Cave Falls and Mesa Falls

Yesterday Cat, Kelsie and I headed out to see the falls. I have been to Mesa many many times and LOVE it! I am going to take my mom, Nana and Lynley to see it next week while they are here. None of us had ever been to Cave Falls, but a friend of mine, Ryan, had told me about it last summer and I have been wanting to go ever since.

We started on our adventure around 3:30 heading towards Ashton, Idaho. We followed the signs for Cave Falls and all was going well and suddenly the nice, smooth paved road turns into a gravel road. We were a little leary about where the signs were leading us but we kept going. The scenery was beautiful as we were driving through Targhee National Forest. The sky was oh so blue and the trees and grass were a crispy green. Wild flowers were in bloom everywhere...the perfect afternoon to be driving through a forest with the windows down! We were enjoying the views and the cool breeze and we came upon a sign that said entering Yellowstone National Forest...I did not realize we were that far! Also at this point the gravel road has turned into a rocky road...there were very large rocks in the road. I was kinda nervous when trucks would pass because they were just speeding along and I prayed they wouldn't throw a rock up and hit my windshield. I already have cracks...the rocks would probably shatter it...I wonder what that highway patrolman would give me a warning for that??? hmmm...
I don't know if you can tell or not but there is a rainbow on the falls!

Anyways, after driving on and on for what seemed like forever, we finally saw a sign that said Cave Falls 3 miles...YAY we were almost there! We were now driving along a rushing river...way cool. Finally we made it! We decided to start at the overlook. So we started down this path...now at the trail head there was a big sign warning about bears...one of my fears is coming upon a bear in the woods. I would be its lunch for sure. We were walking along and saw a sign for another falls a mile up the trail and decided to go for it. However we were greeted by giant mosquitoes that decided to have an early dinner on us. So while slapping the bugs off each other we made our way back to the car to head to the path that would take us right up to the falls. We started on the trail and at first the mosquitoes were not too bad down there but I think the ones from up by the overlook flew down and found us. But we continued on. We came to the part where you had to climb over wet, muddy rocks to go into the cave right next to the falls. The three of us were successful at making it there without falling or getting muddy. Now I must say were are all pretty smart girls for wearing flip flops for rock climbing...I would not suggest it...but it made it easy to just walk into the river to clean our feet. Which by the way the water was icy cold. OH just to let you know I was the only one to get dirty...there was a family in the cave and their little dog came over to me and jumped up putting his muddy little paw prints all down the side of my khaki capris. Oh joy. Us by the cave

When we left we wanted to follow a sign that said Sheep Falls so we turned off and in the direction the sign pointed. Well we never found it but my car was doing a little off roading trying to find Sheep Falls. We went down many many roads, some of which I don't think have been driven down in a very very long time. But it was a great adventure none the less. And I must apologize to Kelsie for almost causing her to have a heart attack a few times as my adventurous side took over on this trip....I really should invest in a 4 wheel drive vehicle if I continue these kind of things.

Finally we were heading to Mesa Falls...woo hoo! We stopped at Bear Gulch to take some pictures. Cat was standing on a rock and yelled "Is that an animas?!?!" in a very loud voice. Sure enough it was an animal! Yes, the first of the day - if you don't count the mosquitoes and dog. Oh we did see a baby hawk...kinda cool. So it was the second of the day. He made an appearance again just peering over a rock so I could take his picture...thank you little guy - I think it was a rockchuck aka yellow bellied marmot.

We made it to the lower falls and enjoyed the view and lack of bugs for awhile. The we drove up to the upper falls where you can walk out and almost touch it. We hung out there awhile enjoying the peacefulness of nature. Cat commented on how this was a perfect way to spend our last Saturday in Rexburg. I had to concur. The first picture is the lower falls and the second two are the upper falls.