Diverse campground terrain

We got a late start leaving McCall, and then ran into road construction on Hwy 55 so we started seriously lookIng for a place to stop for the night. Unfortunately, although the UDSA campground website said they were open, several had already closed on our way up into the 4,000 elevation of the Sawtooth Mountains. We finally stopped at Pine Flats Campground which turned out to be very quiet with few campers. Our neighbor informed us that officially the campground closed at the end of October but they had turned off the water and there was no fee. There was quite a bit of difference in topography from McCall with it feeling more arid and warmer. Our campsite did have a natural hot springs and it’s proximity to the river was really beautiful. We saw and heard what we identified as two American Dippers as they swooped down to the river for their dinners. There have been many wildfires throughout the area and the warning signs for “falling trees and rocks” was not conducive to camping farther up the mountains so we have decided to find a spot on the other side of the ridge tonight on our way back to Boise where we will stop and see friends.