Two Close to Mt Home Discovery Hikes

With winter closing in on us and rattlesnakes likely all underground, short easy hikes close to Mountain Home can turn the cold weather blahs into a “Discovery Hour” of sorts. Below are 2 quick hikes that require nothing more than 1.5 – 2 hours of your time.

Veterans Day Well Hike
This hike started just off the Northwest By-Pass and headed into BLM lands. My destination was a “well” that was shown on the “ID Crater Rings” topo map. I did not expect to actually find a well but what I did find was kind of interesting.

Click for a larger picture.

My 3 mile discovery hike lasted about 1 hour. While not one of the most scenic hikes in the Mountain Home area, the unimpeded panoramic views of the Bennett Hills, and Danskin Mountains is refreshing. This is cattle country so expect to find an abundance of cow patties and a fair share of trash/garbage alongside the trail. I wouldn’t recommend this hike after a heavy rain either.

Park Near: 43.149101, -115.765528
Well and Tank Near: 43.153729, -115.786653

Hot Springs Reservoir Two – Hike on a Dry Lakebed
Hot Springs Reservoir is located just off Bennett Rd or 4 miles east of the Elmore County Landfill. This 2.65 mile hike took a little over 1 hour to complete. Most of the hike was on dirt roads and on the top of the boulder dam that impounds the reservoir. But with the water levels way down, we (my dog Addie and I) walked around on the dry lakebed for awhile.

Park Near: 43.076726, -115.505680 Head north until you encounter the dam wall and then head east.

Click for the larger photo

Being strictly an agricultural water source, the Hot Springs Reservoir has been drawn down considerably as of this November 2011 hike. Again, this is cattle country and there is likely some private property bordering the reservoir so watch your step. We saw some antelope wandering in the distance and a fair number of birds. Here is a “Birding” link for your enjoyment:
http://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/ibt/site.aspx?id=SW27

Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Website
Now that my campaign for the Mountain Home City Council election is over, expect to see more outdoor stuff again. As a matter of fact, politics will take a back seat to business news even. Please come on back to see some of the places few people visit right in our own backyard.

Comments
Comments and question are encouraged on the Bondyweb. I also would like to hear about your adventures and places you visit. So leave a comment, question or answers to life’s most vexing question…what the heck is there to do in Mountain Home, Idaho.

Thanks,