Jackson Hot Springs - History and Hot Water

While the constant high overcast derived from smoke from megafires was a constant disappointment, the terrain and up close views provided an awesome road trip. Once again (like the first road trip) no big panoramas, but lots of details and neat places right in front of my face.
Like Jackson Hot Springs, in Jackson, Montana. About as close to the middle of nowhere and still be on a tarred road as I have ever found.

Love those vanishing point highway views

I do believe Lewis and Clark mention this hot spring in their journals

A little weathered, but still standing!

The lodge was officially closed for renovations, including a new lining for the hot pool. This is a shot of the pool prior to the TLC that the new owner was planning on giving it.

I was there in summer of 2018. A new owner had just arrived and was in the process of installing a new floor in the main building.The pool was not open, nor was the lodge, but they were there working on renovations, so I just parked and walked in. And found a great spot in the middle of wide open Montana.

So next time you are in the mood for some hot water, find Jackson Hot Springs and enjoy the water, once you enjoy the experience of going through the big wide open spaces to get there. It's the journey AND the destination right?

Leadore Idaho

Leaving Logan, Utah on the first day of my 'research trip' as I called it, I was quickly reminded of just how much more wide open, desolate, grayish space there is 'out west'. Leadore was the only big town outside of Salmon, once I left the Idaho Falls area. As you can see, it looks kind of like a ghost town. I drove some of the back streets and saw zero people outside. The entire town looked abandoned. It's not, at least according to what I read. In fact there's even a high school in this town, small as it is. Two hotels, four rooms each. One hotel owner is a wood carver of some repute, again according to what I read.

I billed this as a research trip for River and Ranch. Leadore was one of the 'must see' stops. Didn't know quite what to expect, but seeing zero people outside everywhere I went was a surprise. Maybe they only come out at night.....