We’ve been obsessed with huckleberries for a while and it started with a doughnut and it started us on this journey.
Consider the huckleberry doughnuts made fresh at Sidecar Doughnuts. Batches of all their pastries are fried from opening to close and while their other flavors rank pretty high — hello butter and salt! — it’s always the huckleberry that makes me swoon. Imagine the taste of blueberries but depending on the color more tart with a more intense berry taste. Unlike blueberries, huckleberries cannot be cultivated and only grow wild near the mountains of Idaho, Washington and Montana where foragers go every late spring into summer hunting for the elusive berry that ring up to $70 per gallon according to one website.
My last trip to Montana was in 2014 for press trip promoting Firehouse Subs where the Sorensen family, two sibling are founders of the chain, own a ranch. During that press trip, I stayed at their ranch, handled a shotgun to shoot clay pigeons (and discovered I was very good after years of playing video games), rode horses, visited a farm and ate my fair share of huckleberry pancakes every morning.
For this trip in 2023, we were attaching it to my birthday trip and the sole purpose of it was all about huckleberries.
Onward to Reno and Idaho Falls
As with all our road trips, it started in San Diego with Doctor in tow. Since it was the height of summer, we had some provisions we wanted to keep us and our dog comfortable including lots of cold water in the car in several insulated jugs. We made the usual journey from San Diego to Reno with the intention of visiting Paul’s sister, her partner and his dad before venturing further north into huckleberry country.
Beyond Reno, it was all new to me going east on I-80 passing Winnemucca, Battle Mountain and Elko, before heading north on US-95 from Wells, Nevada into Idaho territory. Our intention for this leg of the trip was to bunk overnight in Idaho Falls. During the blistering hot trip, we spied Snake River but didn’t feel compelled to leave the air conditioning of our car. We also started seeing signs of huckleberries littering the shelves of rest stops and stores we stopped at for breaks.
Finally in Montana
Heading north on I-15, we crossed the Continental Divide which also serves as a border between Idaho and Montana, also acting as a drainage divide separating the watersheds from either going into the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean.
Butte was the first big town in Montana we passed through followed by a short jaunt to Helena, the state’s capital where we toured the grounds stretching our legs in the process.
Missoula followed next where were saw a street with my name appropriately located on a dead end street.
On the way to Kalispell, our destination for the next several days, we passed by St. Ignatius where signs several signs promoting huckleberries caught our eyes. We settled on the Huckleberry Jam Factory for lunch and loaded up on our first big huckleberry haul.
Buffalo burgers were on the menu along with countless huckleberry treats, both refrigerated and unrefrigerated. It seemed like a popular spot for many people on their way to other destinations who also were drawn to the promise of huckleberries despite one kid who asked for a chocolate shake and was immediately denied. Read the room, kid. This shop specializes in one thing.
At the stop, Doctor also got a close encounter with buffalos found behind the shop.
We practiced restraint. Once our buffalo burgers were consumed, we ordered a huckleberry shake with a swirl of the magenta berry syrup, plus a huckleberry roll topped with cream cheese to enjoy later. Our biggest regret was not buying more of the rolls as it was one of the highlights of our trip. The soft, fluffy roll contrasting with the tart berries was unlike anything I’ve tasted before, and in my opinion, a superior version to the traditional cinnamon roll.
The scenery throughout our drive up to Whitefish, located north of Flathead Lake, became more lush. Since it was the day before Independence Day, the lake was crammed with outdoor enthusiasts both off and on the water.
Relieved to get to our hotel before the sun set, we unpacked our car, readying ourselves for a full day’s adventure.
Land of Huckleberries
Staying in Whitefish was a strategic move for us because we were intent on visiting Polebridge Mercantile & Bakery about 45 miles away. We intended to stay closer to Polebridge but lodging became more scarce and we wanted to stay in the more populated areas with modern day plumbing.
Leaving our hotel, the route to Polebridge was paved for the first 20 miles but quickly turned to gravel sometimes dirt roads. Our Kia Niro puttered along at a safe space while pickup trucks and SUVs with higher ground clearance passed us, kicking up dirt in the process.
After a gripping hour plus on the dirt road, we finally made it to Polebridge and immediately noticed large crowds waiting for the parade to start. But first breakfast, namely the store’s famous huckleberry bear claws.
Polebridge Mercantile & Bakery has been profiled in several publications for its storied past and huckleberry bear claws. Once inside the shop, its history was displayed on every available free spot with dozens upon dozens of huckleberry claws cooling on several racks. Seemingly, every person left with one or more including us. Considering the store is only open a few months out of the year, it makes sense people stock up. We also brought two varieties of huckleberry soda.
Next door, we ordered poutine from a food cart while watching the parade. We were, after all, 20 miles from the U.S.-Canadian border. The parade ended with a fire truck throwing huckleberry claws from the top of the vehicle. It was here we also bought a pint of fresh huckleberries for a whopping $20!
Our huckleberry adventures didn’t start and end in Polebridge. Shops in the Whitefish area touted huckleberries, some more touristy than others like one with Marvel cutouts set in a Happy Days like diner. Even supermarkets had huckleberry ice cream by the gallons, a temptation we resisted since we couldn’t finish a half gallon between us especially since we were leaving the next day.
Since it was the 4th of July, we opted to head to the hotel early, prepping for potential fireworks and to keep Doctor calm throughout the evening.
Onward to Spokane, Washington
We took a leisurely route out of Montana passing through Coeur d’Alene in Idaho to our destination for that evening in Spokane, Washington. The heat continued, decreasing our desire to explore the area and instead sought refuge in the cute tiny home we rented. With the exception of the bathroom where a normal-sized person had to pivot at an angle to dry their legs on the toilet bowl after taking a shower, the house was perfect. There was a yard for Doctor to explore and the neighborhood was quiet. Our host welcomed us to stay one more day but we needed to make our way back home.
Spokane to Reno
One of the final legs before heading back to San Diego was one last stop in Reno to visit Paul’s father. We were familiar with US-395 from Victorville to Reno but this northern portion of the highway was entirely new to us. There were long stretches of single lane highway ging in either direction, sometimes interrupted with winding roads through hilly terrain. Internet connection on some parts were non-existent. Paul even commented that people who complain that Nevada is barren clearly haven’t traveled this stretch of 395.
Washington turned into Oregon and we stopped in Burns, Ore. where children were managing a gas station and filled our gas tank. No adults seen.
Reno and Onward Home
No trip to Northern Nevada is complete without a visit to Lake Tahoe, a trip we’ve been doing almost every summer with the exception of The Pandemic Year. Doctor swam in the lake that benefitted from the seemingly non-stop atmospheric rivers months before.
While a big trip covering several states, it wasn’t a big as our cross country road trip in 2015 when we put 8,000 miles on a nearly brand new rental car in 12 days! We were glad to get Doctor into four more new states.
My Burning Kitchen... on the road 
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