Has there ever been something that you've wanted to do and it's just never worked out? Ever since I found the Capital City Market online, I've been dying to check it out and blog about it. I think I tried every Saturday last summer but something always came up. So this summer I told the husband that I am not going another summer without checking out the Market. And guess what? I made it. And it was every bit as fabulous as I had anticipated. I loved the sense of community, the mixing of people, the way people strolled along casually checking things out instead of the traditional, rush-grab-go that you see at the grocery store. I soaked in the goodness radiating from the organic fruits, the shine coming from vegetables, the love pouring from the artisan breads and homemade jellies, and the fragrant smells coming from the fresh cut flowers. I was delighted to find meat that had been fed grass instead of corn, animals that had been raised in open-ranges instead of dark-overcrowded-cages, organic eggs that traveled dozens of miles instead of hundreds of miles, chickens that weren't pumped full of antibiotics and hormones, and fresh cheeses made from Jersey cows that are Rbst free. I found varieties of meat that I haven't been able to find anywhere else--things like elk, bison, buffalo, lamb, meats that are healthy alternatives to what we find at the grocery store. I've also searched the grocery stores unable to find nitrate-and-nitrite-free sausages and bacons, but found a vendor at the market who had many nitrite-free meats. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE MARKET. Bring money, your own bags, and sunscreen. Families are welcome, although I encourage you to go without young kids if you plan to do some real shopping.
Every Saturday morning from 9:30am to 2pm come out to the market. Park for free the first hour in any parking garage. The market is located on 8 Street from Bannock to the Grove and Idaho St between Capital Blvd and 9th street. 2012 Season Runs April 21st-December 22nd. There are vendors galore with arts and crafts, fresh farm produce, flowers, and more! EBT cards accepted.
Wow! I'm a guest blogger on Don't Get Bored! I'm just tickled by that for a few reasons. First, because last June when I moved to Kuna from North Idaho (where one does not need a great blog like this to find awesome outdoor things to do), Amanda and Don't Get Bored saved my children's summer. We haunted her blog for ideas, and then followed her footsteps all over Treasure Valley.
Second--I don't even blog! So I'm a guest blogger before I'm even a blogger blogger. Well, okay, I did keep a pretty invisible blog on Vox for a while, just logging all the sightings of twins we had after the babies were born. They'll be two in May 2011. Also with us on this trip were the Dad, Brett; my son Nate, 15; and daughter Anna, 11.
Finally--I found something really cool that Amanda didn't already know about. So I get to repay her a little bit.
And Jump Creek Falls is very, very cool.
We headed out toward Marsing on an unseasonably beautiful March day. The drive took us through Idaho's vineyard country, which will be even nicer a few weeks further into spring but was pretty even with the leafless vinyards and orchards laid out across the valley. It's a bit tricky to get to Jump Creek. Our GPS was utterly confused, and MapQuest kept telling us to turn right when our gut said we needed to be going left. We followed our gut and found ourselves at a fork in the road with two choices--left on a very rutted, dirt road; or right through a cattle guard marked with huge NO TRESPASSING signs. After a short discussion, we chose the cattle guard, and there was a brief Deliverance-like interlude before we realized that we were on the right track, on a public road, and the warnings to trespassers were aimed at foot traffic. Apparently, folks hiking BLM lands in the area don't always respect fences around adjacent private lands.
I found directions on the Internet, and was able to put together an accurate set from those and our experiences, which appear at the end of this entry.
It's interesting how quickly the drive goes from vinyards, to slightly rolling desert, to this sudden lava-rock crevice with a creek flowing through it. We pulled into the parking lot, unloaded, and headed up the trail into the canyon. The kids enjoyed finding caves, looking for lizards, and spotting small fish in the creek. The hike itself is short, not even a quarter mile, and mostly on a flat path with a bed of sand and small gravel. We had the backpackers for the boyos, who are 21 months old, but we never needed them. We just let them walk.
The only tricky bit was the creek crossing. The path drops down to the creekbed, where closely-set stepping stones cross the water about 12 feet wide and 8 inches deep. Nate went ahead and reported to Brett and me about the status of each rock, so that we knew to avoid wobbly ones while helping the boyos cross. It was dicey enough to knot my back a bit, but really, we were fine. Then a quick scramble upward, and we were back on the easy level trail.
I will note that I'm pretty intrepid; this crossing would not be suitable for all moms of toddlers. But we made it just fine and continued up the creek trail. Older kids--certainly 4 and up--will be fine.
The scenery was startling--not only the suddenness of the canyon itself, but the large caves and strange rock formations. This near-perfect pyramid looked like a carefully groomed Christmas tree, and was probably 30 feet tall. With the layer of spring green on everything, the contrast between lava rock and growth bed was striking.
And at the end of the trail--this wonderful waterfall drops into a pool. There's a cave to clamber through for another view.
As early as it was in the year, we did see people; from the looks of it, there are always people here. There's some graffiti to overlook, and I've read that Jump Creek (not surprisingly) attracts the aimless among young people, who go there to drink a few beers and do other things they think will make them feel and seem mature. However, we saw only a family fishing with their dogs, another family hiking, and what looked to be a small private school group on an outing.
The kids can't wait to go back. We give it four and a half stars out of five (dang that graffiti!) and plan another outing a bit later in the spring.
Stuff to take: Sunscreen, water, good shoes, maybe an extra pair in the car in case you get wet on the crossing (Anna did), and a picnic. There's not much in the way of picnic facilities, but it's a 45-minute drive or so, so this is at least a half-day outing. Oh, and a camera! I'm not sure the fishing is worth much, but if you're an angler you might want to drop a line, so be prepared for that. Nate really wished he had his rod with him.
From Boise, take I-84 W toward Marsing, exiting onto ID 55 S at exit 33A. Stay on ID 55 S for about 16 miles (more or less), until you see Edison Rd; about a mile later you will turn left onto US 95. From there it's about 2.5 miles to Poison Creek Road on the right; follow Poison Creek Road about 3.5 miles to a 4-way intersection (you are on some very small roads here, so keep that in mind when you picture "intersection") and turn left onto the unnamed gravel road. About a half mile down that road, you will turn right through a scary-looking cattle guard; the threatening signs are for the private property only, not the road, which is public access to the canyon area. You will see the road turning left along the base of some hills; once you make that turn it won't be long before you see the Jump Creek sign directing you to the trailhead parking lot.
We had so much fun at Municipal Park, The MK Nature Center, and the Boise River Greenbelt. It's a trip we make often in the spring time. If that sounds like a lot to do, don't be overwhelmed. It's all in one spot. You just have to do a little walking. Having done this trip many times, here's what I recommend. I like to park in the parking lot of Municipal Park and enter the MK Nature Center through the north entrance. Here are the driving directions to Municipal Park. Here's a map and driving directions to the MK Nature Center.
Municipal Park is a beautiful 28 acre park next to the Boise River and adjacent to the MK Nature Center. It has huge shade trees, a large grassy area, bathrooms, a shelter, a little sandbox, and a great play structure. Dogs, however, are not allowed. After you park in the Municipal parking lot, stroll over to the entrance to the MK Nature Center. There's not a big sign, just look for a path and an opening in the fence. Go ahead an walk in. It's totally free. Check out the underwater viewing windows along the stream walk to see the stages of the fish cycle and some really cool fresh water fish. The education building has stuffed wildlife, a room to observe birds and other creatures outside of the building, and plenty of activities for the kids to keep their little hands busy. We usually spend about 30 minutes at the MK Nature Center depending on the weather.
Then we stroll over to the Boise River Greenbelt which is a step away from the Nature Center. We usually spend another 30 minutes walking the path and exploring the river banks. There's a few places along the banks to stop and put your feet in. Then we head back to Municipal Park and play on the play structures before coming home. So fun!
What to bring: water bottles, sunscreen, stroller and /or bikes for the greenbelt, snacks. See all links for directions, hours of operation, and more info. My family loves this trip.****Four out of four stars.
*A word of caution. This area is prime for school field trips. If you are thinking about going to The MK Nature and/or Municipal Park in May, be sure to avoid the area between the peak field trip hours of 10 am to 2 pm.
