Turkey, mule deer and goats, oh my! This morning we cruised the shoreline with our Zodiacs near Chief Timothy State Park where mule deer were flushed from the greenery and wild turkey sieved the grasses for seed heads and grasshoppers. The goats? A trailer full of goats arrived late morning as the weed maintenance crew for the park. Instead of using machinery and chemicals to trim and remove undesired plant materials, goats are used to browse and clear brush inside the park.

Some guests chose to kayak these placid waters and others walked to the Maya Lin Confluence project known as the “Listening Circle.” We gained a historical perspective to the Lewis and Clark Valley through a visit to the Nez Perce Historical Site, a National Park Service site, as well as an informative talk by JR Spencer. To cover the flavors of the land, Coco Umiker from Clearwater Canyon Cellars spoke to us and offered a wine tasting as well. Our thirst for knowledge was quenched twice over.