Hot Springs Highlights

I really meant to keep a log while traveling, but sometimes it's more fun to just travel and enjoy than to travel and record. Some highlights of the trip. LoLo Hot Springs "Resort" just over the border in Montana has super cheap cabins with no private bath, a pretty decent pool of 70 degrees outside and much hotter inside. Very flexible on checkout times. Also some very eccentric in a good way employees. For instance, when Cat - I think she's the owner - left me a message saying I could check in at the pool, the guy who answered the phone said yes, and "much to my displeasure." He was pretty funny, but easily rattled. He got into it with this Russian woman who asked if there was still a free first visit to the pool. That night I went swimming before going to sleep and the other guy looked like an old time miner. He was cool though. The couples making out in the indoor hot pool were not. Met some nice drunken folks on the way back to my cabin who had built up a great fire and offered me a beer. They told me about Camas, Montana as a place frozen in time and the most relaxing place in the world. Will have to check that out.

Before I left the area, I went back to Jerry Johnson and walked downhill from the trail to a pool that was next to the creek. The hot spring water came from a gentle waterfall along with the cold water trickling in from the creek. I had a splendid view of woods from the creek and the sounds of water falling and flowing were heavenly. Not to mention being in a pool with both warm and cool spots depending on where I was sitting. In some spots, cold water would be under me and warm to hot over me. It was amazing and if I didn't have to get going, I would have stayed all day. As it was, it was hard to leave.

In Darby, Montana, I heard that the Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort in Sula was "weird." But I already had my reservation. I saw it was for sale when I drove in and my cabin was open and ready for me as the lady said it would be. I thought the property was really cool with the cabins, the lodge, and the wood carved sculptures of Indians and Miners - go figure - and then I met the owners and I could see where the "weird" reputation came from. They did not give off happy energy or sweet vibes. I swam in their pool with them watching from the upstairs balcony. It was a little creepy. I left and then came back when I needed to use the restroom and the door to the pool was locked and technically they were supposed to be open. I strongly suspected this was no longer a labor of love for them but a burden. It's a pity. A little bit of love and some more options would be all that was needed to make the place a go.

I almost made it to the Horse Creek Springs, but the roads were too confusing and I had some distance to cover. I stopped and swam in the extremely hot Lava Hot Springs in Lava Idaho with my swimsuit on. Not as much fun as a natural pool, but it was enough to recharge me enough to keep driving. I was on a mission.

I have found that my tastes have changed in the years since I was last at Indian Hot Springs. I never realized the geo-thermal caves were like saunas and that's before you get into the pools. It was intense. I found I like fresh air to cool off in when the water gets too hot. It's effective for cleansing though.

I got home last night, much to my cat's relief. Ginger was a good sport, but all that driving was starting to get to her.