America's Scenic Byways

Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway

50 miles -

The Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway is a rich tapestry of places, people, and scenic lands that encompasses all that is truly Idaho. Dating back nearly 4.5 million years ago, the rich agricultural land found today along the byway was born of fire when volcanoes dominated the land. Nearly 15,000 years ago water reshaped the land as one of the largest floods in geologic history flooded the entire valley from Idaho to Oregon via the Snake and Columbia River. Over the millenniums, nature continued to define the land, creating a unique ecosystem of wildlife and plants that are found only in southwestern Idaho.

The Snake River Canyon Scenic Byway spans more than fifty miles. To drive the byway is to share in the same visual experience the early pioneers observed when they arrived to create a new life in the sage brush covered valley. Today’s rich agricultural lands and the vibrant cities found along the byway are the legacy passed down to us by those early Idaho pioneers—a living legacy for all of us to discover, enjoy, and to offer to our children as we drive a truly “southwestern” Idaho roadway.