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Landon Shares Her Story of the 4th of July and Salmon River Days image: fireworks booth

Landon Shares Her Story of the 4th of July and Salmon River Days

Ten years ago, the best looking man I had ever seen told me about Salmon River Days. I was in no place to be making plans for the holiday weekend—Fourth of July was almost two months away and Salmon was 250 miles from where we were working together at the time, but, as I said, most handsome man I’d ever seen. It was my first summer in Idaho, and I had never even heard of Salmon. When the holiday rolled around, I had the weekend off, and the lure of  fireworks, a demolition derby, dunk tanks, and a parade down Main Street proved more than I could resist. I loaded up the rig and started the drive. Next thing you know, I was at Arfmann’s Four Seasons buying a USA t-shirt and some light-up sunglasses. This year the events start on Thursday, July 4, and continue through the weekend. There will be sidewalk sales, craft sales, and art shows in town; along with events out at the rodeo grounds. Fireworks will be after dark on Thursday, and the parade will follow on Friday morning. Friday night features live music at the Sacajawea Amphitheatre at 7:00 PM. Saturday brings a full day of activities, and the demolition derby starts at 6:00PM. The weekend will wrap up with live music at Sweetwater Hollow on Sunday night. Maybe I will even get to dance with that good looking man who hasn’t been able to shake me off after all these years. After several years together, I cannot remember our anniversary, but this year I will celebrate it on the Fourth of July. If you can’t make it down for Salmon River Days, keep an eye out for news of the Lost Trail Music Festival. This annual event falls on the July full moon weekend, which will be July 12th-14th in 2019. Along with a packed music line-up, there will be food, beer, hiking, camping, yoga, and art. For more information on Salmon River Days and all the things mentioned here, go to www.visitsalmonvalley.com

Summer is Coming to the Salmon Valley

Summer is Coming to the Salmon Valley

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”   – Henry James, qtd. in A Backward Glance, Edith Wharton Summer is fast approaching and with it the pleasant leisure of the summer afternoon. Although many recognize the summer solstice as the official start to summer, the Farmers’ Almanac also references another date: the meteorological beginning. This beginning is based on the annual temperature cycle and occurs on June 1st. As someone who is continuously trying to fit everything in, I am going to advocate for that June 1st date. After all, there are a lot of summer events kicking off in June, and if we wait until June 21st, we will miss so much. It seems the Lemhi Valley Farmers Market also recognizes the earlier date as the 2019 opening day is Saturday, June 1st. There will be local produce, ready to eat goods, artisan crafts, kids’ activities, and more. The weekly market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at The Veteran’s Memorial Park, rain or shine. While there, you may come across Jeremy and Jessica from Swift River Farm, a local outfit that just received their official Organic Certification! Swift River Farm also takes the hassle out of food packing for those of you who may be planning a river trip this summer. Visit their website, give them a budget, and they will take care of your produce needs! Speaking of boating, June also brings the annual Salmon River Fest at Sweetwater Hollow! Join the river community on June 7th and 8th. There will be two days’ worth of activities, including a community float, gear swap, film fest, and live music. Info on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/280484712906473/ Kick off summer whenever you would like, but you’ll find me toasting the changing of the season on June 1st, with a crisp glass of rosé on a summer afternoon! Landon is an international travel guide and writer who is based out of Salmon, Idaho. Her work in the travel industry takes her to rivers around the Pacific Northwest, the Galapagos Islands, and Cuba. Her work as a writer mostly just takes her to a table in the back of a local coffee shop. She writes for television and creates online content. When not  working, she enjoys fishing, boating, and knitting.

The Idaho Town In The Middle Of Nowhere That’s So Worth The Journey Salmon, Idaho.

The Idaho Town In The Middle Of Nowhere That’s So Worth The Journey

Posted in Idaho January 31, 2018 by Emerson Curtright Located on the banks of “The River of No Return” and surrounded by several different national forests is the quaint town of Salmon. With a population of 3,112, this little town isn’t Idaho’s smallest. However, its remote location makes this place truly feel like its in the middle of nowhere. It’s easy for people to overlook how truly incredible this town is. Salmon contains many qualities that make it one-of-a-kind and although it can take a long drive to get to it, it’s totally worth the journey. The town of Salmon is the county seat for Lemhi County. Located on the eastern border of central Idaho, there’s a lot more to this town than meets the eye. Outdoor enthusiasts travel from all over the world to experience this town which sits on the edge of some truly awe-inspiring wilderness areas. J. Stephen Conn/Flickr In many ways, Salmon is your quintessential small Idaho town. The residents are friendly and it almost feels like the town exists in its own little bubble. Well, that’s partly because it does. Jimmy Emerson/Flickr Salmon is an isolated town which is completely surrounded by wilderness areas. In fact, it can be found right outside the largest protected wilderness area in the continental United States—The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. R Brown/Flickr Not only is the natural beauty of the area absolutely stunning, but this region also had an important role in Idaho’s history. The area is most noted for being a stop along the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the birthplace of their Shoshone navigator, Sacagawea. J. Stephen Conn/Flickr The town is currently home to the Sacajawea Interpretive Culture and Education Center which is dedicated to preserving the history of the expedition and the Shoshone-Bannock tribes. Visitors of the Center should definitely take a stroll through the historic 71-acre park located nearby. If you love being outdoors 24/7, Salmon is the place for you. There’s so much to explore and Idaho’s natural areas have never been more easily accessible. R Brown/Flickr Take a multi-day journey through the one and only Frank Church Wilderness. Or perhaps just a day-trip through the Salmon-Challis area. There are dozens of scenic hiking trails to choose from. The trick is choosing which one to explore first! With a name like Salmon, you can bet the town is also an ideal place for fishermen. The Salmon River is renowned as one of the best places to fish in the entire country. NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Flickr Fishing is open year-round on the Salmon River, and contains plenty of Rainbow, Cutthroat, and Steelhead Trout to go around. Whether you choose to go solo or use one of the town’s guides to navigate the region, you’ll definitely always remember your time on the river. It’s impossible to list all of the hidden gems you can come across in this region. That’s what makes this area so exciting. R Brown/Flickr Loon Creek is a delightful tributary which flows from the Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness. A hike along this trout-filled creek will yield in the discovery of a wonderfully remote hot spring. It’s private spots like this that remind us why it’s so great to live in Idaho. A popular option for hot springs enthusiasts is Gold Bug Hot Springs which is situated about 20 miles south of Salmon. Jocelyn Catterson/Flickr Located along Warm Spring Creek, the hot spring offers six different pools for soaking, all of which are fed by a waterfall. Although it’s considered a well-known hot spring, a small hike is required to reach it and it’s usually not crowded. Possibly due to its remote location, Salmon doesn’t really come up as a “hot” vacation spot like other areas of Idaho. That’s just fine, because its the pure peace and quiet of this charming town that makes it such an awesome place to visit. A. Davey/Flickr Have you been to Salmon, Idaho? Be sure to check out our list of the 15 Smallest And Most Isolated Towns In Idaho for more charming communities you probably didn’t even know about.