Bear Lake/Minitonka Cave/Montpelier motel questions (Garden City, Soda Springs: rentals, camping)

[norcalmom101]

Howdy

Thinking about checking out the Minitonka Caves and Bear Lake on my way from IF to SLC, just for an overnight, wondering if anyone has any experience with the Budget Motel in Montpelier or other cheapo lodging recommendations? Is IF --> Minitonka Caves-->Montpellier -->SLC a reasonable day and a half trip? We need to pick someone up at the airport, so would head out early the day before, check out Bear Lake area, spend the night and then be at the airport by mid-afternoon. Anything else we should check out in that time frame? Thank you!!!!!!

[norcalmom101]

Well for $75 bucks it sounds like we can get two queens a couple hundred yards from the beach in Garden City, but now my 13yo is saying he doesn't want to go on his way to SLC, so maybe it's gonna be a mommy daughter date on the way back, or, OTOH, are these caves so cool he might forget he didn't want to go???? Anyone been?

[TohobitPeak]

I have been to Minitonka Cave many times while growing up and it is a cool place to visit. If you have time head up Bloomington Canyon which is in that area and check out Bloomington Lake which is alpine in nature. I tend to think that the Idaho side of Bear Lake is more attractive with more to see than the Utah side. Make sure to check out the Paris Tabernacle.

[twinprism]

I've been to Minnetonka Cave with my kids, and it is cool. It was long enough ago they don't remember it well, but I recall them liking it. It is not as spectacular as Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana, but well worth seeing. Tohobit Peak has some good suggestions for other things to see, and if they are in season, a fresh berry milkshake is almost worth the trip alone.

As far as Bear Lake, Idaho has a day use state park on the North End with a nice beach, or there are several places to swim along the Western shore, and a state campground on the Southern end in Utah.

The Camping area on the Eastern shore is more Rocky and not as good for swimming, and further out of your way.

[norcalmom101]

Thank you all, looks like we wouldn't have enough time to see caves and get to airport, not so sure we can do an overnight trip this time...

[norcalmom101]

Update:

Minnetonka Cave froM the IF area is an awesoMe day trip!!!

We stopped in Lava for ice creaM, had our picnic lunch at the Soda Springs Geyser, carried on to the Caves, which were well worth the drive, and ended up enjoying Garden City's faMous Raspberry Shakes after testing the water at the incredibly beautiful blue Bear Lake. This was a perfect day trip, although there were so Many open caMpsites at the Cache National Forest that I was wishing we brought a tent, and on a Saturday no less! Just a beautiful drive, and no shortage of cool things to see. I'll post pictures later on, we took the "day trip" after I'd spent 5 hours hoeing in the vegetable garden, so My only regret was not leaving earlier so we could have ended up with a sunset soak at the Lava Hot Springs.

[norcalmom101]

Looks like we could have soaked before the drive hoMe:

Bear Lake Hot Springs, Camping, Bear Lake, Idaho, Rentals, | BearLakeFun.com

Oh well, a great excuse to go back to Bear Lake in July!!

[Mtn. States Resident]

Glad it all worked it for you and your crew, NCM.

Did we over-rate the fresh Raspberry Shakes? Aren't they something almost too good to be real? How to describe to others............

They are seasonal and sometimes driving along the old highway in Brigham City to Ogden (89, I think is the highway) one can get shakes there too. Plus, Maddox is in Brigham City.

I wish more people would think of the day trip idea like you have done. People can get a break from job stess and other pressures in such a relative short time and without needing to go into debt.

Camping in the Caribou Nat'l Forest is popular too. However, I'd check with someone like Twin Prism, maybe TohobitPeak etc. who would know more than I.

Now, for what to do with the kids for the week......

MSR

[twinprism]

Norcalmom,

Glad you got out and had a good time and saw more of what our state has to offer. So many take it for granted or don't even know anything exists off I-15/I-84/I-86.

[norcalmom101]

Thank you twinprism, it was such a beautiful drive and so very different from our little corner of Bingham County. Now we just have to figure out how to make our drive back from SLC a little more interesting for a mommy daughter date!