Last fall when I stopped into the Wise River Ranger Station to ask about road conditions, the ranger started the answer to my question by indicating it was too bad that I wasn’t there earlier to see the wildflowers at Vipond Park.  Her statement perked my interested, making me want to come back.  This is the trip going back to see the wildflowers at Vipond Park and adding the Gravelly Range to the trip.  The plans were hatched in fall.  It would be a quick trip; renting forest service cabins seemed to fit the plan for a quick get away instead of taking my trailer.  But I needed to rent the cabins when they came available – six months before the arrival date.  In December I gambled when I picked the rental days, hoping the days would match the wildflower bloom.

Last week the weather forecast included a day with 3-5 inches of snow on the Gravelly Range.  Hum.  I am off – wildflowers or not.

My first night was at Savenac close to I-90.  Not anywhere close to the middle of nowhere – next to the Silver Dollar Bar in Montana.  But a happy place.  If you look closely, you will see flowering petunias by the picnic table. 

Facts:

•  Savenac has an interesting history as a forest service tree nursery.
•  There is a good place to take a walk close to I-90 a tad bit east and south of Fishtrap, Washington (close to Sprague).  The dogs and I walked to this waterfall; dry this time of year.  It was about a mile round trip.  Easy on/off to the freeway.