Snake River Trail in Burley, ID (Blog Hike #859)

Trail: Snake River Trail

Hike Location: City of Burley Boat Ramp
Geographic Location: west side of Burley, ID (42.54134, -113.81246)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An out-and-back on concrete trail along the Snake River.
Area Information: https://burleyidaho.org/236/Burley-Snake-River-RV-Park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=879972
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In southeast Idaho, take I-84 to SR 27 (exit 208).  Exit and go south on SR 27.  Drive SR 27 south 1.4 miles to Bedke Blvd. and turn right on Bedke Blvd.  Drive Bedke Blvd. west 1.1 miles to the Burley Snake River RV Park and boat ramp on the right.  The boat ramp parking area also serves as the parking area for the Snake River Trail. 

The hike: Rising in the southernmost part of Wyoming's famous Yellowstone National Park, the Snake River flows on a 1078 mile west and northwest course to its mouth at the Columbia River in southeast Washington.  The Snake River is the second longest river in the Pacific Northwest (behind only the Columbia).  For centuries the river has provided a transportation corridor through an otherwise mountainous and inaccessible region.  The Nez Perce and Shoshone people lived along the river for thousands of years, and in the 1800's the Oregon Trail used the Snake River's corridor through southern Idaho as one of its western-most segments.

            In terms of scenery and recreation, the Snake River's most famous features are the spectacularly rugged Hells Canyon and the dramatic Shoshone Falls.  For people wanting to experience the river's more serene sections, they could do far worse than the section near Burley, Idaho.  A 1 mile concrete path recently built by the City of Burley allows visitors to walk along the river's south bank, and that path is the one described here.  While not the most secluded area, I appreciated this easy hike on a hot summer day that would see temperatures rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit later in the afternoon.

Trailhead at boat ramp

            From the east end of the boat ramp parking area, head out the concrete sidewalk-like path marked "no vehicles" and pass a kiosk offering life jackets.  The Snake River appears through a thin but dense strip of bushes to the left, and an active farm field soon appears on the right.  Because you are in Idaho, it should not surprise you that this field was growing potatoes on my visit.  I could hear a lot of birds in the bushes to the left, but the dense greenery prevented me from seeing many.

First Snake River view

            Soon you reach a trio of benches located at a clearing in the bushes, thus providing your first clear view of the Snake River.  Custer Island can be seen across the main river channel, and the river is deep, wide, and calm here.  As you continue upstream, the potato field gives way first to undeveloped land, then an old river access, and then a modern hotel.  More nice views of the river emerge, and the hotel's lawn sprinklers felt good on the hot mid-July afternoon that I came here.

Hiking along the Snake River

SR 27 Snake River bridge

            The concrete trail continues for about 1 mile, and toward the end it comes close to 3rd Street on the right.  A nice view of SR 27's bridge over the Snake River appears on the left just before the trail ends.  Retrace your steps back to the boat ramp parking area to complete your hike along the Snake River, looking for birds and other wildlife you may have missed earlier along the way.

Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: Turkey Run Trailhead to Monument View (Blog Hike #858)

Trails: Turkey Run, Muley, and Monument View Trails
Hike Location: Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
Geographic Location: south of Scottsbluff, NE (41.70666, -103.67124)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A rolling semiloop with fantastic views from the Wildcat Hills.
Area Information: https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/wildcat-hills/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=943692
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Scottsbluff, take SR 71 south 12 miles to the signed recreation area entrance on the left.  From I-80, reach the recreation area entrance by taking exit 22 and driving SR 71 north for 35 miles.  Enter the recreation area, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main gravel recreation area road 0.6 miles to the small Turkey Run Trailhead parking area on the left.  There is room for 2 or 3 cars here.  If this parking area is full, you can park at the nearby group campground or at the Monument View Trailhead, both of which will be passed on this hike.

The hike: The Wildcat Hills in the arid and remote Nebraska Panhandle form a low escarpment that separates the Pumpkin Creek drainage to the south from the North Platte River drainage to the north.  Chimney Rock and Scotts Bluff are the most famous sites in the Wildcat Hills, but the entire region contains interesting rock spires and fantastic views.  These rock formations were landmarks on the Emigrant Trail, an overland migration route used in the mid 1800's.

            The 1094-acre Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area came to be as the State of Nebraska bought up available pieces of land between 1929 and 1980.  True to its remote location, the area features minimal amenities, which include only a small primitive campground, a Nature Center that features exhibits about the area's flora and fauna, and a system of hiking trails.  When I came here on a hot sunny afternoon in mid-July, I wanted to keep my hike short but still sample what the Wildcat Hills had to offer.  The route suggested here accomplishes that feat, as it traverses both the area's ravines and ridges while passing several nice views.

Turkey Run Trailhead

            From the signed Turkey Run Trailhead, head down the narrow dirt trail as it descends a couple of steep switchbacks and enters Turkey Run's ravine.  Some large ponderosa pines shade the trail here, and soon the grade eases as you reach the bottom of the ravine.  This section of trail is somewhat eroded, and pine cones filled the trail's washed out grooves on my visit.

Descending on pine cone-covered trail

            At 0.2 miles, you reach an unsigned trail intersection.  The Turkey Run Trail continues straight to descend the left wall of the ravine, but to reach Monument View, you need to turn right and begin the Muley Trail.  The Muley Trail descends gradually down the right wall of Turkey Run's ravine.  Most of this trail is exposed to western Nebraska's high elevation sun, so you will need to wear a hat and maybe sunscreen if you come here during the summer months.

Dubious-looking footbridge

            The Turkey Run ravine keeps dropping to the left, and after rounding a low finger ridge, you cross a small side stream on a dubious-looking footbridge.  A couple of loose planks sent my heartrate soaring while I crossed this bridge, but the bridge got me across without incident.  At 0.7 miles, you reach another unsigned trail intersection.  Continuing straight on the Muley Trail leads downhill and out of the recreation area, so you need to turn right to begin climbing on the connector trail that leads to Monument View.

Climbing the connector trail

            The eroded and rocky connector trail is short but steep: it gains nearly 100 vertical feet of elevation in only 0.1 miles.  The trail's width and grading indicate that it may be an old dirt road.  At the top of the connector trail, you reach a T-intersection with the Monument View Trail, which goes right and left.  We will eventually go right to continue our loop, but first turn left to hike out to Monument View.

Yucca on the finger ridge

            For the next 0.4 miles the Monument View Trail heads out a finger ridge that drops off steeply on either side.  This ridge is much more arid than the ravine you hiked in earlier: ponderosa pines are few and yuccas are numerous up here.  At 1.2 miles, you reach the end of the finger ridge and Monument View, the Wildcat Hills' best viewpoint.  The view extends northward for miles over the North Platte River drainage, which includes Scotts Bluff National Monument, hence the view's name.  The view of the surrounding Wildcat Hills is not bad either, so take some time to see what you can see.

View north from Monument View

View of Wildcat Hills at Monument View

            The trail ends at the viewpoint, so after taking in the view, retrace your steps up the finger ridge and past the connector trail to the Monument View Trailhead and its dirt/gravel parking area.  The rest of this hike is a walk on the park's dirt road, but you can avoid a little of the road walk by looping through the picnic area to the right.  The picnic area also provides more nice views of Turkey Run's ravine.  Walk up the dirt road, then turn right at the T-intersection to walk past the group campground and return to the trailhead to complete the hike.  While you are here, be sure to check out the Recreation Area's Nature Center, which contains interesting and informative exhibits on the Wildcat Hills' flora and fauna.