Rockhounding

This summer could be one of the most lucrative for novice treasure hunters in southern Idaho. The waters that rush down from Idaho mountains following heavy snowfall over the next few months is expected to jar a good amount of gold loose from watery graves throughout the region.

The buttes also happen to be a very dog-friendly area where pets can roam and spend a day free from the confines of backyard fences and chains. Enjoy Earth Day with your favorite animal and perhaps bring home a shiny opal to show off to friends.

A Magic Valley man has amassed a small fortune in rare coins and artifacts that he's collected over the past decade near various historical sites in southwest Idaho, and he's created a platform for other area treasure seekers to learn the tricks of the hobby.

Nothing against those who love casting lines out into the cool waters of southern Idaho, but I like hobbies that could potentially reward me with something bigger than a fish carcass.

The weather in southern Idaho appears to be clearing by Friday, and plenty of sunshine is on the way for the following several days. Maybe now is a good time to load up the travel trailer and enjoy a few nights with a chair parked by the fire and a couple of afternoons of rockhounding with family and friends.

It's been a spell since I've traveled through this part of Idaho that offers Bruneau Dunes State Park a short drive to the east, and the Oregon border less than an hour west.

The town was founded in 1877, and following years of failed attempts to unearth gold, silver was soon discovered in the area, which brought thousands of prospectors to the central Idaho site.

Remember to pack your rockhounding supplies and plenty of water. The region is made up of mostly desert landscapes, and the summer months can be brutal without shade in southern Idaho.

Southern Idaho is rich in precious and nonprecious stones. Garnet, jasper, amethyst, and a good number of other rocks, crystals, and minerals are scattered throughout the desert, lava beds, and buttes that are just a short drive from the Magic Valley

The Bruneau landscape blends into the Owyhee Uplands Back Country, which is where you'll eventually stumble across the Pole Creek Wilderness, which extends into the eastern Oregon border.

Smoky quartz is an almost transparent combination of minerals that some believe possesses healing properties.

There's an area called Rabbit Springs between Twin Falls and Jackpot that contains clusters of fluorescent thundereggs.