Jump Creek Falls
Sandy on the trail to the falls
The Owyhee Mountains are prominent from Boise. They form the southern boundary of the Treasure Valley. Although they are close, I don't hike in them much. Access roads to the heart of the range, like around Silver City, are long and rough. Along US95, the one highway that crosses the mountains, the terrain is dry and not very interesting, more a high plateau than mountain peaks. There is however one exception - Jump Creek Falls. Near Marsing, the trailhead is reached by a paved county road. It's a short hike to the falls, only a quarter of a mile. Surprisingly, in the spring, the falls can be quite impressive. One would not expect to find a steep canyon with a fifty five foot waterfall in the Owyhee Mountains. I hiked to, around, and above the falls once before on my own. This time I convinced Sandy to come along. I figured we could stop off at The Orchard House, a restaurant near Marsing that we really like, for lunch afterwards. That would make a good half day trip. Abby had to go in for her monthly spa treatment, having a bath and getting her nails clipped, so we were free for several hours. I didn't want to take Abby along because there can be poison ivy in the canyon and she doesn't stick to the trail when hiking.
Jump Creek Falls
There were several cars in the parking lot when we reached the trailhead, even though it was a weekday. A family was having a picnic there, the kids playing in the creek. We hiked to the falls and saw several other parties. It's hard to spread people out on a trail that's only a quarter of a mile long. Even though the hike was short it was scenic. Jump Creek flows through a surprisingly steep, rocky canyon cut into the Owyhee plateau. There was a lot of flow in the creek from spring runoff, so the falls looked quite pretty. Usually it dries up in the summer. Although several people were hanging around the falls, I was able to get a shot that didn't have anyone in it. That took some skill and a lot of patience.
Afterwards we were hungry so we drove back to Marsing and The Orchard House. Unfortunately the lot was full of cars. There were people standing outside waiting to get in. When I peeked inside, I saw even more folks waiting. We decided to give up and go somewhere else. A quick check of Google Maps on my phone and we found an alternative in Nampa that was kinda on the way home. Close enough anyway. It would be a chance to try someplace new. Google Maps took us on a winding route through the southwest part of Nampa. It was amazing to see how many new housing developments had sprung up. This all used to be farmland not so long ago. We ate at The Sunrise Inn, a small, family owned restaurant that claimed to have been in business for over thirty years. I had lunch and Sandy had breakfast (her favorite) and both were good. We now have a new place to eat if we are out that way again.
We were back in Boise in plenty of time to pick up Abby, who was now a Clean Machine.
