Alaska – Canada Travels 2014, Lochsa Historic Ranger Station, Jerry Johnson Hot Springs, September 7th to 9th.

In the afternoon after our last bike ride on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes we drive to St. Maries, ID south of Lake Coeur d’Alene. East of town along the St. Joe River we find a sweet little Forest Service Campground called Shadowy St. Joe.

Our excellent site at Shadowy St. Joe Campground.

The next day is a long drive down Highway 3 to get to Highway 12 east of Lewiston. At the end of the day we’ll boon dock along the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River in the Nez Perce National Forest.

The Lochsa Historic Ranger Station.

As we travel east toward Lola Pass on Highway 12 we stop at the Lochsa Historic Ranger Station. What a great find.

The fire finder that was the center piece of all the lookout towers.

In the office are scale models of different styles of fire lookouts. The models were built by a retired ranger. 

The Ranger's House.

The cabins have been restored with furnishings and tools used in the 1920’s and 30’s when the station was in operation.

The living room in the Rangers House.

And the kitchen painted that basic forest service green.

We talked with the volunteers manning the site. They were going to be closing things up the next day for the season so we were lucky to arrive when we did.

The workshops.

The staff kitchen and dining area. Imagine the comradery of the hard working men who gathered here.   

The Rangers Office.

The workshop with all the tools of the forestry and fire fighting trade.

The station was very remote and the workshop had to have everything needed to make and repair tools.
 It even had a small forge.

In my college days I worked as a lookout during the summer for the Apache National Forest in southwest New Mexico. My lookout tower and cabin on Mangas Mountain dated back to the 1930’s so I really enjoyed touring this historic site.

Another cabin at the historic site. There was also a vegetable garden.

Our next stop is Jerry Johnson Hot Springs for a hike and a soak. 

The Warm Springs Trail to Jerry Johnson Hot Springs

Hiking the Warm Springs Trail.

Warm Springs Creek.

Warm Springs Trail.

There were people at the pools so we continue on up the trail for a hike. When we return everyone is gone and we stop for a private soak.

The first hot spring gushes out of a steep bank above the river. It's a slick climb down to it so we pass it by.

The second hot spring is very nice and right along the trail but a little too rocky.

The third hot spring is just right and we take to the water for a relaxing soak.

The pool is comfortably warm so we could sit in it for a long time.

I manage to photograph a 4 inch long dragonfly that was patrolling the pool.

And rescued another that had fallen into the water putting him on a log to dry out.

The bridge across the Lochsa River that takes us back to the Warm Springs Trail parking lot.

On this night we camp only a few miles down the road at White Sand National Forest Campground along White Sand Creek.

The sun disappears around the bend from our camp at White Sand Creek.

Rocky reflections in White Sand Creek.

The next day we’ll walk through the DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove then head for the Salmon River and more hot springs.

See you on down the road.

Jackie