Relaxing in Swan Valley, Idaho

As we leave the high desert plains of Southern Idaho the landscape begins to gradually change to the lush, green, rolling foothills surrounding Swan Valley. Our goal here is to take a few days to slow down, relax in the woods, visit one of the state’s best waterfalls, and do our laundry before heading to our next stop.

Clark Hill Rest Area

On the way to Swan Valley, we stop for lunch at the Clark Hill Rest Area on the bank of Snake River. This rest area is easily accessed from either direction, has a few short paths, and an overlook with information boards. Looking west down the river from the parking lot, we get a great view of the Snake River Mountains in the distance.

Falls Campground

The road to the campground travels beside the Snake River, providing incredible views each time we traverse it over the few days we’re here. Be warned, it is narrow, so be prepared to pull over and let others by, especially if they’re towing.

A Summer Surprise

We awake our first morning here to a very unexpected summer surprise. Freezing temperatures and snow/sleet that actually accumulates. This is definitely not what we were expecting on the second day of summer in Southern Idaho.

It didn’t last very long as rain and sun quickly melted it. But, it was pretty while it lasted, and will definitely be a memorable experience. And as an added benefit, it killed all the mosquitoes.

Fall Creek Falls

Just up the road from the campground is Fall Creek Falls, which we’ve decided to walk to today. The roughly 60 foot drop into the Snake River cascades the water over the rocks, spreading the water across the expanse of the peninsula, making an incredible sight. The cascading water is so wide, some of it can only be seen from the middle of the river via boat.

As you can infer from the pictures above, there are several small paths leading to different views/overlooks of the falls. There is also a path leading down to the base of the falls that’s so steep it has a rope set up to help you repel safely down and pull your way back up. I didn’t make it down this one, but my honey did!

Fall Creek & Upper Falls

At the top of the falls, there’s a path that leads back along the creek. It’s amazing how something so small at the top can create such an amazing display below; but the force of the flow is incredible.

As we come back on the trail, we get an amazing view down the snake river toward our campground.

In the picture above you can also see one of the small whirlpools at the base of the falls created by Fall Creek flowing SE and meeting the Snake River flowing NW. I can’t say we’ve ever encountered two water sources flowing in completely opposite directions at the same time, making this a very unique experience.

Panorama of the falls and Snake River

We couldn’t have asked for a better day!!!

Swan Valley

It’s cold and rainy today, so it’s a great day to head into Victor to do laundry. Given the weather, we weren’t expecting much from today; but shortly after leaving camp we reach Swan Valley and stop several places along the road to just take it in.

Nestled on the banks of the South Fork of the Snake River this small town (population 225 in 2020) is home to some of the best fly fishing in North America. It also one of the most idyllic places we’ve ever seen. And given the number of pull outs on the road to stop and take pictures, we’re not the only ones who feel this way.

Victor & Driggs, Idaho

After completing our laundry in Victor, we decide to drive north to Driggs to take in the sights and get a hot meal. We stumbled upon the Royal Wolf Pub; which seemed to be the local hangout and one of the most popular places in town. And, after sampling the food, we can definitely understand why. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures and I was too busy dodging raindrops.

Teton Scenic Byway

This road runs from Victor to Swan Valley on “the quiet side of the Grand Teton Mountains.” And on the way home from Victor, during a short break in the weather, we stop to get these incredible shots of the Bridger Range as a new storm rolls in.

Individual pictures of either end of the range from the same location.

This area is everything we hoped it would be. It’s an incredibly quiet, beautiful place to stop and recharge the mind and body before entering the chaos of the national parks in NW Wyoming.

Next stop… Grand Teton National Park