October 7, 2023 – Monthly Meeting & Drive: Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
By Michael and Kelly Thompson
During the July picnic and annual meeting, the club outlined dates and drives through the end of 2023. We volunteered to lead the October drive, and proposed that the club travel to Lava Hot Springs, ID. We enjoy our visits to Lava, and hope that everyone will like it as much as we do.
The drive and the day are on the long side of normal for a Saturday event, which means an earlier than customary start. But, the day will be broken into sections, so that there is enough relaxation to keep it thoroughly enjoyable.
Here are the plans as they stand…
Meetup time: The monthly business meeting will come to order at 8:30AM (so we can be on the road by 9:30AM). Location: The covered picnic area, George Wahlen Park, 4200 S 2175 W, Roy, UT 84067. There is an east entrance to the park, off 1900 W, which does not go through. You want the west entrance off 2175 W. (41.187663 N, 112.032099 W). After September 30th there is no reserved seating, so bring camp chairs just in case. We have met in that park before, so you might recall that there are restrooms nearby. However, given the time of year, it’s likely they will be locked.
To shorten the trip just a smidge, and avoid the challenges of keeping the group together through city traffic, we will make a short dash up I-15 to the Brigham City/Logan exit. We will transit Sardine Canyon, skirt Logan itself, and take US 91 to Preston. It’s a short hop to where we will turn east on SR 36 to Montpelier. This section of the trip is over a beautiful, winding mountain road. Then it’s US 30 the rest of the way to Lava.
We will enjoy lunch at the 78 Main Street Eatery, followed by a relaxing soak in the famous hot pools of Lava Hot Springs. Entrance is $10 for seniors (60+), $12 for adults. Bring a swimsuit, towel and flip flops or swim shoes. There are private changing stalls. Clothing and personal effects may be kept in coin-op lockers while you relax. Once fingers are well-pruned and you are fully recovered—ready to tackle the trip home—it would be a mistake to skip town without a stop at the Sweet Stuff Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, for excellent Farr’s ice cream.
The ice cream stop is the official end of the activity. Some might want to head west out of Lava and catch I-15 for the quickest return. Finding a motel nearby might be your cuppa joe. We plan to drive east, then south on SR 34 back through Preston, Logan, Sardine Canyon and home. This section of the drive will be recognizable to those who went on the Beartooth trip.
Roy to Lava via Montpelier is 175 miles and 3:15. En route, Logan, Preston or Montpelier are possible rest stops. The return to Roy (to choose a theoretical end point) by way of SR 34 to Preston, Logan, etc. is 136 miles and 2:15. Total drive time is 5:30, with a relaxing break in the middle. You will need to add your distance from the Wahlen Park in Roy to calculate your miles and time. There is no shortage of gas stations along the journey. But, what do you think? Can you make the 311 mile circuit without refueling?
