Western Heritage Historic Byway
State: Idaho
Length: 30 miles / 48.0 km
Time to Allow: Allow 1 hour for travel
The Western Heritage Historic Byway is the second shortest at just 40 miles long. You can drive the route in as little as an hour or take a day or two to see all the sights and enjoy some nature close to the central Oregon border. The area encompasses the Owyhee Mountains with impressive panoramic views and several unforgettable sights nearby, like the Snake River Cliffs. As it’s close to the border, you could start on this byway before heading to Oregon and exploring a little further.
Pick up the byway in south at Swan Falls right in the mountains before heading further north into towns. The town borders Snake River. Visit the Owyhee County Museum and learn about the local miners, farmers, and their families from Southern Idaho. Go west to Celebration Park to visit the only archaeological park available. It’s a huge basalt structure with petroglyphs dating back a 100 to 10,000 years old. Visitors can learn about Paleolithic and Archaic life with a walking tour over the Guffey Railroad Bridge.
If you want to camp for the night, this is a great location, and they offer fishing. However, you cannot take an RV as they do not have electricity available. Next, head to the Swan Falls Dam Historic Powerhouse and Museum. It’s a gravity-type hydroelectric dam right on the Snake River. From there, you can hike or bike the Snake River Canyon Rim for dramatic vistas over ten miles of trails. Base jumpers use the Perrine Bridge, while Kayakers use the river below.
Dedication Point sits just above swan falls, following the river with a deep canyon and a broad plateau rich in wildlife. Continue to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey, an area with thick concentrations of nesting birds, including hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons. From there, head to Initial Point to see a small volcanic remnant that rises about 350 feet over the Snake River Plain near Kuna.
Kuna offers a variety of entertainment options, including a shooting range, a golf club, and a few wineries. Stop at the Indian Creek Winery offers wine with yoga on Sundays if you want to try out a relaxing form of exercise. Next, try out Indian Creek by floating down a tube for a fun ride at exhilarating speeds. The entire area is packed with nature and outdoor activities, with the snake river as the main sight.
End in Meridian with tons to do with kids. Check out the Roaring Springs Waterpark or Settlers Park for fishing. The Wahooz Family Fun zone if you like amusement parks with mini-golf. After, go shopping in the Village at Meridian with a variety of shops and restaurants. After head to the Meridian Speedway and then go bowling at a variety of bowling alleys. The town offers activities for everyone in the family, and you could spend a couple of days exploring everything the town has to offer.
More Idaho Byways
You can check out additional Byways in Idaho by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the Idaho Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.