It's a busy time for the outdoors between hunting and fishing and everything else.

Here a recreation outlook for the weekend and beyond:

FISHING AT CASCADE RESERVOIR

It looks like trout fishing at Cascade Reservoir turned on the last few weeks with anglers picking up some nice trout while trolling with Beer Cans and Ford Fenders. Usually the reservoir is slow fishing this time of the summer. The news is a pleasant surprise.

Anglers are trailing Wedding Ring spinners with a piece of worm on the trolling gear.

It's a good sign. Some trout in the 4-pound range have been caught.

TAKE A HIKE

The Idaho Conservation League has two more hiking weekends coming up, including a cool weekend in the Trinity mountains, near Anderson Reservoir and then a hiking weekend up near McCall.

The Trinity Lakes, Rainbow Lakes and Anderson Ranch Reservoir outing is this weekend, Sept. 4-5. The Lake Fork Creek to Maki and Snowslide lakes hike is Sept. 12-13.

Space is limited, and registration is required. For more information about these hikes, and to reserve your place, call the Idaho Conservation League
at 345-6933 ext. 14, or see www.idahoconservation.org.

MAGRUDER ROAD

The U.S. Forest Service reports that the Magruder Road Corridor (FR 468) is open and it's a good time to drive the road. It starts at Red River Ranger Station and ends at Darby, Mont.

I talked to someone who drove the road last weekend and it is in fairly decent shape. If you're going to do this trip, do it now through September. The 101-mile primitive route goes between two wilderness areas - the Selway and the Frank Church River of No Return wildernesses. (I posted one of my favorite photos from the Magruder Road. It's Burnt Knob Lookout.)

It's a great four-day weekend drive. Additional information about the Magruder Road or other scenic drives can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r1/nezperce

By the way, if you are traveling north, all campgrounds on the Selway River will be open for the holiday weekend. and ready for use.

BEAR VALLEY AREA
Forest Road 579 will be temporarily closed to remove a culvert where the road crosses Fir Creek. The temporary closure, on a key access road to Dagger Falls, will occur from Sept. 16- Oct. 2, or until the project is completed.

The closure begins just past the Lola Creek trailhead (at milepost 3.1) and ends just before the FS 579 intersection with FS 579A. Access to the Lola Creek Trailhead and the Fir Creek Campground will remain open during this closure. That's good.

During the closure, access to the Boundary Creek Road and/or the Dagger Falls boat launch from Idaho 21 will be via FS 582 (Clear Creek Road) out of Lowman. That's going to be a long and inconvenient drive.

The road will be closed to all motorized access to provide for public and worker safety during construction, according to the Forest Service. The culvert is being replaced with a bridge, which will restore fish passage further up the creek from the site. Restoration of fish passage will allow bull trout, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other fish and aquatic organisms to get to habitat in the upper reaches of Fir Creek, the agency said.

For more information, contact Devon Green at 373-4309 or the Lowman Ranger Station at 259-3361.

SUN VALLEY LIFTS

This is the last weekend to ride the chairlifts at Sun Valley Resort.

Although hiking and biking trails will remain open on Bald Mountain, summer chairlift service will end Monday.

Lift ticket prices include:
- One ride - Adult, $15; child (3-12),$7.

- All day - Adult, $20; child, $10.

- For more information, see www.sunvalley.com.

- Lift hours are 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. daily until the last day.

- For more information, see www.sunvalley.com. See Summer Trails for descriptons of hikes and mountain bike rides.

SALMON AND STEELHEAD DAYS

Don't forget the annual Idaho Salmon and Steelhead Days, Sept. 9-11, which celebrate the biology, history and economic and cultural significance of salmon and steelhead.

During the three-day event, as many as 2,000 fifth-graders participate in hands-on outdoor activities.

A salmon barbecue is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 10. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children and a hot dog meal for children is available for $3. All events are at the Idaho Fish and Game at 600 S. Walnut St. in Boise.

The salmon dinner is donated by Fred Meyer and prepared by Murphy’s Seafood Bar & Grill chefs. Dessert is donated by Goody’s Soda Fountain & Candy Store.

Barbecue tickets are available at the MK Nature Center, 600 S. Walnut St. and Idaho Fish and Game headquarters.