Established in 1989 as Idaho’s only archaeological park, Celebration Park is situated along the beautiful Snake River. It was about a 35-minute drive from our home in Boise. We were excited to see the petroglyphs! They range from 100 years to 10,000 years old and you can see them up close and personal.
According to Wikipedia:
“During the winter, the Paiute lived at lower elevations along the Snake River like at this site, and this region was also home to Shoshone. A freshwater spring in the park area made it an ideal camping spot for many generations.”
It does feel like you’re taking a step back in time. My kids tried to figure out what the petroglyphs mean. There are volunteers that can answer questions and help you locate trails to explore.
We also explored the bridge and found out some pretty cool stuff about this historic span!
According to Wikipedia:
“The park’s Guffey railroad bridge over the Snake River was built 123 years ago in 1897, to carry gold and silver ore from Silver City in the Owyhee mountains to Nampa for smelting. It has been refurbished and is open for walking and horseback riding. It is the only Parker-Through-Truss railroad bridge in Idaho and is the state’s largest historic artifact; it was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The 450-ton steel structure is 70 feet (21 m) tall and spans 500 feet (150 m) over the river. The bridge was abandoned 73 years ago in 1947, saved from demolition in the 1970s, and purchased and restored by Canyon County in 1989.”
Celebration Park features camping (they closed on October 5th), restrooms, drinking water, picnicking, self-guided tours, and interpretive programs as well as fishing and access to hiking trails and the Snake River with a small day-use fee. It was a fun Outdoor Idaho Adventure day trip!
Get directions to Celebration Park and find out more here: https://www.canyonco.org/project/celebration-park/
