The Oregon Trail Journal

Sunday, June 24 – We traveled via tour bus to Glenns Ferry with a guide from OCTA. From Twin Falls, the main Oregon Trail stayed south of the Snake River. We stood on the top of a bluff overlooking one of the Oregon Trail’s toughest river crossings--Three Island Crossing (Waymark Code: WM1TW6)--with its formidable width, deep channels, and swift currents. Those emigrants who were unsuccessful or chose not to attempt the crossing stayed on the dry, rough Oregon Trail South Alternative. I took coordinates and photographs. There is an annual reenactment of the crossing that is tame compared to the tales told by emigrants on the Oregon Trail. The crossing passed into history when Gustavus “Gus” P. Glenn established a ferry about two miles above the crossing in 1869.

We traveled to the Oregon Trail History Center at Three Island Crossing State Park (2000). We saw a video and looked at the exhibits. I walked up the hill to the interpretive area where I took photographs and coordinates. I walked back down to the center to take a few more photographs.

We traveled to Carmela Vineyards where we had lunch in the dining hall. We visited Kings Hill Station (Bannock War), trail ruts and two unmarked graves, and ruts and (dead) Hot Springs. We stopped at Rattlesnake Station ruins, Rocky Road ruts and graves, and Canyon Creek station and cemetery.

During the afternoon, one of the Elderhostel group, Bob J., pointed out a benchmark (Benchmark: OZ1001). I took a couple photographs which I submitted with the log. Described by Coast and Geodetic Survey 1959 (WWH) the station is 3.5 miles northeast of Glenns Ferry, 2.5 miles northwest of King Hill, 1.0 mile southeast of the bluffs which form the north rim of the valley and on the summit of a low sage covered hill.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Boise, Idaho. We had a salmon dinner with “Idaho Baked Potato” icecream dessert at a nearby Holiday Inn.