Fly-fishing the South Fork of the Snake River below Fall Creek Falls in Swan Valley Idaho
Swan Valley, Irwin and Palisades are the communities that comprise the scenic valley that nestle along the banks of the South Fork of the Snake River below Palisades Dam, collectively known as Swan Valley, one of the premier tail water dry-fly fisheries in North America but trophy trout fishing isn’t the only game in town. With the Big Hole Range to the north, the Caribou Mountains to the south and the Palisades Range to the east provide splendid panoramas and year-round outdoor activities are a magnet for sportsmen and adventurers.
On the south side of Swan Valley is the twenty-mile long Palisades Reservoir which provides great fishing, water sports, ice fishing and stunning scenery as it is hemmed in by the peaks of the Snake River Range and The Caribou Mountain Range. Many marvel at the paucity of boats on such a beautiful lake. There is a popular hotspring up Bear Creek that is a popular 8-mile round trip hike.
The Caribou Mountains are laced with backcountry roads and so access is quite easy. The Fall Creek Drainage has become a magnet for mountain bikers and always was for off highway vehicle enthusiasts and has been their popular camping/riding destination because of its vast network of trails.
The Snake River Range has become, a possibly too popular, spot as a hiking and horseback trail riding as the scenery there is stunning. However, if you go deep enough into the Palisades Wilderness Study Area you will find solitude.
Double rainbow over the South Fork of the Snake River, Swan Valley, Idaho
The northwestern end of the Big Hole Mountains are laced with a network of dirt roads but the south end by Swan Valley as all access by trail only. The Big Holes are an awesome getaway for the hiker, horseback rider, and the ATV rider.
Many ranches of the valley have been subdivided, but there are still several ranches around to keep Swan Valley’s cowboy heritage alive. I do venture to say that a culture of fly-fisherman has largely supplanted the cowboy though.
The surrounding mountains are home to elk, deer, mountain goats, black and grizzly bears. Swan Valley is on the south side of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and so shares many wild assets as Yellowstone itself. The mountains and valleys have tremendous hunting, and the many mountain streams are all full of wild cutthroat trout.
This valley of about 700 residents is an outdoorsman’s paradise but not much else. It has a few restaurants, bars, fly shops, motels and fishing lodges but then that is about all an outdoorsman needs.
Daryl L. Hunter the publisher of this web site wrote this article about Swan Valley For Idaho Magazine
Podunk Perfect A Tourist Town Escapee FindsNirvana in Eastern Idaho By Daryl L. Hunter
Carved by the South Fork of the Snake River between the Caribou Range to the west and the Snake River Range and Big Hole Range to the east, it is crowned by twenty-mile-long Palisades Reservoir to the south. It seemed to me a suitable place to land. I had driven through the valley often from my home in Jackson Hole, because Idaho Falls was where the affordable shopping was. I liked the valley because podunk places have always attracted me. Even so, Swan Valley’s abundant charm hadn’t jumped out at me, because everywhere in the Greater Yellowstone region is like this, and as much as you try to fish and hike every location, it just isn’t possible.
After I finally took a closer took, I made an offer on my future home, cast a fly upon the waters of the South Fork of the Snake, and in no time at all had a writhing, two-pound rainbow tail dancing across an eddy as the fish tried for the fast water a short distance away. Ah, ha! I had heard the South Fork was a better fishery than the Upper Snake, but had never bothered to try it. Now I was hooked..................Rest Of Story
Old South Fork Lodge; RIP
Once upon a time there was an awesome fishing lodge on the South Fork of the Snake River, started dozens of years ago by Buell Warner, a cantankerous and colorful western character who spawned stories of trophy hunting, fishing and poaching.
The lodge was on the north bank of the Snake River and like many lodges of the day it was a rough and rowdy place to drink and stay while fishing or hunting in Swan Valley. Catching trophy trout or hunting by day and reveling about tales maybe not so tall of the exploits of Buell at night was a fine way to spend time in the mountains of eastern Idaho.
Buell's son Spence bought the lodge in 1976. Spence was another colorful character, not quite as outrageous as his father, but quite the jolly host and entrepreneur with his own repertoire of stories to be told to the eager listener who dropped by to wet a line.---------> rest of story
Community planning in America
began during colonial times when it became necessary to provide
public services such as streets, public buildings, and plans
for cities and towns as the nation grew. Over time, legal standards
were adopted for fair and equitable development and use of
the land in public and private sectors of our society. By the
early 1800ês, planning standards had been developed for large
cities including the new national capital of Washington, D.C.
The capital plan set general standards for development which
are still used today. During the early 1900ês, concepts of
planning and zoning for areas beyond the cities were established
through the adoption of a body of land use laws at the national,
state, and local levels of government.
Clarification of Rainbow Trout
Stocking in the South Fork By Idaho Game and Fish
With the focus
in recent months on encouraging rainbow trout harvest in
the South Fork
of the Snake River there has been some confusion about
IDFGês rainbow trout stocking practices that warrant
clarification. True, until the early 1980ês IDFG was
guilty of stocking rainbow trout into the South Fork
and some of the tributaries. Although it was clearly
a mistake in retrospect, it was done to meet a demand
for harvest and provide a diverse fishery. Unfortunately,
thirty years ago biologists did not recognize the threat
rainbow trout pose to native cutthroat trout.
Since the early 1980ês IDFG has not
stocked rainbow trout in the South Fork, the tributaries,
or in Palisades Reservoir.
This would clearly be in conflict with our goal of managing
the South Fork for native cutthroat trout. Some of the
confusion is likely related to the stocking database
on the IDFG website. The website lists that South Fork
as having been stocked with rainbow trout as recently
as 2000. These fish were all stocked in the Dry Bed,
below the Great Feeder diversion. Because these fish
did not have access to the South Fork and were sterile
triploids incapable of interbreeding with cutthroat trout,
they pose no threat to the South Fork cutthroat population.
Regardless, this program has also been recently terminated
because of poor return-to-creel.
IDFG is sincerely committed to cutthroat trout conservation
in the South Fork. The efforts depend on anglers playing
an active role in suppressing rainbow trout. It is therefore
vital that anglers know their efforts are not being undermined
by counterproductive stocking practices by IDFG.
I have lived in many resort towns and I have noticed
a trend. I am attracted to them when they are still little, quaint
and undiscovered but it usually isn't long before word spreads
about the next great place.
With years of experience helping motorists ensure that their vehicles are safe for the road, we take great pride in our work. Whether it is for maintenance or repair, we are here to make sure you are safe when getting from point A to B.
In June 2022, unprecedented amounts of rainfall caused substantial flooding, rockslides, and mudslides within Yellowstone National Park. Historic water levels caused severe damage to roads, water and wastewater systems, power lines, and other critical park infrastructure. ......... All you need to know
Backpacking The Thorofare in Yellowstone – The Most Remote Place in the US Lower 48 ~
The logistics of planning a backpacking trip in Yellowstone are a bit tricky but manageable. The biggest challenge is the lack of commercial airline service in Wyoming. Cody, West Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole airports are all extremely expensive, offer few options, and almost always require a connection. Rental car availability and price can also be a challenge in those markets. I have opted for Salt Lake City for all my Yellowstone trips as the logistics, aside from a long drive, are easier to manage at a fraction of the price. ........ Rest of the story
Fire is good;
Yellowstone has long been shaped by fire and not just the cool, creeping ground fires often described as "good" for grass production. The natural history of fire in the park includes large-scale conflagrations sweeping across the park's vast volcanic plateaus. Most Americans steeped in Smokey the Bear's "Only you can prevent forest fires!" mantra, the very thought that forest fires might have a positive side seemed preposterous. We all learned this as children and it is damned hard to change, as our indoctrination to this policy was total. ...... Learn More
A forest reborn
The Greater Yellowstone Bald Eagle:
Bald Eagles are again a common site along the rivers and lakes of the Greater Yellowstone Region, and they always bring a thrill to Yellowstone visitors when they set their eyes on one of these magnificent birds. The thrill of seeing our national bird soar above never fails to awe a spectator........ read more
Is social media ruining our nature excursions?
Social media, the curse and blessing of the twenty-first century. A focus on the evolution of the problem inflicted on nature, ways of to mitigate how it affects our beautiful places, our wildlife, our experience. Dichotomies and conundrums to ponder. Since the advent of the digital photography and its ease of use and economy after initial investment, America and the world have hit the road and the road comes back to us on our social media. .................... rest of article Addendum, this is getting worse than ever.
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Study: More elk killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho:More elk are being killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho, a study by the state Department of Fish and Game has found.The study found that wolves accounted for 32% of adult female elk deaths and 28% of elk calf deaths, while cougars accounted for 35% of adult female elk deaths and 45% of elk calf deaths. The study also found ............ rest of story
Return of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout by Kelsey Dayton
The water in Atlantic Creek in the remote Thorofare region of Yellowstone National Park was clear. So clear that Dave Sweet could see the fish before he even cast. They were everywhere: dozens of beautiful trout with distinctive red slashes under their jaws. Sweet had journeyed for two days on horseback to the major spawning tributaries of Yellowstone Lake for those fish. Over the next few days he and his daughter would see thousands of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and catch some as long as 25 inches. But just as exciting were the younger, smaller fish. They, Sweet realized, mark a turning point in a battle to save a species..................... Rest Of Story
Huge Yellowstone Cutthroat trout
The Resort Town Curse by Daryl L. Hunter
In 1962 as a child my family went through Carmel California, and after my exclaimation how beautiful the place was, my mother explained to me that it was against the law to cut down a tree in the town and it was so beautiful. I wondered why every town didn't do that. A few years later my hometown, San Luis Obispo, did enact all kinds of restricted zoning like Carmel's as a part of an urban renewal plan, and now I couldn't afford to move back there if I wanted to. This town is now populated with what they call "Grey Gold", rich retired people that ran up the property values so high that native born could no longer afford to live there. I have lived in many resort towns since, and I have noticed a trend. I am attracted to them when they are still little, quaint and undiscovered, but it usually isn't long before word spreads about the next great place. .............. Rest of story
A Protective Firewall For Grizzlies By Daryl L. Hunter
The delisting of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear is imminent and this we should celebrate (''''dancing''''). Now that our happy dance is complete, we must ensure the grizzlies' recovery is permanent. To ensure "continuity of achievement," the grizzlies need a firewall to protect the success of this achievement from human foible.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee was formed in 1983 to help ensure recovery of viable grizzly bear populations and their habitat in the lower 48 states through interagency coordination of policy, planning, management, and research. Many people have been working on this recovery for decades, for some; it has been most of their career. I can understand why the delisting of the grizzly before their retirement is their goal. A metaphorical gold watch if you will.
Many will argue differently,................. Rest of Article
Grizzly 399 and her quadruplets doing their part in Grizzly Recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The Grand Teton Photo and Field Guide is an encapsulation of the flora, fauna, and photography of Jackson Hole Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park. Also included are thumbnails of the history and geology of the valley. This book is for all visitors with a desire to seek out wildlife, photograph the landscape, or merely learn about the history, geology, and lay of the land of Grand Teton National Park. The author provides general overviews including hot links with more in-depth descriptions of subjects of individual interest.
In the “Lay of the Land” section, includes the obvious highlights along the loop through Grand Teton Park. Hot links to side roads will give you more in-depth description of side roads and feeder roads and their highlights. Also included are descriptions of all two-rut roads that are legal to travel on in Grand Teton Park. GPS links to Google Maps are provided throughout.
As a field guide, profiles of most of animals and birds in the area are described. Jackson Hole is full of wildlife but there are places where animals are, and there are places where they are not. It is a waste of time to scrutinize a landscape devoid of what you are looking for, so this guide narrows options down to the hot spots. I provide maps of the likeliest places to find the popular critters of Grand Teton National Park. I also touch on trees, shrubs, and wildflowers with minimal explanations.
Huge Bull Moose, dwarfed by the giant peaks of hte Grand Tetons.
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The grandeur of Grand Teton Park has made it one of the most photographed places in the world. The opportunity to harness multiple juxtapositional elements has drawn photographers for over a century since William Henry Jackson took the first photos here in 1878. Grand Teton Park’s plethora of famous vistas are profiled as well as many which are less clichéd that can bring new perspectives of a well-documented landscape. Grand Tetons’ iconic landscape photo opportunities are described in detail; however, they barely scratch the surface of opportunities as it takes a photographer with an artist’s eye to unveil as they follow their own intuition and vision. The author who shies away from clichéd landscapes provides a chapter of his favorite places that aren’t landscape clichés.
In the photography section the author includes chapters on composition, exposure basics, when to shoot and why. Daryl has summarized what he teaches in his, half day, Grand Teton workshops in a simple concise way.
If you are only in Grand Teton Park for a day there is a chapter called the “Portfolio Packer Morning Trip,” that does just that, all the icons and several favorite places in a five our blitz. But it is better to spend more time and dig deep into the embarrassment of riches of Grand Teton National Park................. More Info
