A True Indian Summer at Starvation State Park

Off-season Beachfront RV Camping for $35 per nite

I’m back “on the road” again after a 5 week stay in Vernal. I’ve left the “tight quarters” of a private RV park, early morning rumble of older diesel trucks idling at 5:30am as oil field and wind turbine workers prepare for a long day, and one truly oblivious “neighbor” with a barking dog.

Update: I’m traveling faster at the moment than I’m able to keep up with my posts! I’m finishing this post about Starvation in Salmon, Idaho. I’m here awaiting upwards of 10″ of snow tonight on the mountain pass roads that lead to Montana (about 90 minutes North of here!) I will be traveling into Montana by Friday 10/27 and this post should be live by then.

Starvation State Park – off-season… (mid-October)

As of October 20, the park has not yet switched to winter camping rates, but at $35/night for a beachfront site, its still a great deal. The site includes water, electric and nearby showers and bathroom. And… the park is nearly deserted. This morning I awoke to a QUIET park with just two neighbors, the nearest being over 100 feet away from me.

The only noise over night was the wind. Starvation can be a windy place. Last year, I had very limited time to kayak in the lake between chilly temperatures in the low 50’s and a steady wind that exceeded 20mph regularly. This year, we’re in Indian Summer.

While wind held the temperatures in the 50’s overnight, today will be just like the past two days as afternoon temperatures reach well into the 70’s with a light to moderate breeze. The only whitecaps I saw on the lake were later yesterday afternoon as the wind picked up steadily from about 3pm on into the evening and nighttime.

Duchesne is a town of less than a thousand, generally very solid people

I’m impressed with the flow of locals through Black Sheep Coffee – the towns local (and only) coffee shop. I must admit this is a great, eclectic coffee shop, run by Sonora (the owner) on the main street in town. My “routine” (for the 4 days I’m here) is to spend the morning working in the coffee shop on my laptop, and then kayaking in the early afternoon. The wind does tend to pick up, especially in the state park, later in the day, so I aim to be off the lake by 3pm.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Cowens Cafe, good food at retro prices.

**As you know, I truly enjoy kayaking. Want to know more about my kayak – and get a discount on one? I’m in the Aquaglide Deschutes 110. 2024 UPDATE: The 110 is no longer; the 130 lives on – AND – is available at a GREAT DISCOUNT HERE. .**

The good weather has caused me to extend my stay at Starvation

I’m spending an extra day here. Its just too nice to leave! A quiet park, great weather for paddling the lake, I’m using a “flex day” to stay here before pushing onto Rigby (with perhaps a night somewhere along the road.) The nice thing about traveling in October is reservations are rarely needed. Plenty of space exists in most RV parks.

Despite the warm temperatures, the sun reminds me we’re well beyond Labor Day. Duchesne is just over 40 degrees north latitude. Far enough north for the sun to remain relatively low in the sky, even around mid-day. Days are relatively short – and getting shorter. As I write this on October 18, I’m aware of the fact that only two months remain before we reach the winter Solstice, which of course marks the shortest daylight.

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