Snake River Gorge-ous Canyons

6/15/2021

The Snake River begins its journey in Yellowstone National Park.

"The Tetons and the Snake River is a black and white photograph taken by Ansel Adams in 1942, at the Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming. It is one of his best known and most critically acclaimed photographs." Wikipedia. Photo in Public Domain. See also https://www.nps.gov/places/000/snake-river-overlook.htm

Adventures along the Snake River

Snake River at Jackson Hole Wyo, public domain

Overview of the town of Jackson, Wyoming from Snow King Resort. Photo by Mlewis2005; https://www.goodfreephotos.com All free photos on this site are public domain.

Wyoming
Jackson Hole—about 20 mi to Grand Teton National Park, 65 mi to Yellowstone

https://www.visitjacksonhole.com/activities
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/top-activities-things-to-do-7
https://www.snakeriverpark.com/ cabins, RV village, rafting, riding
https://www.snakeriverlodge.com/ music festival July 2-Aug 21
3 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEj5xKUXF0&ab_channel=RealtyGroupJackson
16 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn0I-B2QMVY&ab_channel=TravelCouncil

Southern Idaho

Idaho Falls

Snake River Greenbelt https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/River-Walk-69
https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2448/Riverwalk-Brochure-PDF?bidId=
https://www.snakeriverrvpark.com/ appears to be right on the Snake River just below Rabbit Island
https://www.visitidahofalls.com/explore/exploring/
https://vacationidea.com/idaho-vacations/best-things-to-do-in-idaho-falls.html
3.5 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPubVcPMx2U&ab_channel=IdahoFallsMagazine
14 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89bBI63jh4&ab_channel=IslandHopperTV

American Falls—search American Falls Idaho videos for more . . .

https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/massacre-rocks/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Falls%2C_Idaho
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/idaho/id-abandoned-road-trip/
1 min video ice fishing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeL9y_KQXMk&ab_channel=long1844
1.5 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FEJPljWBQ0&ab_channel=DouglasNeibaur
3 min video, kid narrated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTkhgOV2ukw&ab_channel=IdahoWilliam

Twin Falls (small city) & Shoshone Falls Park

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Falls,_Idaho
https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/natural-attractions/shoshone-falls/
Perrine Bridge “The Perrine Bridge spans the majestic Snake River Canyon on the northern edge of Twin Falls. The bridge is 1,500 feet long and offers pedestrian walkways with views of the river, lakes, and waterfalls… Located on the south side of the bridge, is a parking area with the Twin Falls Visitor Center has a large parking area and access to the canyon rim trails leading to the bridge. To the east of the bridge, along the south rim of the canyon, the dirt ramp used by Evel Knievel when he unsuccessfully attempted to jump the canyon on his steam-powered ‘skycycle’ in 1974 is still visible." https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/roadside-attractions/perrine-bridge/
Centennial Waterfront Park—take Hwy 93 south of the bridge to Canyon Spirngs Rd. The park offers picnicking, playground, sheltered BBQ grills, a reservable pavilion, trails, fishing, canoe and kayak rental, boating, and guided boat tours. https://twinfallscounty.org/parks/parks/centennial-waterfront-park/
“Enjoy more than 10 miles of developed trails throughout Twin Falls and along the scenic Snake River Canyon. Walking, hiking, and biking are all welcome on the trail system. Watch BASE jumpers leap from the Perrine Bridge as wildlife soars in the canyon or wave to the kayakers enjoying the Snake River below. There’s no shortage of scenery on these trails… Easy access to the trails is available at the north end of Washington St. N., at the Twin Falls Visitor Center, or at Shoshone Falls Park. Trail maps are available at the Visitor Center or the City of Twin Falls offices." https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/rail-to-trail/snake-river-canyon-rim-trails/
5 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTLF1UN7pg&ab_channel=CupcakeandCornbread
6 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8J4on7N-Q&ab_channel=JaclyTravel
14 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3uw6ZPKKUw&ab_channel=AdventuresofA%2BK
Twin Falls Western Days https://visitsouthidaho.com/event/twin-falls-western-days/

Rainbow at Shoshone Falls ID

1000 Springs, Hagerman ID
From Boise we took off I-84 at Bliss, headed down in the valley of Hagerman/the Snake River via Hwy 30. Hagerman is about 1.5 hours southeast of Boise. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I missed my best opportunity to pull off the road and get a good picture of 1000 Springs. But it is worth seeing. There are other things to see in the area, as the videos above and below will show.

1000 Springs State Park https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/thousand-springs/
Snake River Overlook, accessible, near Hagerman https://www.nps.gov/places/snake-river-overlook.htm?utm_source=place&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=experience_more&utm_content=small
1 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZWl_6MQMMU&ab_channel=SouthernIdahoTourism
2 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms0qdSDn8so&ab_channel=VisitSouthernIdaho
5 min video, kid narrated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0el3amZeUI&ab_channel=IdahoWilliam
Hagerman https://hagermanidaho.us/about-us/
Fossils near Hagerman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagerman%2C_Idaho

Snake River from W Madison Ave, Glenns Ferry ID

Glenns Ferry http://www.elmorecountypress.com/hilitingglennsferry1.htm

Visitor’s Guide and Tour https://www.glennsferryidaho.org/visitors-guide-and-tour/
More photos of Glenns Ferry, scroll midway down at https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/boise-id
Glenns Ferry Historical Museum https://www.glennsferryidaho.org/city/departments/museum/
Historic Opera Theatre https://glennsferrytheatre.org/
4 min Glenns Ferry ID Fly Over, no sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjMKMev3OGU&ab_channel=AmyCole

Three Island Crossing

Oregon

The Boise River

The Boise River, Owyhee River, Malheur River, Payette River, and the Weiser River all contribute to the Snake near Ontario OR.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owyhee_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malheur_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payette_River
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weiser_River
See also Four Rivers Cultural Center & Museum in Ontario OR https://4rcc.com/

looking east up the Snake River near Farewell Bend OR--where the Snake River turns north and creates a border between Idaho and Oregon

Farewell Bend

The Powder River runs through Baker City OR

The Powder River runs north through Baker City, then east, and eventually makes its way to the Snake River northeast of Baker City near Richland OR.
https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/powder.php

For more info and photos of the Powder River, scroll down at
https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/halfway-union-or-and-thereabouts

Hells Canyon of the Snake River

Ways to get to Hells Canyon from Oregon

https://hellscanyonbyway.com/the-byway/route-information/

Hells Canyon Creek Visitor Center, at Hells Canyon Dam

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wallowa-whitman/recreation/recarea/?recid=51941&actid=119

Snake river and Minor Tributaries…Hells Canyon Dam (fish)

Hells Canyon Dam to Pittsburg Landing

http://www.riverbrain.com/run/show/151?run=Hells+Canyon+%28Hells+Canyon+Dam+to+Pittsburg+Landing%29

Idaho--Hells Canyon & Clearwater confluence

A pretty comprehensive introduction to this area can be found at Visit Lewis Clark Valley--Lewiston ID, Clarkston WA. They publish a great pamphlet with nice big map and great info.

https://visitlcvalley.com/
https://cityoflewiston.org/101/Visitors
city parks https://cityoflewiston.org/Faq.aspx?QID=108
background info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewiston,_Idaho
Hells Gate State Parkhttps://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/hells-gate/
5 min video 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOAhJSDnXq0&ab_channel=VisitLewisClarkValley

Since this post is about the Snake River I'll save much regarding my stay in Lewiston-Clarkston for a another post. But I do want to mention the paved paths all along the Snake (and Clearwater) River, and the confluence. It's hard to show the rivers meeting from the ground, but I'll include what I can.

I was excited to go jet boating through Hells Canyon, and driving to Boise I've seen the sign directing to Hells Canyon, which led me to think it would be near Boise. Not so! It's about 4 hours away.
I asked about shorter routes from Portland OR. I could drive to Baker City, then north to Halfway OR (stay overnight); from there it's about an hour to the Hells Canyon Creek Visitor Center, at Hells Canyon Dam. But I wasn't too sure about that road.
Some jet boat tours start from Pittsburgh Landing, which is convenient to nowhere. I felt no confidence in finding ADA accommodatins in Riggins ID or White Bird ID, the nearest towns.
I began to think of staying in Lewiston ID and driving down to Pittsburg Landing, or to a jet boat office with a shuttle service there. A trip to Lewiston would also allow me to gather info and photos for the Sacajawea Trail post I'm working on.
Then to my delight I found I could book a jet boat excursion right from Lewiston, or Clarkston WA. So that's what I did. I went with Snake River Adventures, from Lewiston. They said they could accommodate me and my wheelchair. Some other options I found but haven't tried:

From Hells Canyon Dam https://hellscanyon.biz/adventures/
Out of Whitebird ID, with shuttle to Pittsburg Landing https://killgoreadventures.com/
Out of Riggins ID
- https://idahoriverguides.com/lodging/hells-canyon-jet-boat-tour/
- https://hellscanyon.tours/
Out of Clarkston WA, easy convenient dock by Hells Canyon RV Resort (where the illustrated Lewis & Clark Timeline is embedded in the walk)-- https://snakedancerexcursions.com/
- or, https://www.hellscanyontours.com/general-info/ lots of options, such as Copper Creek Lodge stay in the Canyon
- map of Snake River/Hells Canyon https://www.hellscanyontours.com/river-map
Rafting the Snake https://www.windingwatersrafting.com/boathouse/snake-river-information/

Here's my Hells Canyon jet boating experience
from Lewiston ID, upstream and back, full day tour.

http://snakeriveradventures.com/

Stops for a continental breakfast, box lunch, and swim, as well as pauses at particular points of interest.
Unfortunately none of the stops were wheelchair friendly from the river, so I just stayed in the boat for breakfast, lunch, and break--which they provide.
It was mid-June, so the breeze felt good even in the morning, and by afternoon I had to keep pouring water on my legs to cool them. They advise sunglasses, sun lotion, towel, binoculars. Baseball caps kept getting blown away. You can bring a small cooler of your own, and I brought some diabetic options.

--Buffalo Eddy petroglyphs, stop on the way back

https://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/visit-buffalo-eddy.htm

--Grande Ronde River joins the Snake near the OR/WA border, note in passing

--Garden Creek Ranch--stop for breakfast buffet

https://snakeriveradventures.com/stay-overnight-in-hells-canyon/

--Cache Creek Ranch—north end of Hells Canyon National recreation Area, Forest Service office 35 mi south of Lewiston ID, stop on the way back

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wallowa-whitman/recreation/recarea/?recid=51831

--Cherry Creek Falls pause to look and pic
--Salmon River, "River of No Return", pause & talk

--Imnaha River joins the Snake, note in passing

https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/imnaha.php

--Dug Bar (Chief Joseph crossing), informative talk

https://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/visit-dug-bar.htm

--Copper Creek Lodge note in passing

https://www.hellscanyontours.com/stay-in-hells-canyon/

--Pittsburg Landing (offers the following amenities, though we did not stop to avail ourselves)

--Kirkwood Ranch for lunch

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wallowa-whitman/recreation/recarea/?recid=51773&actid=70

--Suicide Point, pointed out: no suicides at this point, just a cliff, passing interest

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/man-sits-on-horseback-looking-at-the-snake-river-at-suicide-news-photo/3230043

Washington

General info about the Snake River

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_River
https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/snake-river.htm
https://naturalatlas.com/rivers/snake-785712 you can zoom in map to see rapids labeled
https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/snake.php
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/snake_river/#.YMa3X_lKiM8
dams on the Snake River https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dams_in_the_Columbia_River_watershed

Another way to get from Portland OR to Clarkston WA--Columbia & Snake Rivers Cruise

https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/columbia-and-snake-river-cruises/columbia-and-snake-rivers-cruise

Hwy 12 follows closely along the Snake River about 8 miles west from Clarkston WA to Silcott, and then the highway veers southward and up into the rolling hills and farmlands on its way to Walla Walla. Meanwhile the Snake River makes a broad curve to the north before bowing south again. At Pasco WA river and road meet again where the Snake converges with the Columbia River, just as the Columbia makes the gentle bend from the north (all the way from Canada) west to the Pacific Ocean. Once again, it's hard to distinguish the convergence at river level. Sacajawea State Park is at the tip of the transition, and signs from there show the lay of the land and waterway better than I could with a photo.

Sacajawea State Park

Pasco WA official site