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America’s back roads
January 4, 2008 | 29 Comments
On the old Highway maps of America, the main routes were red and the back roads blue. Now even the colors are changing. But in those brevities just before dawn and a little after dusk – times neither day nor night – the old roads return to the sky some of its color. Then, in truth, they carry a mysterious cast of blue, and it’s that time when the pull of the blue highway is strongest, when the open road beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself.
- William Least Heat-Moon in Blue Highways: A Journey into America
One morning last week, we piled into a car with some friends and spent a day driving around the Snake River basin in Idaho. Here’s a glimpse into the back roads of rural America, where time stands still.
In a landscape surrounded by dead shield volcanoes and lava rock, we came across this bridge.
Built in 1897, the Guffey Bridge was the tallest railroad bridge in the United States, climbing 210 feet. It used to transport people and cargo across the Snake River to Oregon. Now, it’s just a relic.
A view of the bridge from Celebration Park. This area, which is now an archaeological site, was a wintering ground for Paiute Indians along the Snake River.
It has petroglyphs and unique Indian art dating as far as 12,000 years ago at Celebration Park in the town of Melba.
The petroglyphs of southern Idaho were carved into large basalt rocks, which were deposited along the Snake River after the Great Bonneville Flood some 15,000 years ago. These petroglyphs are a record of journeys to hunting grounds or neighboring tribes, used for keeping track of the weather, denote areas of special religious significance, and other cryptic carvings for which modern man has been unable to decipher. (Link)
WICKIUP:
temporary dwelling of nomadic Native North Americans. It is a framework of arched poles covered by brush, bark, rushes, or mats. The wickiup is found among Native Americans in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, and California. The name is also spelled wikiup.
Larger picture HERE.
Map Rock is a map of the entire Snake River basin covering 32,000 square miles (82,880 square km) carved by the indigenous people on basalt rock several centuries ago. It is one of the most striking petroglyphs of its kind.
It’s the size of a schoolbus.
We had some visitors during our lunch break in the riverside town of Marsing.
This building from the 1800s used to be a station for people who boarded ferries to cross the Snake River.
In front of it is this jeep with markings from World War II M38a1 jeep that started production in 1952. Larger picture HERE.
Next to the ferry station was a pen full of curious sheep.
The type of vintage “filling” station that existed several decades ago, where petrol or diesel had to be pumped out.
Further along, we came across a fence with hundreds of birdhouses.
And a garden with dozens of peacocks. This garden is the private property of a family that allows the public to visit and enjoy it for free.
A loner
… and a couple of albinos
Some rabbits for company
On the way back, we saw the spectacular Snake River Canyon with the Owyhee mountains in the background. That deserves its own post.
All in a day’s work.
Filed Under: Celebration-Park, Guffey-Bridge, Idaho, Map-Rock, MUSINGS, Oregon-Trail, petroglyphs, Photo Essays, Snake-River, TRAVEL
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29 Comments
Wow! All in one day! Rajesh would had a field day if we were there too..
All in a day, now that’s some fun! Cool pictures, especially the peacocks and the rabbit
.
How stark winter can look – must have been a hard(er) life back then…
Whoa! I have never seen anything like this. What a terrain ! The bridge ..and oh my god the canyon looks so amazing.
We should visit Idaho !!!!!!!!!!!! :yes:
what a beautiful writeup. lovely pictures too. enjoyed seeing the pictures. keep it up.
now you are doing it again… :no:..showing pictures taken from the back… :nono:…..well we will just ignore that and bask in the rest of the beautiful pictures…
You totally have to Urban Acid the one with the jeep and the barn! The petroglyphs are mind-blowing. 12,000 years old?! Wow! That’s got to be some ‘lithic era. Fabulous!
If you ever take Route 9 (I think) out of Maine into Canada, you will see some of those vintage filling machines in action! I wish I had thought of taking pictures!
I do love the last picture a lot, too! That remote must come in handy for pictures like this. No infra red sensor on my Sony so I have to get one of those plug-in thingees.
Idaho is simply stunning! Thank you!
The jeep and the fence with a 100 bird houses are my favourites – in fact i love that fence idea – its brilliant
– there is so much to explore in this world and so little time on hand right now – i wish i could take that route 9 manisha’s talking about right now
that anonymous fool is me :huh:
truly said, time stands still….
Stunning pictures. I was reading Charles de Lint, and these fit right in.
That vintage filling station rocks! And those petroglyphs … Wow!
That last pic is simply fabulous. This looks like a great drive.
New year wishes to you too. Have a peaceful and joyous 2008!
:yes: A visual treat!!!
And u HAD to stand with ur backs to us , eh??? :nono:
Loved the scenic splendor.. :love: Thanks for the treat! :horn: :yes:
~ Siri ;;)
Wow, the pictures are amazing!
For now we’ve seen Idaho through your eyes, beautiful!
B’ful picures.
the last pic is so romantic .. :love:
Now u have brought memories of myself chasing peacocks in a field of my friend’s farm house in a village in Coimbatore. We ran to collect all the feathers that were shedded by the peacocks. Lovely pics!
Lovely pic of the peacock there!
Clapping!
Wow. Excellent! (I didnt like the solo picts of animals). Otherwise a very good photo journal of America’s backroads. Please post more stuff like this.
The albinos are beautiful….and so is the landscape in the last pic…
[...] America’s back roads (22) [...]
I live in that area, and have seen a lot of the things you photographed. Great photos!!
I am having trouble placing exactly where the old barn/ferry station is located……….can you help?
WC
don’t remember exactly, but it is somewhere on the way to marsing from celebration park.
Love the old barn and jeep! not from WW2 however. It’s an M38a1 which started production in 1952
sorry to nit-pick
indeed. thanks for pointing this out.
-jai
Hello, and what a lovely post!
I spent the weekend at my Pa’s house across the river from Map Rock, and finally managed to get a few good photos of the petroglyphs. I’m preparing a post on my own blog, so I’m doing a bit of research and found your blog. Do you mind if I link to your post from mine?
I’m from Idaho (New Meadows, ID – up north where it’s greener). Though I now live in Oregon, I am pleased whenever someone finds my home state a delight, as I do. Thank you for showing some of the unique beauty that our rural Western states offer.
~Crystal
you’re free to post a link, crystal.