Friday, October 25, 2013

Celebration Park




Celebration Park

Nestled near the Snake River on the western boundary of the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area is Celebration Park; an attraction that shouldn’t be missed. The twenty-one mile drive out of Nampa is well worth the time it takes to get there.  Travel south on 12th Avenue South, which is also Highway 45. Turn left (east) on Ferry Road, near Walter’s Ferry and the Snake River, then right on Warren Spur Road. Take another right on Sinker Road, which takes you to the north end of the picturesque Guffey Bridge, then follow the river to Celebration Park. All roads are paved on this route.

At Idaho’s first—and only---archeological park, unique Paleo-Indian ‘rock art’ pictures (called petroglyphs) can be found by the thousands, dating up to 12,000 years ago, thus creating a sacred site in the eyes of the Native American Indians. These were painted or etched onto the Bonneville melon gravel that was long ago washed up by the Lake Bonneville Flood. The Interpretive Specialists at the park assist in immersing their guests in the Indian culture, telling of the customs, geology and history of the valley. Imagine learning to throw an ‘atlatl’, that 45,000 year-old slinging weapon, and then doing so competitively (after a bit of instruction) at the atlatl range. Not to mention getting an education about the rock chipping and arrowhead making methods of the past. Scattered near the Visitor’s Center are several teepees to both view and enter, to get the feel of that ancient lifestyle. 


Feel like a hike? Before you take that first step on the trail, apply a liberal amount of sunscreen. Celebration Park is considered the high desert; that means shade trees are at a minimum. Oh, and you’d better take plenty of water.

About two miles upstream from the Visitor’s Center along the marked trail is Halverson Lake, a natural seepage that pops up out of nowhere as an oasis. Before arriving at the Lake, keep your eyes peeled for a waterfall or two, pouring over the basalt rim. You’ll also see several rock cabins (or their remnants), en route, built by the miners in the late 1890’s to 1900’s. These guys were looking for the super-fine ‘flour gold’ that was in the region.

The panoramic view includes high desert flora, the rushing waters and incredibly rugged scenery.

Halverson Lake is a hot spot for fisherman early in the calendar year, due to its smaller size and depth, which causes it to heat up a lot sooner than other bodies of water in the surrounding areas.

If you’re really feeling like a hike, just continue along the non-motorized marked trail, twenty miles upriver to the next park over, which is the Swan Falls Reservoir. You’ll see lots of birdlife along the way; according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, you are in the home of one of the highest concentration of raptors in the world. Raptors are not the only feathered friends you’ll see, however.  Keep a keen eye out for bugs, rabbits, Canadian geese, coyote, lizards, and even the occasional scorpion or snake.

When hiking downriver from the Visitor’s Center, you can’t miss the prominent fixture of Guffey Bridge. Renovated into a walking bridge, it was built in 1897 for the railroad and is the popular subject of many a photographer and painter.


The beauty of this park, beyond its breathtaking views and haunting fields of lava deposits, not to mention the meandering Snake River that clings to its edge, is that it is open to the public year-round. Better yet, the location shelters the park from the elements when other areas are snowbound, making hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails accessible all year long. The clincher for those that like to camp during the winter months is drinking water and heated restrooms, making Celebration Park just about as user-friendly as it can get.

Twenty five minutes from Nampa and all this can be yours.



 *For more adventures in Idaho, (with recipes between the stories!) get the "Appetite for Idaho" book here.

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