Along the Snake River with Reggie

Mom and Dad took me to breakfast at Pond’s Lodge in Island Park, Idaho. Well, really what happened is that they let me watch them eat breakfast through the car window and restaurant window. I’d prefer to be inside, staring at Dad or Mom until they gave me scraps from their plate, but instead I patiently waited for them to quit stuffing themselves because I knew we were going for a great long walk afterwards. Besides, Mom usually sneaks some pancake to me if Dad doesn’t eat it first.

We drove to the river where there is a place that humans and dogs camp and fishermen park. Dad said this is the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, only about 6 miles from the start of the river. This river bubbles up from the ground into Big Springs, a great big pond with lots of big fishes. I’ve been there too! It’s a fun place to visit.

Mom let me go free after we got on the Coffee Pot Rapids Trail. (It's near Yellowstone Park.)

Anyway, we started on the trail and of course Dad brought two cameras. Mom walked me with my leash until we were out of the campground. There are so few humans and dogs here that I promised to behave and she let me go free. They call this part of the river Coffee Pot Rapids. Dad says they named it that because an old camper human lost his Coffee Pot here once. Dad lost a lens cap for his camera here once. Maybe they should rename it “Lens Cap Rapids.”

I thought I saw a deer! But it was just another dog coming along the trail!

This river is really cool. No I mean it. I can get in the river and it feels so refreshing and cool. The water isn’t very deep and at first its moving very slow. The water only comes up to the middle of my legs. I guess I could lie down in it to get fully soaked, but I didn’t. (I don’t like to get that wet.)

I could get water anytime I wanted. Mom and Dad forgot to bring water for them and they wouldn't get in the river with me.

I was running up and down the trail in front of Mom and Dad. The trail was along the river but the forest went to the edge of the river. I smelled a lot of interesting animals, but didn’t see any. I could smell the deer and elk and moose. In fact, we saw a lot of elk droppings on the trail. Then suddenly I smelled a familiar and scary smell and came across a pile of bear. It was a pile of bear hair and a few bones. Dad said it was a Grizzly Bear that had died on the trail. Now all that was left was his light brown hair and a bunch of bees that were buzzing around. Dad got me away quickly. He didn’t want my nose stung (I didn’t either.)

I think I saw a fish in the water. If Dad would let me, I'd jump in and catch it with my mouth.

Mom and Dad forgot to bring water for themselves, but I could get my water from the river. Whenever I got too hot, I found a place next to the river I could wade and lapped up water. It tasted real good.

Dad pointed his camera at this Sara Orangetip butterfly along the trail.

Dad started running around like he was crazy! Mom told me he was chasing a white and orange butterfly with his camera. Poor little butterfly. Dad should be nicer to such small insects. He pointed his camera at it a few times and then it flew away into the forest. Dad says her name was Sara Orangetip.

The heart leaf Arnica was the main wildflower we saw. Dad said more would come later.

Dad brought his camera for wildflowers too. He didn’t find many blooming yet. But one flower that he thought was very pretty was all over the place. (It has a great smell!) It’s called the Heart leaf Arnica. It’s a bright yellow wildflower (this is according to Dad since I’m so color blind.) He also found the striped coralroot (it stinks!) and a couple Indian Paintbrush just starting to bloom.

Humans toss string at fish but don't catch many. USE YOUR MOUTH!! It's better.

The river attracts humans that like to throw string at fish. Dad says they are trying to catch fish with the string. (I’d just use my mouth if I were them, it’s easier.)

This Night Heron was right next to me. He looked at me and flew away.

The river is VERY quiet at the beginning of the trail, except for the sound of the many birds. I heard the eagles that like to fish here. They fly high overhead and with their good eyesight spot a fish and dive for it, catching it in their claws. (Much better than using string.) We also saw the really big White Pelicans in the river looking for fish. Some had their heads under water for a long time. Dad says they are expert fishers too (and don’t use string but their beaks.) But when I ran into the water, they flew away. I wasn’t going after them, but they didn’t know it. Another bird that got Dad all excited was the Black crowned Night Heron. This is a big silly looking bird that I saw sitting on log right next to me. He looked at me funny and then flew away. They like to eat fish too.

Big White Pelicans like to go fishing here too. (They don't use string.)

Finally, the river got really mad and loud. I think it was afraid of going down the steep mountain. It threw up white water and crashed itself against big rocks and roared like a scared cat! I didn’t want to drink the water there because the river was running really fast and I was afraid it might take me with it. (Who knows where it would go when it’s so mad!)

Lots of humans in kayaks came to the rapids.

Suddenly we all saw a bunch of funny looking humans in weird little boats and wearing funny hats coming down the mad part of the river. Dad says they were in little boats called kayaks. They looked like little coffins to me. There were over twenty of them twenty (I can’t count higher than that). They would wait next to a rock in the dark water and then take off into the white water and be gone very quickly. Dad says they were brave to be on such rough water. One of them rolled over in the white water but came back up and went on. Strange things that humans do for fun!

The white water would take the humans down the mad river very quickly.

Soon, Mom and Dad turned around and headed back when the trail started to turn to big rocks. Reluctantly I followed them. It would have been fun to jump around over the rocks. But, I ran ahead and kept sniffing for new smells. This trail certainly has a lot of interesting smells. Dad and Mom were constantly saying how beautiful the views across the river were. Mom and Dad seemed happy. Dad said their muscles and paws were feeling very sore though because they don’t normally walk four miles so quickly. I think I must have ran a lot more than them because I kept coming back to see what was keeping them. Usually it was Dad pointing his camera at something. Keep up Dad! Geez!

Anyway, we finally made it back to the car and they drank a lot of water. Of course, I had water from the river and didn’t need any. It was a good day and I went home and slept all afternoon.

Come see us at RedRock RV Park this summer. Ask for me!

Arf

Reggie