Bruneau Dunes State Park — Hotel in Mountain Home

Came here to do the full 6 mile hike, man was it an experience. I did the full 6 mile hike (beginning and ending at the Visitor's Center), and let me tell you, I was EXHAUSTED by the end. DON'T do a leg workout the day before coming here! This was a very difficult hike, especially once it's time to get up to the sand peak and walk the ridge. Now I understand why NFL players have beach workouts, maneuvering in sand is tough and is one heck of a workout.

I noticed little kids and older people on the peak when I finally made it up, and I was in SHOCK as to how they got up there, since I was exhausted and consider myself to be in shape. I then found out you DON'T have to hike from the Visitor's Center to get there, but instead can park super close. I was drenched in sweat before going up to the peak, and after getting to the top, the wind really is refreshing. Views are amazing, you're going to get some great shots up there. I DIDN'T use my "real" camera (even though I packed it) since I was worried about getting sand in the lens, so I just used my cell phone. You have to "straddle" the peak when hiking it, I was almost doing a roller skating motion, which was kinda fun.

The 6 mile hike is broken down in waypoints on the map. The land marking are decent up to waypoint 4, then it's pretty much a free for all. Hard to distinguish where the path is, since everything just blends in. Some of the marking around waypoints 11 - 15 are missing or fallen over. I HIGHLY recommend getting the 'Maplets' app for your phone so that you can have a visual map with a GPS while hiking, it REALLY helps. I did the whole 6 mile hike, as well as resting at the top of the peaks, in around 3 hours, which thinking back, I would recommend you take your time and pace yourself to do it in around 4-5 hours. I was just in a hurry to get back to my car and RELAX (since I had NO IDEA I was in for this kind of hike lol).

Now for some tips. You're 100% exposed to the sun during the entire 6 mile hike. Wear WHITE colored clothes (yeah SCIENCE)! I didn't wear bug spray, and got about 10 bites overall, mostly through waypoints 8-10 (marshy areas aka bug city). Bring sandals when on the sand, trust me! Wearing running shoes, the sand gets in very quickly and your shoes turn into bricks, making it a BIGGER workout. Bring as much water as possible. I packed food but didn't have any urge to eat during the hike, I should've subbed the weight of the food for water. Water fountains work at the observatory, so top off your bottles and wash up your face with cold water in the bathroom. I hiked during mid day, high 70s, and was ROASTING. I'd say hiking this is best in late evening, or when sun rises, OR in fall / winter / spring when it's not so hot. I didn't wear full body covering clothes (just workout gear) and was satisfied with the decision, you need mobility & comfort if you're hiking the 6 mile trip. I came across 0 people on the full 6 mile hike, so be PROUD that you're one of the few OGs that do the 6 mile hike. I HATE bugs, and from waypoints 1-4, there were a TON of these wasp like bugs (sphecid wasps?) all over the path, flying in and out of these holes in the ground. I almost turned right back to the car and left, but I'm glad I didn't. Wearing pants would've helped with my fear, but I don't regret wearing shorts for mobility. Visitors center is DOPE inside, gotta check it out. If I could only bring 2 things, it'd be WATER and sandals. Pace yourself, and spend as much time up on the peaks as possible (before it gets too boring).

Overall, I had a blast. I don't plan on doing this hike again, until a fall night, I'd really like to try doing some star photography. Don't be intimidated by the OG 6 mile hike. Once you reach the end of the hike and you look back at the dunes, you'll be amazed at how much ground you've covered and how tall those peaks really were. 5 stars all day, if you're up for the challenge, it's...

The fact that a septic dump and water are available for free is really nice. We stayed in a pull through RV site that was very nice. Had number 72 been available we might have liked it for a better view and better cell reception. Wagon wheel has full grown trees. Eagle Cove has some trees that are small and they definitely could add more. The observatory is fabulous and the staff wonderful. Camp hosts were also wonderful. The community building is good for shady picnics, restrooms and showers. All are handicapped available. The Bruneau Sand Dunes educational building had a very helpful staff, interpretive trail pamphlets, taxidermy local animals, mammoth and other bones. The other half of the building contained rental slides for the sand dunes and a small gift shop. The Steele-Reese observatory education building contained an open room for a continuous set of movies about space for free viewing anytime. There's another viewing room for an 8:30 pm family style free presentation led by one of three astronomers at the dark sky observatory. After the presentations on Friday and Saturday nights, the astronomers decide if the sky is clear enough for telescope viewing. If so, there's a small fee to view through the famous refraction telescope in the observatory. Red flashlights only to preserve everyone's night vision. Parking is available. Picnic tables and the ponds are nearby. A well thought out conjunction of facilities and activities. Spring or Fall are the best times for sand dunes exploring due to high summer...

Cool place, $7 parking fee at entrance of Park, apparently has the tallest sand dune in North America and I would be inclined to believe that after going. Body of water that you are able to fish in, observatory and camp sites available also. The actual hiking trail itself has a bathroom at the beginning portion (also the portion where one would start fishing). It is poorly marked and a little easy to get lost on if you get turned around, but if you are never really too far from the parking area/trail start so no worries and being in any actual danger. Would not recommend hiking the trail after it rains or on an overcast day otherwise you'll quickly find out how much those mosquitos will love new company. From what I learned there are no large predators in the area so being stolen by mountain lions was not a concern. Learned the hard way why Goggles or sooner type of scarf are a big want on a windy day visiting. (also the wind does not do much to protect from the mosquitos as one you get into the sagebrush covered lower lying areas of the trail where the wind is less of a factor it becomes an out of the front pan in to the fryer situation). Overall it's a beautiful drive to the park it is a beautiful drive while in the park and i have no problem recommending visiting to camp, visiting to hike a trail or visiting to climb a sand dune.

Side Note:

Sand will be hot on hot days, not impossible to deal with but something to keep in mind if you're wearing sandals or walking...