Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BackonRte.21thedrivethreadsapathwaythroughthejaggedpeaksoftheSawtooths.
Blocks of colored granite are exposed at intervals along the road. A close look at these
rocks reveals dark veins embedded in their faces—evidence, geologists say, of past up-
heavals.
8.
Sawtooth Overlook
PastCapeHorn,asRte.21nearstheedgeofBoiseNationalForest,itloopsabruptlysouth-
westtowardBannerSummit,thendescendsthroughanarrow,steep-walledcanyon.Before
long, you'll come to Sawtooth Overlook, a spot that offers a last chance to glimpse the
Sawtooth Range, now cresting in the east.
This part of the drive is sometimes closed in winter. Yet during the chillier months,
KirkhamHotSpringsremainopen.Heldintubs,theirthermalwaterscanrefreshtheweary
traveler, and the Forest Service provides a soothing dip free of charge.
If you prefer flowing water—and cooler temperatures—sample the South Fork Payette
River. Popular for its trout fishing, it can be just as satisfying for those content to simply
wet their toes and watch the rapids.
9.
Lowman
InJuly1989lightningignitedthreeseparateblazesintheforestsnearthetownofLowman.
The fires grew unabated, eventually merging into a super storm that sent flames 200 feet
into the sky. It took nearly three weeks for more than 2,300 firefighters, working around
the clock, to tame the inferno.
Atfinalcountsome46,000acresweredevastated bytheLowmanburn.Thedamageto
the forest, despite the clearing and replanting that was done, is quite evident as you drive
through the area. As an aid to understanding the blaze, interpretive signs, detail the fire's
path and its aftermath.
10.
Idaho City
Outfitted with powerful hydraulic pumps, large dredges were once a common sight in
IdahoCity,whereoneofourcountry'slargestgoldboomsoccurredinthe1860s.Remnants
of those early times flank the byway: century-old gravel mounds and neatly piled cobble-
stones that were left behind at old excavations. For insights into the past, visit the Boise
Basin Historical Museum, which traces the history of local mines. Rte. 21 then leads trav-
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