The Road to Stanley

The bullet holes on the bathroom door at Willow Creek Campground, where I stopped to take care of the morning business, were reminders that I was no longer in CA. Someone has made dozens of dents on the metal door, probably to entertain themselves. 

I continued on Arrow Rock Road along the Boise River. It then changed name to Middle Fork Boise River Road about halfway. I passed a gorge where the river raged and turned north before Atlanta. I don't remember the name of the road, but it appears to be Pheiffer Creek Road. One of the pictures I took was taken at the junction of Pheiffer Creek Road and Rabbit Creek Road. I know I followed the Boise River North Fork in the direction in flowed, past Fourmile Campground, after that.

It was unplanned discovery. The forest road 327, which became Rabbit Creek Road after the junction, followed the North Fork, a smaller and clearer branch of Boise River. In effect, I went up the Middle Fork and then followed down the North Fork on my way to Stanley. Then I turned north on NF-384, also known as Little Owl Creek Road to get to ID-21, known as Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway.

The Payette River was another unplanned discovery. The scenic byway runs mostly through, well, ponderosa pine forest.  Then it meets up with the Payette River at Lowman where it really gets scenic. I skipped the ponderosa pine portion of the byway and jumped to the Payette River.

It was a kick-ass river route that follows up the Boise River Middle Fork, down the North Fork and then up Payette River which flows somewhat parallel to Snake River and then joins it in Payette. It's a must-route for any river-philes likes me. It was one of the most scenic and memorable drive. I'm sure the 60 miles on the dirt road took a toll on my car, but it wasn't as bad as Hole in the Rock Road of similar length.