Snake River Canyon wine country byway adds zest to Idaho’s 30 scenic byways

9/1/2009
BOISE, Idaho (Sept. 1, 2009) – Fall in Idaho is a spectacular sight. Trees explode into rich displays of crimson and gold, mountain peaks get their first dusting of snow and the crisp blue skies seem endless while farmers work to bring in the fall harvest.

An excellent way to experience Idaho’s fall colors is to take a drive on one of the state’s 30 scenic byways. From tumbling rivers to placid alpine lakes, each byway has distinctly unique features. Scenic byways allow visitors to tailor their sightseeing trips to their individual interests and experience Idaho at their own pace.  Idaho’s award-winning scenic byways website can assist visitors in planning their trip with sleek slideshows, interactive maps of each byway, Idaho historical information and links to lodging, attractions and events.

Idaho’s newest byway, the Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway, south of Nampa, runs for 53 miles along the Snake River, while taking visitors on a diverse tour of 11 wineries, fruit orchards, irrigated farms and historical sites. This fall, motorists will observe the fall harvest in high gear in the breadbasket of the Snake River Valley.  “It’s kind of a unique scenic byway because you see such a variety of sights along the way – from the Snake River itself to Indian petroglyphs to the wineries and Oregon Trail history,” said Steve Fultz, executive director of the Caldwell/Canyon Economic Development Council. “Every few miles, you enter a different world.”

The Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway starts south of Nampa on Map Rock Road off of Idaho State Highway 45, and runs west along the banks of the Snake River, following a series of country roads in the Snake River Valley Wine Region, passing by the towns of Melba, Homedale, Wilder and Parma before the route ends at the Snake River crossing on the Oregon-Idaho border. Overnight lodging is available in nearby Nampa and Caldwell.

It’s easy to combine a scenic drive with bird-watching, geology and history on Idaho’s Pioneer Historic Byway, which runs from Franklin, the first settlement established in Idaho in 1860, to Soda Springs and Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The route winds through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest on U.S. 91, U.S. 30 and Idaho 34, passing by yellow and gold stands of aspen trees and blazing red maples during the fall.   

Travelers can check out 18 points of interest along the 127-mile route, including Mormon pioneer history, a cold-water geyser that erupts on the hour in Soda Springs, and farther north, Grays Lake refuge. The 19,000-acre refuge is home to 163 species of birds so bring your binoculars. 

The White Pine Scenic Byway features a mix of rolling wheat fields with densely forested mountains near Moscow, Idaho, but in the fall, western larch trees turn bright yellow, creating spectacular vistas amid the green pine, fir and hemlock trees. Travelers will learn about early logging activities in Idaho as they drive by what was once the largest white pine mill in the world in Potlatch, and tour or stay in a campground where one giant white pine tree remains standing.

The White Pine byway also tours St. Maries, the Cataldo Mission State Park, featuring the oldest standing building in the state, where missionaries taught Christianity to Native Americans, and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a paved trail that winds for more than 70 miles along the Coeur d’Alene River and Coeur d’Alene Lake. Bring your bikes, if you’re so inclined.     

Fall is the ideal time to explore Idaho’s scenic byways. Road conditions remain good, traffic is minimal and the changing of the seasons brings renewed beauty to the landscapes. For lodging and dining options, photos from the routes and interactive maps of all 27 of Idaho’s scenic byways, visit www.idahobyways.gov.

Idaho—Adventures in LivingIdaho is home to thousands of miles of biking trails, mountains to climb, lakes to fish, 17 ski resorts and more whitewater than any other state in the lower 48. So take a break from it all and come out to play. Idaho—adventures in living. Visit www.visitidaho.org for more information and vacation ideas.                         

News tag(s): Travel