INPS Statewide Annual Meeting/Campout

2025 INPS ANNUAL MEETING/CAMPOUT hosted by the Pahove Chapter

Hitch a Ride Along the Oregon Trail

Please contact pahove.chapter@gmail.com with questions. Thank you 🙂

The Schedule of Events
Friday, May 30
Begin your adventure with a campground walkabout led by Barbara Ertter, followed by a potluck dinner and a presentation by Jerry Eichhorst on the tales of emigrants along the Oregon and California Trails. Expect humor, tragedy, and history brought vividly to life!
  • 2:30 – 5:30 pm Registration/Check In at the Sunrise View Pavilion at the Three Island Crossing State Park. This pavilion is located in the Trailside Lower Campground.
  • 3:00 – 4:30 pm Campground walkabout with Barbara Errter
  • 5:00 – 6:00 pm Quarterly meeting of the INPS state board at campsite 80
  • 6:00 pm Potluck dinner at the Sunrise View Pavilion. Bring a dish to share, beverage and reusable plates, cups and utensils, and a camp chair to relax, visit, and listen to the presentation. For those not camping at the park, please park at the Overflow lot located at the entrance of the Trailside Lower Campground.
  • 7:00 pm Welcome by INPS State President Michael Mancuso
  • 7:15 pm Kickoff presentation at the pavilion – “History of Three Island Crossing” by Jerry Eichhorst, President of The Idaho Chapter of the Oregon California Trails Association
Field trip descriptions, directions, maps, and species lists are found below. Scroll down please.
Saturday, May 31
Join guided field trips exploring the local flora and landmarks. Wrap up the day with a happy hour and silent auction at the historic Glenns Ferry Opera Theatre. A catered dinner and keynote presentation by Don Mansfield on the “Highlights of the Flora of Owyhee County” will follow.
  • 8:00 Registration
  • 8:30 am – 4:00 pm Field trips (see more below) Please note the times for half day trips. Morning: 8:30 am-12:00 pm, Afternoon: 12:30 pm-4 pm
  • 5:00 pm Happy hour and silent auction begins at the Glenns Ferry Opera Theatre, 148 E Idaho Avenue, Glenns Ferry, ID 83623- located about 1.5 miles from the park. The silent auction will likely extend until after the presentation, but announcements will be made during this time.

(The silent auction will benefit the INPS Scholarship Fund and the Education Research Inventory Grant (ERIG) program. Chapters – please consider bringing and donating a basket for the silent auction.

  • 6:00pm Catered dinner at the Opera Theatre (vegetarian and gluten free options available)
  • 7:30 pm INPS annual business meeting and election of officers
  • 7:45 pm Keynote presentation: “Highlights of the Flora of Owyhee County” by Don Mansfield
  • 9:00 pm- 10:00 pm: Closing of auction and end of evening
Sunday, June 1
  • 8:30 am – 4:00 pm Field trips (see more below). Please note the times for half day trips. Morning: 8:30 am-12:00 pm, Afternoon: 12:30 pm-4 pm
  • 7:00 pm: Bring your own dinner and we’ll have a get together at pavilion.
Monday, June 2 (Optional day)
Time to be determined. Field trip options for folks who want to explore on their own. (see more below)
  • 1:00 pm Campground check out.
Field Trips:
For a summary of field trip descriptions please view this pdf document
For more detailed information about each individual field trip including directions, maps, and species list please see the documents below.
  • Campground Wildflower Walkabout – Friday. ÂĽ day.

THREE ISLAND CROSSING PLANT LAST

  •  Babs Flat

Babs Flat map, directions 2025-05 (1)

  • Bennett Hills Loop –

BENNETT HILLS TRANSECT

Bennett Hills Plant List – Annual Mtg. 20250512-be

Screenshot
  • Bruneau Sand Dunes –

Bruneau Dunes Plant List with common names

DIRECTIONS TO BRUNEAU DUNES

Screenshot
  • Castle Creek North Side –

Castle Creek Area plant list 20250527 pdf

Castle Creek INPS Field Trip details

  • Hagerman Fossil Beds

  • Indian Bathtubs and Bruneau River wetlands

Bruneau Area INPS Field Trip Details 1 June 2025

Bruneau Area plant list 20250528 pdf (003)

  • Little City of Rocks

Little City of Rocks map, directions 2025-05 (1)

Little City of Rocks plant list 2025-05-12

Little City of Rocks-directions

  • Mud Flat Road & Oolites –

PLANT LIST FOR SHOOFLY OOLITE SITE

Shoofly Oolite Site Species List INPS 2025

Mud Flat and Shoofly Ooites Field Trip notes

Shoofly oolite species list by family

  • Simco Rd Playa and Soil Crusts –

Common biological soil crust non-calcareous species Checklist form

Common biological soil crust, calcareous species Checklist form

 

  • Other activities and some maps
    • kayaking/canoeing Blue Heart and other gentle waterways nearby depending on water level
    • Miracle Hot Springs, Thousand Springs
    • Bruneau Dunes Observatory/Star Party

Map with directions_mileage.docx

Bruneau Dunes Location 2009

Bruneau Dunes 2023

Thousand Springs Box Canyon 2009

Accommodations:
Camping: Three Island Crossing State Park campgrounds offer dry cabins, camping for tents, and full-hookup sites for RV’s.
We have already reserved most of the campsites on the lower loop (around Sunrise View Shelter) at Three Island Crossing. These sites are reserved for May 30, 31 and June 1st. If you are coming down before or leaving a little later, you can request a spot and then reserve the other days on the Idaho State Parks and Recreation website. For more info or to request one of the campsites that we have reserved, please contact Peggy Faith…subject heading “INPS reserve/camping” by emailing Pahove.Chapter@gmail.com.
Note: Ten of the reserved campsites are companion sites where at a maximum two RVs and two tents may have up to 16 people. Please let us know if you would like to share a companion site.
Park Overview:
  • Address: 1083 S Three Island Park Drive, Glenns Ferry, ID.
  • Check-in/out Times:
    • Camping Sites: Check-in 2pm, Check-out 1pm.
    • Cabins: Check-in 3pm, Check-out noon.
  • Camping Sites: Each site includes a parking spot, electric hookup, water spigot, fire ring, and picnic table (moveable).
  • Companion Sites: 10 available; include 2 parking spots, 2 tables, 2 fire rings, 2 water spigots, and 2 electric hookups and hold up to 16 people. Members are encouraged to pair up. Let us know if you are willing to share a site or already have someone in mind to share with.
  • Overflow Parking: 15 spots at the beginning of the lower loop.
  • Firewood and Ice: Available from the camp host at site 42.
  • Gift Shop: Large and well-stocked with items branded with the park’s name (e.g., water bottles, t-shirts, books). Items could be added to the ERIG auction basket.
  • Oregon Trail History and Education Center: Features interactive displays, details on the wagons, native American history, failed treaties, and food carried on the trail.
Remember, an Idaho State Parks Passport is required for vehicle entry ($10 annually or $7 daily). Visit Idaho Parks and Recreation for more information.
Other accommodation options that you can book on your own include a dry cabin at Three Island or at Y Knot, Airbnb’s in Glenns Ferry and satellite choices in Hagerman and King Hill.
Registration:
We will be using a google form to register that links directly to online payment processing through Square. This form will populate a table with all of your registration information. We will also offer a pay by check option for those who prefer that.
Please refer to our registration form which will breakdown the costs for this event, which includes presentations, field trips, a potluck, a banquet meal, and many opportunities to connect with other members to collectively share our interest in Idaho’s native flora and landmarks.
PAST ANNUAL MEETINGS