When we pulled into the spectacular Wallowa Lake State Park campground near Joseph, Ore., we were greeted by dozens and dozens of choice sites. From private, evergreen-shaded spots to grassy areas with lake views, it was almost too good to be true after the state park’s busy summer season.

Welcome to the joy of fall travel, one of the biggest perks of the road-tripping RV lifestyle. When the kids head back to school, and the temps dip low enough to encourage tent campers to pack it up until next summer, it often feels like we’ve got the whole place to ourselves while still enjoying the comforts of a tiny home on wheels.

This chill vibe also applies to resort towns such as Ketchum, Idaho -- home of the world famous Sun Valley Resort -- where we headed after a couple of days exploring northeastern Oregon. Traveling in shoulder season also means far less traffic on the road. (Though we did have a near miss with a deer running across the road on State Route 75.)

In this beautiful region, we’ve had no problem snagging a seat at popular restaurants and bars (don’t miss Sawtooth Brewery Public House, Enoteca Wine Bar, the locals hangout Lefty’s Bar and Grill, and Whiskey Jacques), and found the hiking trails wide open. (Fox Creek Loop just north of the town was a brilliant study in autumn leaves, including Aspen trees that had turned blood orange.)

We’ve enjoyed meeting fellow travelers on similar missions to get outdoors even when it gets dark and turns cold earlier in the evening. It’s interesting to look around the campground and admire everyone’s roaring fire. We’re looking forward to more of the same as we head south, chasing the colors of fall and looking to do a deep dive on national parks where we’ve never been. Next stop: Craters of the Moon for some prime star-gazing before heading on to Aspen, Colo., for possible star gazing of the celebrity sort.

While there are many excellent campgrounds near Sun Valley, the lone RV option is a good one. The Meadows is a mobile home park that welcomes RVs, just south of Ketchum. In addition to its excellent location near Wood River, it includes 60 pull-through sites with full hookups at each.

 

Cool camp-cooking gear: Speaking of roaring flames, we’re super fired up about our new Lodge Cast Iron Cook-It-All, a collection of seasoned, sturdy cookware that offers the option to grill, bake, stir-fry, griddle and braise. We tried it for the first time while camping at Wallowa Lake, searing a T-bone steak and grilling potatoes and sweet onions, all from the Walla Walla Farmers Market. The results were fantastic. And we can’t wait to do some more experimenting with this cooking system, Leslie developing new recipes and John perfecting his already outstanding fire-building skills.

 

Save the dates: We’re heading into RV-show season, the massive events offering the opportunity for one-stop shopping. This weekend, it’s the Tacoma Fall RV show at the Tacoma Dome, one of the largest in the region with hundreds of the newest rigs of every size and description on display… and for sale.

Further down the road, the Spokane RV show is scheduled for Jan. 24-27 at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center. More than $13 million in RV inventory from six dealers will be on display, all exhibits indoors. And the Seattle RV show is set for Feb. 8-11 at Century Link Field Event Center.

 

This week’s Going Mobile question: Gas or diesel? Which engine works best for an RV? Send responses to goingmobile@spokesman.com.

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