It’s spring break. Hooray!

It’s time for the family’s first campout, scenic drive or major fishing trip of the year.

Over the years, these outings have stuck in my mind for spring break fun. Bass and crappie will be stirring at Brownlee Reservoir. Some of the best spring skiing and snowshoeing can be found at higher elevations.

Fishing and camping

A lot of low-elevation campgrounds are accessible and good choices for late March and April.

Campgrounds along Hells Canyon, Oxbow and Brownlee reservoirs are prime areas because of warmer spring weather, and bass, crappie and trout fishing. This area has traditionally been the place for spring break for Idahoans for generations.

Depending on the park, visitors will find flush toilets, RV hookups and plenty of shoreline for fishing.

The area, 23 miles northwest of Cambridge on Highway 71, is at its best in spring, and Hells Canyon Park is one of my favorites. The reservoir is much smaller than Brownlee, and I’ve fished for bass out of my canoe.

Reservations for these parks are encouraged during spring break. Go to idahopower.com and look under recreation.

Nearby camping

Popular Idaho state parks at low elevations close to the Treasure Valley are Bruneau Dunes and Three Island state parks. The Dunes are fun for hiking and sand boarding. Three Island gets a lot of birds migrating and the Oregon Trail historical displays are wonderful for school-age kids. Check out the Idaho state parks website for details and reservations.

Day hiking

A quick and easy day trip is Bonneville Point, off Blacks Creek Road east of Boise. No matter how many times you visit the area, the views back toward town are jaw-dropping.

The vantage point and interpretive site offer views of the entire Treasure Valley with Boise’s downtown skyline.

Besides the views, the site is along the Oregon Trail and a pavilion has several interpretive signs about the area’s history. Oregon Trail ruts descend from the bluff where the site is located to the Boise River.

In addition to a history lesson, it’s a place for hiking, mountain biking, picnicking and bird watching. Search the Bureau of Land Management’s website for Bonneville Point.

Sightseeing trip

Another day trip just over an hour from Treasure Valley is Bruneau River Canyon overlook. The width and the depth of the canyon is astounding. If you’re wary of heights, get down on all fours and peek over the edge. The opposite rim is 1,300 feet away and the distance from rim to riverbed is 800 feet.

Getting there: From the town of Bruneau, take the Hot Springs Road 15.6 miles to the Canyon Overlook sign. Search the Bureau of Land Management’s website for Bruneau Canyon Overlook.

Canyon picnicking

As always, the Snake River Canyon at Celebration Park, south of Nampa, is sheltered and lower in elevation than Treasure Valley and makes for a quick day hiking and picnic area.

If you really want to get out in the wilds and enjoy some desert-canyon scenery, it’s only an hour away.

For an easy outing with the family, take a trail west (downstream) along the Snake River from the park to the Guffey Bridge, an old railroad bridge that kids especially love to walk across.

The 450-ton, 70-foot steel bridge spans 500 feet over the river and is an excellent spot for bird watching, with lots of waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds.

Directions to the park are complicated; don’t trust Google for this one. Go to Canyon County’s website at canyoncounty.org and click on parks and Celebration Park.

Spring snow

Don’t give up on the snow. Spring trekking in the snow can be incredible.

One of the best spring, late-season snowshoeing and Nordic skiing areas is Galena Lodge and the upper Wood River trails, north of Sun Valley. Usually, skiers and snowshoers expect good skiing and snowshoeing into mid-April.

The scenery is incredible on the trails between the 10,000-foot Smoky Mountains and 11,000-foot Boulder Mountains. And, dogs are allowed on designated trails.

Start your own traditions for spring break and enjoy them year after year.