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Celebration Park is the Northeastern end of a roadless section of the Snake River Birds of Prey area. This Canyon County, Idaho, Park has been improved this area with a small interpretive center, campgrounds, and signed trails. The park includes petroglyphs, and large melon gravel (many huge boulders) as well as a desert lake and other archeological sites.
To download trail data in GPS Exchange format (.gpx) compatible with GPS mapping software right click on the link below:
To view the trails as a printable topographic map in Adobe Portable Document format (.pdf) left-click on the line below:
To view the trails as a Scalable Vector Graphics File (.svg) left-click on the line below: (See GPS Trail Maps - Scalable Vector Graphics for information on Scalable Vector Graphics)
GPX map by Dave Wissenbach
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Copyright 2004 by David S. Wissenbach
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Canyon County Parks Celebration Park
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GPS Trail Maps - Swan Falls
Hike to Halverson Lakes. Return the way you came, or back along the Snake River Trail. One day on this trail we saw Canada Geese, a Great Blue Heron, a Golden Eagle, and a Mule Deer.
Hike across the Guffey Bridge, and then either climb Guffey Butte or turn around and head upriver toward the Con Shea Basin.
Trail to Placer Mines. The trail shown here follows an old road along the Snake river to the placer mine tailings and then wanders through the tailings, following my path as I looked for old structures and rock piles to photograph, then along the old canal to the waterwheel which provided running water for the mining operation. (I know nothing about the mining operation, other than what I have deduced from wandering around!) This trail is best done on foot -- the rock house trail is much better for horses or bicycles.
The westernmost of several rock cabins in the area of the placer mine tailings.
Rock Cabins. More rock cabins close to the placer mine tailings.
Placer Mine Tailings. The tailings here were placed in a regular fashion to form a trench? Why?
Sandy trail around the north side of the lower east Halverson Lake. Around the lake, you'll have to walk here if you brought your mountain bike -- this is very tough going because of the black volcanic sand.
The jeep trail from Celebration Park to Swan Falls was closed in 1996 to become a non-motorized trail. The Snake River trail takes you upstream on the north bank to the road closure at the old pump station at Swan Falls. On the way you will pass the rock hermit house on the Snake River, which makes a good goal for a day hike.
The Snake River Canyon was formed just 15000 years ago when Utah's lake Bonneville drained through hear in one violent week. The canyon walls have been crumbling ever since.
Rock House. You can find out who lived here at the Celebration Park visitor's center.
Mines Trail. Intersection of Rock House trail and Mines Trail. Follow the low road on the river if you want to poke around the old rock miners cabins and placer mine tailings.
To the East is Swan Falls. The southwest trail leads to the Rock House. The west trail is the sandy trail around the north side of the east Halvorsen lake.
The Sandy trail crosses the stream connecting the two Halvorsen lakes at this point. You will connect with the Snake River Trail a few miles east of this point.
Water Wheel. This water wheel was apparently used to raise the water of the Snake River about 20 to 30 feet to a canal that fed the placer mining operation just downriver from here. In the mid 1980's some of the remains of the waterwheel were downriver from this site, but I was unable to find the rest of the structure on a visit in 2004. There are a few examples of waterwheels in Boise, Idaho. The waterwheel is powered by the momentum of water in the raceway. Buckets attached to the large diameter wheel raise the water. Usually, the water wheel was used for irrigation, but here the canal leads to placer mine tailings.
Guffey Bridge at Celebration Park
Looking east on the shore of Halvorsen Lake. While at this spot we saw a buck deer, and Mallard ducks.
The Halvorsen Lake trail switchbacks up the hill here.
Looking Northwest on the bank of the Snake River towards Guffey Butte.
Celebration Park Visitor's Center. The small visitor's center has Native American artifacts, sample shelters and multimedia computers, as well as a boat ramp. Volunteers here may show you how to throw a spear with the Atlatl or make spear points from Obsidion. Wildlife is abundant here.
Here's one of the large boulders rounded and polished by the flood which drained Lake Bonneville fourteen thousand years ago. The Mullan plant is growing right out of the rock.
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