INPS Statewide Annual Meeting/Campout

2025 INPS ANNUAL MEETING/CAMPOUT hosted by the Pahove Chapter

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!
  • 2:00 – 6:00 pm 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, location to be announced.
  • 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
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 am – 4:00 pm Field trips (see more below)
  • 5:00 – 6:00 pm Happy Hour and ERIG silent auction 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 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
Sunday, June 1
  • 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Field trips (see more below)
  • 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 (more details to come in the next issue of Sage Notes and online):
  • Campground Wildflower Walkabout – Friday. ¼ day.
  • Bennett Hills Loop – Saturday. Full Day.  (Artemisia potentilloides, A. papposa, Pyrrocomas)
  • Mud Flat Road & Oolites – Saturday. Full Day
  • Castle Creek North Side – Saturday. Full Day
  • Bruneau Sand Dunes – Saturday. Sunday AM.  Half Day
  • Fossil Beds Interpretive Center – Saturday (AM or PM?). Half Day. Also Thousand Springs.
  • Box Canyon Hike – Sunday AM. Half Day. Also Balanced Rock S of Buhl.
  • Simco Rd Playa and Soil Crusts – Saturday (AM or PM or both? Or also Sunday?). Half Day. (Lepidium davisii) Talk about forage kochia.  Maybe also TrueBlood Wetland.
  • Indian Bathtubs and hike down to Bruneau River wetlands – Sunday. ¾ day. Maybe also Bruneau Overlook.
  • Other activities: kayaking/canoeing Blue Heart and other gentle waterways nearby depending on water level
  • Other activities: Miracle Hot Springs
  • Other activities: Bruneau Dunes Observatory/Star Party
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:
Information on how to register will be available on March 1, 2025.
  • 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