Camping, fishing for trout and boating are the favorite activities along the
Snake River from this semi-developed recreation site.

Camping, fishing for trout and boating are the favorite activities along the Snake River from this semi-developed recreation site.

Bird's eye view of the park

Snake River Vista Recreation Site

American Falls Reservoir is formed by American Falls Dam, which is a major
facility on the Mindoka Project.  Managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, Snake
River Area Office, Bingham County; and the city of American Falls, this 87
square mile (56,000-acre) reservoir offers 100 miles of shoreline. Built
primarily as a water storge reservoir for irrigation, it also provides
electric power and flood control protection. When completely full, the
reservoir is the largest reservoir on the Snake River and in Idaho. Boating,
canoeing, fishing, swimming, wildlife viewing, picnicking, jet boats, water
skiing, wildlife viewing, and windsurfing are the major recreation activities
at American Falls Reservoir, located in Southeastern Idaho. American Fall's
fish species include rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, crappie, yellow
perch, white fish, bullhead and channel catfish. Season open year-round,
however the fishery is dependent upon the availability of water to maintain
the minimum pool necessary to carry over fish from year to year. Reservoir
acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for
rivers below Upper Snake River Basin reservoirs and select river locations are
updated daily and graphically provided. Site offers restrooms, three boat
ramps at the southwest end of the reservoir and one north of the dam,
campground, picnic tables, swimming, and a visitor center. The visitor center
features displays about various aspects of Shoshone and Bannock Indian
prehistoric, historic, and contemporary culture. Other displays exhibit
memorabilia associated with the construction of Ameircan Falls dam. Boat ramp
elevations. Located near American Falls, adjacent to Interestate 86, the
reservoir is easy to find. Numerous access sites, complete with ramps and
docks, make it easy to use for boaters as well as shore anglers. Rainbow trout
are by far the most popular fish in American Falls Reservoir. Fish weighing
5-6 pounds are not uncommon.

American Falls Reservoir is formed by <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=American+Falls+Dam" rel="nofollow">American Falls Dam</a>, which is a major facility on the <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Minidoka%20Project" rel="nofollow">Mindoka Project. </a> Managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, Snake River Area Office, Bingham County; and the city of American Falls, this 87 square mile (56,000-acre) reservoir offers 100 miles of shoreline.  Built primarily as a water storge reservoir for irrigation, it also provides electric power and flood control protection.  When completely full, the reservoir is the largest reservoir on the Snake River and in Idaho.  Boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, wildlife viewing, picnicking, jet boats, water skiing, wildlife viewing, and windsurfing are the major recreation activities at American Falls Reservoir, located in Southeastern Idaho.   American Fall's fish species include rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, crappie, yellow perch, white fish, bullhead and channel catfish.  Season open year-round, however the fishery is dependent upon the availability of water to maintain the minimum pool necessary to carry over fish from year to year.  Reservoir acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for rivers below <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm" rel="nofollow">Upper Snake River Basin</a> reservoirs and select river locations are updated daily and graphically provided. Site offers restrooms, three boat ramps at the southwest end of the reservoir and one north of the dam, campground, picnic tables, swimming, and a visitor center.  The visitor center features displays about various aspects of Shoshone and Bannock Indian prehistoric, historic, and contemporary culture.  Other displays exhibit memorabilia associated with the construction of Ameircan Falls dam.  <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/ramps/american/american.html" rel="nofollow">Boat ramp elevations.</a>

Located near American Falls, adjacent to Interestate 86, the reservoir is easy to find.  Numerous access sites, complete with ramps and docks, make it easy to use for boaters as well as shore anglers.  Rainbow trout are by far the most popular fish in American Falls Reservoir.  Fish weighing 5-6 pounds are not uncommon.

The Rotunda on the River Styx Tour route.

The Rotunda, the fifth largest room in the cave with a view of the saltpetre mining artifacts.

View of the Historic Entrance, the stairs leading into the cave with a small waterfall just off trail of the entrance.

A ranger on the metal bridge crossing the Dead Sea on the River Styx Tour.

A paved trail leads thorough large cave passages.

Entering Broadway

The trail narrows as it enters Fat Man's Misery.

Fat Man's Misery

River Styx

To get back up to the upper levels of the cave you must climb the 155-stair tower, approximately 5 stories

stair tower in the middle of a passageway

Decend down the Steps of Time, a steep and narrow staircase to access the lower level of the cave

Narrow and steep staircase leading to the lower levels of the cave

ranger points out a body of water below with a flashlight to tour group

Wooden pipes that were used in the early 1800s can been seen along the tour

Historic wooden pipes used in the 1800s

The Rotunda, one of the largest rooms in the cave system

Large open room with a topru group gathered around with ranger

Stay in open passageways for the first half of the River Styx Tour

See the Giants Coffin, a historic landmark in the cave

laege rock in the middle of a passageway

Snake your way through a narrow passageway with low ceilings

narrow passageway with a Fat Man's Misery sign

American Falls Reservoir

Explore the California trail to follow in the footsteps of over 250,000
emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California
during the 1840s and 1850s-the greatest mass migration in American history.
More than 1,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen across 10
states along this historic trail. In 1849, gold was discovered at Sutter's
Fort near Sacramento, California, setting off a rush by miners and others
seeking free land in California. By 1869, more than a quarter of a million
people crossed the plains and mountains heading to the West to find gold and
claim free land. The California Trail offered several paths to the West Coast
and California. One of the primary routes ran through South Pass, Wyoming,
which then led California-bound pioneers through southeast Idaho. Another
route led to Salt Lake City and then northward to Idaho to rejoin the main
trail at the City of Rocks near Granite Pass. By the 1860s, freight and mail
companies, military expeditions, new settlements and trading stations, and
thousands of travelers headed in all directions had transformed the California
Trail into a road. But, in 1869, the Union Pacific Railroad was connected with
the Central Pacific Railroad at Promontory Point in northern Utah, making it
possible to travel across the nation by rail ushering in a new era in
transportation and heralding the end of long-distance travel by wagon through
the West.

<p>Explore the California trail to follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s-the greatest mass migration in American history. More than 1,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen across 10 states along this historic trail. In 1849, gold was discovered at Sutter's Fort near Sacramento, California, setting off a rush by miners and others seeking free land in California. By 1869, more than a quarter of a million people crossed the plains and mountains heading to the West to find gold and claim free land. The California Trail offered several paths to the West Coast and California. One of the primary routes ran through South Pass, Wyoming, which then led California-bound pioneers through southeast Idaho. Another route led to Salt Lake City and then northward to Idaho to rejoin the main trail at the City of Rocks near Granite Pass. By the 1860s, freight and mail companies, military expeditions, new settlements and trading stations, and thousands of travelers headed in all directions had transformed the California Trail into a road. But, in 1869, the Union Pacific Railroad was connected with the Central Pacific Railroad at Promontory Point in northern Utah, making it possible to travel across the nation by rail ushering in a new era in transportation and heralding the end of long-distance travel by wagon through the West.</p>

Both fee and no-fee sites throughout historic trail system.

Snake River Vista Recreation Site

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American Falls Reservoir

California National Historic Trail | Idaho