Jimmy's Trail

Jimmy Davis here, making a web site about hiking and backpacking, hope you find the contents useful.

FOOD

Bring food that you like to eat but don't bring any cans or heavy things like that. Rice is a perfect thing to bring for carbohydrates since it weighs very little before it's cooked.

DUCT TAPE

Don't forget to pack a roll of duct tape, you can fix anything with the stuff.

FIRST AID KIT

You can gather all the medical supplies you might need but it's a lot easier to just buy one of those little first aid kits, they're pretty cheap anyway.

WATER FILTER

There are plenty of water filters on the market, get one that fits your budget. The expensive ones are better but it's not a big deal since it's not a survival item. If you have a light weight wood powered camp stove such as the Trailstove and a small cooking pot you can disinfect any quantity of water to drink.

STEEL WIRE

Steel wire is such a good thing to have handy, you never know when you'll need it but you know that you always will need it for something.

STOVE

The wood powered Trailstove is my all time favorite camp stove. Sure it cooks a bit slower than a gas stove, and yes it does get a bit smoky. But it is the lightest stove in the world if you include the weight of fuel, and since it runs on wood you don't ever have to spend a penny on fuel. And you don't have to worry about different nozzle sizes when you travel abroad. And you don't have to worry about carrying explosive and poisonous substances around. I could go on and on about all the advantages of the Trailstove.

TENT

There is very small difference between expensive tents and cheap tents. A 300 dollar tent is about 10% better than a 30 dollar tent, if you are planning an expedition to climb K2 the extra spending might be worth it, but anywhere below 12,000 feet a cheap tent is just fine.

Gather some wood, a handful of very thin twigs and a couple of handfuls of finger thick sticks will be enough to get things started. You also need to gather a number of larger pieces of wood to keep the fire going for as long as you want to.

Make a teepee shape with the sticks and twigs, the thinner pieces on the inside and the thicker on the outside, leave a space open on one side of the teepee.

Put some starter material such as some dry leaves into the side opening and ignite.

Once the teepee collapses into a random looking heap of fire you can start adding the bigger pieces.

City Of Rocks National Reserve

"We encamped at the city of the rocks, a noted place from the granite rocks rising abruptly out of the ground," wrote James Wilkins in 1849. "They are in a romantic valley clustered together, which gives them the appearance of a city." Wilkins was among the first wagon travelers to fix the name City of Rocks to what looked like "a dismantled, rock-built city of the Stone Age." California Trail pioneers were leaving civilization as they knew it in the East for new lives in the West. Some wrote their names in axle grease on rock faces, and their signatures can be seen today. No doubt thirsty on this northern edge of the Great Basin Desert, one emigrant saw the distant rocks in August like "water thrown up into the air from numerous artificial hydrants." Beginning in 1843, City of Rocks was a landmark for emigrants on the California Trail and Salt Lake Alternate Trail and later on freight routes and the Kelton, Utah to Boise, Idaho stage route.

The area's historical and geological values, scenery, and opportunities for recreation led to its designation as City of Rocks National Reserve in 1988. This unit of the National Park System is managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, who invite you to enjoy the wonders of the City of Rocks.

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Park: Year-around use. Reserve roads are subject to seasonal closure in the winter. Hiking, and snowmobiling are allowed. Check with reserve headquarters for road closures at (208) 824-5519.

Getting There
PLANE - The nearest air service is Burley(charter) (45 miles), Twin Falls (85 miles), Salt Lake City (170 miles), Boise (215 miles), Pocatello (100 miles).

CAR - The reserve is located 45 miles south of Burley, Idaho. From Boise and the west, take I-84 to the Declo exit 216 and south to Idaho route 77 to Albion, Elba, and Almo. From Pocatello and Idaho Falls, take I-86 & I-84 to the Declo exit and then south to Almo. From Salt Lake City take I-15 north to Tremonton, then west on I-84 to Snowville and then routes 30 and 42, or continue north on I-84 to the Sublette exit and go west toward Malta, Elba, and Almo. There is a seasonal summer route through Oakley via Route 27.

Weather & Climate
The City of Rocks is located in southern Idaho on the northern edge of the Great Basin. Outdoor recreation can be pleasant from April through October. Summers are generally dry; the 10 to 15 inches of precipitation fall mostly in winter and spring. Summer temperatures range wildly with nighttime lows occasionally approaching freezing and midday highs nearing 100? F. July and August also see afternoon thundershowers. Visitors should bring sunscreen to protect themselves from the very intense sunshine at high elevations.

Accessibility
Within the Reserve, one restroom and some campsites are wheelchair accessible. At this time, none of the trails are wheelchair accessible. The visitor center in Almo is accessible.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
DAY USE AND ENTRANCE FEES
Free!

Activity Fee
GROUP CAMPING
$59/minimum for One Time
There is a $25 reservation fee and $2/per person per night camp fee. A minimum of 17 people are required to reserve a group site. Maximum group size varies. Contact the reserve for more information.

SINGLE USE CAMPING
$7.00 for Day
The camping fee for one vehicle and one site is $7 per night. Five dollars ($5) is charged for an extra vehicle. A maximum of two vehicles, 8 people, and two tents are allowed at a single site. Reservations are not mandatory but may be made by calling 1-208-824-5519.

CAMPING

City of Rocks
Primitive sites with fire rings, grills, and picnic tables. Several vault toilets throughout the camping area. Camping is available in the winter after the gates are locked if you want to hike in. Call the reserve for reservations.
For More Information on this campground please call 1-208-824-5519

Throughout park.
Open All Year
There are about 75 designated campsites in the reserve. Three group sites are available. There is one potable water source in the reserve. Most of the campsites among the rock formations are accessed from the road. Sites are equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. There are no hook-ups, showers or dump stations. Vault toilets are located throughout the reserve. Gathering of fire wood is prohibited. Bring your own wood or purchase at the visitor center. Backcountry permits are free and available at the visitor center

LODGING

Old Homestead Bed and Breakfast
The Old Homestead Bed and Breakfast is located in Almo. The nearest motels are about 30 miles distant. $40 for double - $45 for queen. A continental breakfast is provided in the room rate.
For More Information on this lodging please call 1-208-824-5521

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
CITY OF ROCKS NATIONAL RESERVE VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year Mon-Fri 8:00am - 4:30pm
Phone - 1-208-824-5519
Closures - Visitor center closed on holidays and weekends during the winter.
Special Programs - Regularly scheduled interpretive and educational programs are given throughout May through September. Programs may be available upon request. Need 30 days or more advance notice. Check with the visitor center or at the Bath Rock kiosk for program dates, times, and place.
Available Facilities - The visitor center is located in Almo, Idaho. Brochures, climbing guides, historic trail information, camping information, Community Sharing Exhibits, books and gifts are available. Rock climbing, camping, hiking, photography, joining in guided programs, natural and cultural history study, bird watching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing, and deer hunting.

FOOD		Bring food that you like to eat but don't bring any cans or heavy things like that. Rice is a perfect thing to bring for carbohydrates since it weighs very little before it's cooked.
DUCT TAPE		Don't forget to pack a roll of duct tape, you can fix anything with the stuff.
FIRST AID KIT		You can gather all the medical supplies you might need but it's a lot easier to just buy one of those little first aid kits, they're pretty cheap anyway.
WATER FILTER		There are plenty of water filters on the market, get one that fits your budget. The expensive ones are better but it's not a big deal since it's not a survival item. If you have a light weight wood powered camp stove such as the Trailstove and a small cooking pot you can disinfect any quantity of water to drink.
STEEL WIRE		Steel wire is such a good thing to have handy, you never know when you'll need it but you know that you always will need it for something.
STOVE		The wood powered Trailstove is my all time favorite camp stove. Sure it cooks a bit slower than a gas stove, and yes it does get a bit smoky. But it is the lightest stove in the world if you include the weight of fuel, and since it runs on wood you don't ever have to spend a penny on fuel. And you don't have to worry about different nozzle sizes when you travel abroad. And you don't have to worry about carrying explosive and poisonous substances around. I could go on and on about all the advantages of the Trailstove.
TENT		There is very small difference between expensive tents and cheap tents. A 300 dollar tent is about 10% better than a 30 dollar tent, if you are planning an expedition to climb K2 the extra spending might be worth it, but anywhere below 12,000 feet a cheap tent is just fine.