Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park 4/1-2/14

Camp: Primitive area. No services, but there is one place with potable water. Picnic tables are available and the sites are not very level.

Cell coverage: Yes, depending on cell service

Turned off of 95 at DeSmet. Neat small town and is the area where CdA Indians moved after leaving Cataldo for better farming. Still on the reservation. Road recently graded going up partway… noted that there was NO traffic! In fact, all day, we have seen no other vehicles (after leaving 95). Turned left on Skyline Drive and drove until snow blocked the way around ??? mountain. Area has been logged, but not beat up. Many mature PP and DF. ORV use is low to medium as the place isn’t ground down. Took a nice, slow drive. Ate at a sunny spot towards the south end, not far from where we got turned back for snow. Grass widows just starting to bloom! Need to come back in 2 weeks and 5 weeks! Camped at Iron Mountain. Two sites and an outhouse, but other dispersed sites very useable. Great place to see sunset and sunrise – our sunset was very nice (don’t see Steptoe Butte from our camp as we’re looking a bit NW). We have an eastern view as well… VERY PEACEFUL at this time of year… would it be peaceful during July??? Went on shorter hike than yesterday… maybe 2.5 miles. Everything from here was downhill meaning way back is an uphill trudge. Too windy and cool to make campfire, which I wanted. Lots of firewood! Saw a neat "upside-down PP". Took pic on phone.

This area looks to be a popular ATV area, but not over-run. I also heard from a school principal from Oakesdale, WA (not far away) that the high-school students love going up there to party. We did not notice large piles of trash, indicating abuse by revelers.  

There is absolutely no road noise here! Very peaceful. “Somehow I have a feeling that this road, which opens so much beauty to so many, will endure after my time.” Virgil T. McCroskey

Skyline drive is more than 17 miles long and provides access to more than 30 miles of multiple use trails. “Skyline Drive is a narrow gravel and dirt road. Large vehicles or the towing of trailers of 25’ is not recommended” (taken from the brochure). These roads are often 1 lane, steep, potholed, muddy, and strewn with sharp rocks. Not to say you shouldn't visit, but you do need a rugged vehicle and the will and skill to navigate the roads.

This is an island of hills, rocks, timber, and open grassy hillsides surrounded by agriculture. I really like it... plus the fact we saw no one else and saw no other traffic! The elevation here is around 3650' – 4200', so it holds snow a while longer on the shady side of hills, which stopped our plan to drive the whole skyline drive.

They have a neat logo here with interesting signs “Where the mountains meet the sky”.

The hill in the distance is Steptoe Butte in Washington

What is the geology here???

What’s close by:

                University of Idaho

                Desmet – interesting history because the Indians moved from Cataldo to here because farming was better. Built a church that still stands.

                Hobo Cedar Grove Botanical Area??? What’s this???
                Steptoe Butte (great drive to the top)

                White Pine Drive??? Where – scenic drive… take in! When I was in college at the U of I, there used to be a "drive" and headed up towards North/South Ski Bowl that had the largest Western White Pine (in the state, I believe...). Since then I hear that the tree died, but I think there is a posted plaque at the stump. We'll explore that another time and document that.