the main drag, grilled a nice hunk of meat, coupled with some bacon wrapped asparagus outside the camper on a simple Weber grill that fits perfectly in the bottom cabinet of the Four Wheel Camper. Dessert consisted of Snickers that had melted in my backpack as a result of the hike earlier in the day. With that, we settled in for the night and sat outside basking in the light of an almost full moon; light illuminating the entire area.
When we woke up in the morning, we took a much welcomed shower in the middle of nowhere. As a woman with lots of long hair to wash, I was very impressed with the power of the shower nozzle, as well as the amount of hot water. My shower never ran cold because the Four Wheel Camper has a six gallon hot water heater that keeps refilling as the hot water supply diminishes. The water tank, itself, holds a total of 20 gallons for a grand total of 26 gallons of water possible in a Four Wheel Camper. I didn't have to wait too long to take a shower either because the hot water heater heats up in a matter of 5-10 minutes. Feeling refreshed and ready for the final haul to Sun Valley, we popped the roof down, latched it up and bounced on out.
Once in Sun Valley, we had a lovely lunch with a Four Wheel Camper owner and showed our camper to a nice couple. We had enough time before the open house to mosey around in the town, scope out a few stores and eat some ice cream. We definitely recommend the watermelon ice cream at a small joint called Leroy's.
Our trip, while short and sweet was made possible by a Four Wheel Camper. The ability to pack up and go exists only with a Four Wheel Camper. The camper saved us in hotel fees and allowed us to make a fun, entertaining and educational trip out of something that could have just been a straight shoot to Sun Valley.
Tell us what you'd do with a Four Wheel Camper in the comments below and be sure to check out Sun Valley Outfitters in Sun Valley, Idaho!
Photos and words by Lauren Sherwood
Follow my adventures @lolosherhood