Boulder, Montana (not Colorado) is right off I-15 and close to our campground the previous night. On our way south to Idaho we drove through the town of about 1200 people. It is a beautiful small town with old historic buildings and great scenery.
As we continued on heading south from Boulder we found another pull off to take a break and what do you know it has a weigh station! Time to get out and weigh ourselves again! Oh brother!
Further south is the small, charming town of Ennis, Montana. Ennis has a population of 917 and sits along US Route 287 which follows the Madison River to the town of West Yellowstone. Ennis is a blue-ribbon fly fishing destination and an authentic cowboy town with gorgeous scenery. There are quaint shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants and looks like a fun place to visit. It is well known for its local art that is very unique to the region.
We continued south on US Route 287 following the Madison River with its abundance of beautiful scenery and fishing lodges. The river had fishermen all the way up and down. It was a beautiful day and it is a stunning area.
We then left Montana and entered into Idaho close to the Henry’s Lake State Park. The city of Island Park, with a population of about 200 people, is about 20 minutes from West Yellowstone, Montana and the entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The area is known for its’ large population of both black and brown bears, rental cabins and motels, and plenty of outdoor activities in both summer and winter.
Island Park states that they have the longest main street in American running 33 miles from Last Chance to Valley View along US Highway 20. It is a beautiful area with lots of campgrounds, RV Parks, and dispersed camping areas.
Yellowstone Playhouse is located right on the main highway and offers musical spoof entertainment and meals. It overlooks Henry’s Lake and is called a “laugh-out-loud dinner theater”.
Further south along Highway 20, near Harriman State Park, is the turn off to the Mesa Falls Scenic Drive. This beautiful road goes through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and its about 30 miles long from Harriman State Park to Ashton. Along the way is the Upper and Lower Mesa Falls and our campground.
We stopped at Upper Mesa Falls and had plenty of room in their parking lot for our RV. They have a lovely Visitor Center with a number of displays and a gift shop.
Not far from the Visitor Center is the Upper Mesa Falls with boardwalks leading you down to great views of the falls and the Henrys Fork River. The Upper Mesa Falls is 114 feet (35 m) high and 200 feet (61 m) wide. Compare it to Niagara Falls with Horseshoe Falls at 187 feet high (57 m) and 2,950 feet (790 m) wide and American Falls varies between 69 and 98 feet (21 – 30m) high and 1,050 feet (320 m) wide. It is a beautiful waterfall and well worth the stop.
About a mile further south from the Upper Mesa Falls is the Grandview Campground. It is a small campground with only 11 sites that offers 50 AMP electric which was unbelievable since we were way out in the wilderness! We loved this campground but we would recommend making reservations during the summer since it fills up quickly since it is so small. It is a terrific area to visit and camp.
Campground: Grandview Campground
Location: North of Ashton on Mesa Falls Scenic Trail
Site: 5 (back-in)
Cost: $26.50 (includes $12.50 off from interagency pass)
Services: E (50 AMP)
Comments: A small beautiful campground next to the falls right in the heart of grizzly country.
Our campsite was right in the trees and although Starlink seemed to be working Norm thought he would experiment with moving the antenna so he got up on the roof to move it further back. It DID help!!
Surprisingly there was no campfire ban so we bought some firewood and had a few campfires. Unfortunately or fortunately the campground had recent rain so the firewood was not only green but wet. It made for some smokey fires. AND the campground hosts gave us a few packages of Campfire Dazzle to change the smoke to rainbow colors. Thank you.
The area and the campground sit right in the heart of grizzly/black bear country so it is a good idea to have your bear spray handy (or a gun!!).
Lower Mesa Falls is close to the campground and there is an easy trail to hike over to the viewpoint. The Lower Mesa Falls are 65 feet tall (20 m) so not as spectacular as Upper Mesa Falls but still beautiful.
The Island Park/Ashton area of Idaho is a beautiful area full of activities and gorgeous scenery.
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