Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
2.
Sunbeam
OnceinthetownofSunbeam,you'llnoticetheruinsofanolddam.Theonlysuchstructure
ever built on the Salmon River, it was erected in 1910 to supply power for a nearby mill
and mines. Since it prevented salmon from swimming upstream to spawn, however, res-
idents agreed to circumvent it, and in 1934 a well-placed charge of dynamite once again
unleashed the river's flow.
Partially unpaved forest roads lead north out of Sunbeam to two early gold-mining
camps, Custer and Bonanza. Both communities boomed when rich veins of ore were dis-
covered around1875,andbothwere all butabandoned by1911.Sightseers can explore the
ghost towns, where dance halls once resounded with rollicking piano tunes. A museum in
Custer's old schoolhouse tells the story of those earlier days.
3.
Challis
The drive to Challis, a small town with lodging and services, offers many opporunities to
observe the region's wildlife. At Indian Riffles, for example, an overlook on Rte. 75 offers
views of spawning salmon in the fall. The road then heads east and north, never straying
far from the river.
Along the way, you might spot dippers, aquatic birds that resemble chubby brown
wrens. Overhead, golden eagles sail across the sky, their graceful flight a nearly perfect
symbol of the freedom one finds among the Rockies. The area is also inhabited by bighorn
sheep, which winter on the alpine slopes, and mountain goats, sure-footed creatures that
roam the uppermost cliffs at will.
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