Pack your fishing gear early. Sitting about ten miles east of Cascade at 5,000 feet up, Horsethief Reservoir is basically a haven for hungry trout hunters. You won't find fancy paved RV pads or luxury glamping spots here. Just raw mountain air. Idaho Fish and Game dumps thousands of rainbow trout into these 270 acres of water every year, making it almost too easy to hook dinner. Bring a small kayak or just cast right off the bank. It works fine. People pull out fat ten-inch rainbows regularly, though you might occasionally hook a stray Kokanee if you get lucky.

Camping around the perimeter gets surprisingly busy once the summer heat hits the valley. So claim a spot early. Campgrounds like Osprey and Kingfisher give you direct water access, but keep in mind that night temperatures drop fast in the pine trees. Really fast. Ice fishermen actually take over the place when winter freezes the water thick enough. They drill through the hard deck, huddle over tiny auger holes, and pull trout out of the freezing dark all day. Just watch out for the local birds. Those ospreys will dive out of the sky and steal your catch right off the shore if you turn your back.