We left Three Island Crossing and headed up through Boise. We have been through this area many times (especially since we lived in Idaho) and we think Boise is a terrific city. We didn’t stop this time but kept on driving.
Exit for Bruneau Dunes – we love that campground and the dunes
Warhawk Air Museum in Boise
Boise State University
State Capitol is in Boise
Boise Idaho Skyline
We passed through Eagle, Idaho, a suburb of Boise, through Eagle River and on north.
Eagle River in Eagle
Fountain in Eagle
We turned on to Highway 55 through Garden City on towards Horseshoe Bend
Garden City area north of Boise
Heading north on Highway 55
Welcome to Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend
Payette River at Horseshoe Bend
Highway 55 parallels the Payette River where there was lots of activity with rafting and kayaking and fishing.
Cascade Raft and Kayak
Cascade Rafts
River rafters along the Payette River
Along the river
Payette River – running fast
A bridge along the Payette River on Highway 55
River rafters on the Payette River
Lake Cascade State Park is located along both the east side and the west side of Lake Cascade and centered around the town of Cascade, Idaho. The state park has 12 campgrounds all around the lake.
Facts about Lake Cascade
Map of Lake Cascade State Park
We stayed at the Sugarloaf Campground which is on the east side of Lake Cascade off of Highway 55. After we turned off Highway 55 we were greeted with great views of the mountains and Lake Cascade and lots of birds! The area is part of the Idaho Birding Trail.
View as we entered the road to Sugarloaf campground
Idaho Birding Trail at the entrance to Sugarloaf Campground
Osprey
White Pelican
Osprey nest – 2 adults and 3 youngsters
Lake Cascade at Sugarloaf campground
Entrance to Sugarloaf Campground
Great Blue Heron
White Pelicans
Campground: Lake Cascade State Park – Sugarloaf Campground
Location: About 6 miles north of Cascade, Idaho on the eastern shore of Lake Cascade on a peninsula
Site: 40 (Back in)
Cost: $23.55
Services: dry camping
Comments: A beautiful campground with most sites having views of Lake Cascade and the surrounding mountains.
COVID Awareness: 10 out or 10. It was contactless check-in. We just drove to our assigned site. All park employees wore masks.
Our site – 40 – back-in
Side view of our site
Our picnic area
We did not have a lakefront site but we still had a view of the lake
Our site 40
Preparing breakfast
Hanging at our site on a very hot afternoon
Drinking our last Iceberg beer that we got in Newfoundland last year (it still tasted great)
Sugarloaf campground is a small campground on a peninsula with about 44 sites including a day use area and a beach area. It is a lovely setting with views everywhere.
View of Lake Cascade from the campground
Day use area at Sugarloaf campground
Lake Cascade
Lots of pine trees at Sugarloaf Campground
Cattle along Lake Cascade
View from one of the campsites
Lake Cascade
Many of the sites at Sugarloaf have lovely lake views and are of various sizes with some being a bit unlevel. But we would have been happy with any of the sites.
Site 50
We drove around the lake and visited some of the other many campgrounds that are part of Lake Cascade State Park. They are seemed a bit different from each other but all were lake front. Most were exposed with very few trees. Crown Point Campground had lots of trees. Sugarloaf Campground had a medium amount of trees.
Big Sage Campground
Big Sage Campground with sites right along the water
Big Sage Campground – narrow campground, few trees, right along the water
Big Sage Campground – nice views
Buttercup Campground
Buttercup Campground – Site 126
Buttercup Campground – Site 129
Nice long back-in site along the water
Buttercup Campground – Site 107
Buttercup Campground – Site 109
Another back in site along the water
Crown Point Trail is located at the Crown Point Campground and is a Rails to Trails pathway. It is an old railroad track area that has been converted to a hiking/biking trail. It runs north from Crown Point Campground about 2.5 miles which makes for a nice 5 mile round trip hike with fabulous water views the whole way.
About Crown Point Trail
Map of Crown Point Trail
Entrance to Crown Point
Trailhead
Crown Point Trail
Views along the trail
Some rocky shoreline
Crystal clear waters
Down to the water to check out the temperature – lovely
The beautiful white sandy beaches
Along the trail
Peek-a-boo view
Selfie along Lake Cascade
More white beachs
Blue waters of Lake Cascade
Docks
Walking the trail
Boaters
A rocky shoreline
Osprey nest with an osprey in it
Shadow Art
At the end of the trail – turning around and heading back
We took a drive all the way around the lake and visited the Tamarack Ski Resort which sits on the west side of the lake. It is a beautiful area.
Kayakers on Lake Cascade
Cascade Golf Course on the southeast side of Lake Cascade
Lake Cascade on the west side
Lots of cattle along the west side of Lake Cascade
West side of Lake Cascade
Tamarack Ski Resort at Lake Cascade
The Village at Tamarack Resort
The Lodge at Osprey Meadows at the ski area
The ski runs of Tamarack Ski Resort
Lake Cascade at the northern end near Donnelly
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