Black Magic Canyon

"Gunna go outside today, gunna see what we can find today!"

A friend recommended we go to Black Magic Canyon for our next adventure.

I had never heard of it, and it hadn't come up on any of my "cool places in Idaho" internet searches. We decided to try it, not really knowing what to expect. After driving for about 30 minutes into the middle of nowhere, I was pretty sure we weren't going to find it. After driving for 60 minutes, I began to remark to Barry that we really should have told someone where we were going ...........because we were truly in the back of beyond. After, some pretty rough roads, we came to an old dam and a small open area. SO we parked the car and went out to explore.

After a short walk in the wrong direction, and a longer walk in the right direction. We found it! A little crazy slot canyon in the middle of what looked like a barren wasteland.

We scrambled down into the canyon.  

I had everyone stop so I could take their picture at the beginning of a new adventure!

 

The wind was quite blustery on the surface, so we all dressed warmly. Once we got down in the canyon and sun-warmed rocks, it was quite warm.

A nice bath tub in a cool crevice. Barry asked James to take a bath in it. He declined.

Lot's of scrambling. I was left behind.

 Emma taking a needed rest.

Lauren taking a needed rest???

 

Lauren found a cool cave. If you look close you can see Barry's legs. It went straight up!

 

Stopping for snacks. I think I was the only one that was tired, but they were nice and agreed to stop for awhile.  We found a spot where the canyon had opened up and stopped and rested in the sunshine.

Then, they were off again!

James had stopped and climbed up on a big blouder to empty the little rocks out of his shoe. I caught them for a picture, just in time.

Yep! I was there too. I asked Ellie to take this picture for posterity's sake. James and Emma just randomly added themselves to the picture while Ellie was trying to figure out how to make my camera take a picture.

Mountain goat Lauren. She was tired, but did an awesome job!

No James! Please don't! He did. Another little mountain goat.

There were little pools of water everywhere! Emmy loved them.

She even found Daddy in one and tried to help him out. He didn't fit. He had to go around. :) Ellie, Emma and Lauren had already come up through the hole. James and I went around. We don't like tight places.

Barry placed Emma in a little crevice to help another kid. Emma just sat there and played.

The rocks were amazing. A rock collectors dream! We may, or may not have brought a few samples home. :)

The Giant's NOSE Rock. I asked the kids if they had seen "the nose" rock, and they didn't know what I was talking about. I simply don't see how they could've missed it. :)

We climbed out on top of the canyon for awhile. The water was red-colored from moss.

James said this puddle was the Snake River.

Nobody wanted to wait for slow Mommy.  I was on my own most of the time, and would catch glimpses of the random family members up ahead.

James gave Emma a real cool rock he found. She promptly tossed it in one of these holes. He wasn't about to reach in and grab it.

Up on top again.

Looking back!

Heading back. The kids had laden themselves down with rocks a long the way. At one point I made them drop them on the grass and told them we would come back for them.  I probably had picked up about extra 10 lbs myself.

Lauren was more selective. Just two.
I asked Barry to find us a nice rock that would remind us of the canyon. He found one. It was much larger than I expected, but pretty awesome! He only made it back to the road carrying it a little before I did. ;)
We came home and lined the flower bed with our new treasures.