Family Reunion and Monkey Rock Falls

lots of rolling fields all around

After spending a few days with Mr M's grandma in Boise, we headed east across Idaho, almost to the Wyoming border. We stayed for five days at Green Canyon Hot Springs, near Ashton, Idaho for Mr M's family reunion. We've camped there before, but it's been a number of years since the last time we were there. We had water and electric hookups, but no sewer, and no dump on site. We like how grassy the campground is, which leaves plenty of space for games and running around.

Ocean loves helping Papa

The river behind the shrubberies at the back of the campsites made me nervous, but we were able to keep the boys away from it without too many problems.

One day we swam in the pool that’s fed by the hot springs that give the campground its name (overpriced, but fun for a day). We also played with pool noodle light sabers, ladder ball, and other games on the grassy field in front of our campers.

Ocean really liked playing with the balls from the ladder ball set

several epic lightsaber battles were fought

We drove to Yellowstone another day, but those pics will be in another post.

The crowning event of the week was visiting a waterfall in the middle of the Idaho potato fields. I went to college in Rexburg twenty years ago, and I'd never heard of the Monkey Rock Falls. Apparently the falls were a well-kept secret among the locals that just couldn't stay hidden with the advent of social media. When I did a little research after we returned home, I found an article lamenting the influx of visitors, which I can understand.

In any event, we had a lot of fun. The water was really cold, but once you got used to it, it wasn't too bad. Ocean fell while walking around, and once he recovered from the shock of the cold water he had a great time and wanted to go right up to the waterfall, so I took him right up to them and we had a good time wading around in the deeper spots. I wasn't willing to go under the falls though- I didn't think Ocean would have really liked that. Sunshine and Mr M also had fun splashing around in the deeper parts, though River never really got used to the cold water, so he stayed in the shallows.

Ocean stuck to the shallows until he fell, then we ventured into deeper waters

the view from the road and the top of the falls is a bit deceiving

Everybody headed home Saturday morning, but Mr M and I took the time to do a mud run before we hit the road and headed east, finally on our way home.