Browsed by
Category: 2024

La Grande, OR

La Grande, OR

Park Review – Grande Hot Springs

Site 25

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Location:
La Grande, OR
Type:
Commercial Park
Check-in/Check-out times:
1:00/12:00
Site Quality / Amenities:
Sites and roads are gravel/dirt. There was grass/weeds between each site and each site had a picnic table. There were tent sites and a couple of Yurts for those who don’t have an RV. The main attraction is that the park has two thermal soaking pools using hot water from the nearby Hot Lake.
Access:
From I-84 take exit 265 (exit 268 is closer but requires driving several miles on a dirt road). Go southeast on OR-203 to Hot Lake Ln. and turn right. The park is on the left a short way down.
Staff: Check-in was easy and the staff were fast and efficient.
Cellular/WiFi:
WiFi was available but we didn’t use it. Verizon 4GLte was good at 50Mbps download and 3Mbps upload. Starlink was unobstructed although there are some smaller trees around the park.
Restaurants: La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant – Acceptable Mexican although as expected it wasn’t Tex-Mex.
Nearby parks: We didn’t look at any other parks nearby.
What we liked: The hot tub was large and provided water from a nearby mineral hot spring. Unfortunately it and the larger warm pool were also chlorinated so you didn’t get the full experience of a mineral bath. There was a train track nearby but we hardly ever heard the trains.
What we didn’t like: We had planned to visit The Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing but it closed after Labor Day. Another museum called Union County Museum would have also been interesting but it was closed on the days we were in town.
Verdict: Good stop for a few nights to swim in the mineral bath hot tub.

Missoula, MT

Missoula, MT

We spent a few days in Missoula in early August so that we could visit Anna’s nephew Brian and his wife Liisa who live south of Missoula. We enjoyed our visit with them and finally met their sweet little girls, toured their nice new house, saw the trailer for their bakery business, Expressions of Sugar, and forgot to take any pictures!

We also were near Darby where the Chief Joseph Ranch is located. This ranch is used for filming the TV series “Yellowstone” so we had to drive by since we were so close. Unfortunately for us, they were filming the day we drove by so we were unable to get very close. We also found out about the Smokejumper Base at the Missoula airport and decided to go to the museum and tour since you don’t have access to something like that every day!

Read More Read More

Great Falls, MT

Great Falls, MT

Located along the Missouri River, Great Falls is known for its scenic beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and cultural attractions. As we have traced much of the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition over several different trips north, we specifically wanted to go to Great Falls since this was along their route to the Pacific coast and the series of five waterfalls on the Missouri River that is the city’s namesake were a major obstacle for the explorers, although many of the falls have dams and/or power plants built on top of them today. We also found an overlook area for the final campground where they stayed after portaging around these falls.

Read More Read More

Big Timber, MT

Big Timber, MT

Greycliff Mill

Greycliff mill is a 1760 barn with a water powered gristmill serving espresso, BBQ, shakes and pastries. It’s a neat place to stop just east of Big Timber, MT and very close to the Big Timber/Greycliff KOA.

Greycliff mill and beautifully landscaped grounds

Read More Read More

Sheridan, WY

Sheridan, WY

Sheridan, Wyoming, has a rich history that reflects the broader themes of the American West, including Native American heritage, the arrival of European settlers, the cattle industry, and the development of railroads.

Sheridan was founded in 1882 by John D. Loucks, a Civil War veteran and surveyor who named the town after his former commanding officer, General Philip Sheridan. Loucks recognized the area’s potential due to its fertile land, proximity to the Bighorn Mountains, and the growing cattle industry.

Read More Read More