We traveled to McCall, Idaho after staying in Baker City, Oregon for a quick overnight stop. This offered us a place to break the long trip to McCall in half, stock up on needed items and get several chores taken care of.
The drive from Baker City to McCall was beautiful, yet the trip was longer than anticipated due to road construction. (We saw a sign that stated.....Idaho has two seasons: Winter and Road Construction!) Once we rolled into Ponderosa State Park.....we knew it was worth it! The camp sites are impressive.....large, well spaced apart....and the surrounding areas were well taken care of. We parked in site 234...and felt like we had the BEST site in the park. There are three loops on the east side of the park....yet those camping spaces are closer together. We had a massive pull through site which opened up to a wooded area. It truly felt private. So private that we noticed deer near our campsite each day! When it's time to return...we will definitely book this site again.
We enjoyed spending our time exploring Ponderosa State Park. The east side of the peninsula had walking/biking trails that followed the shoreline. We noticed many families spending the day near the water..... with kayaks, boats and picnics. The west side of the peninsula offered several biking/hiking trails that weaved through the forested area. We certainly enjoyed taking Ruby along both sides. One offering the busy side of life...while the other offered a more serene experience.
After exploring the park....it was time for a quick walk into town. The town of McCall is so quaint! Coffee shops, gift stores, ice cream shops and several places to eat. However, we were amazed with the waterfront park! It was outstanding! What a fantastic place to spend the day hanging out by the beach, playing volleyball, splashing/floating around in the water or fountain.... or relaxing and enjoying the sun.
As with any well planned trip...you need to be open to adjustments and changes. And this trip required us to hunker down and problem solve. Family comes first!