Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

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Bruneau Canyon Overlook

June 7, 2007.

We are staying at Three Island Crossing State Park located in the town of Glynn's Ferry. $4 entry fee plus $21 for RV site with water & elect. Very nice campground and it is full. Mature trees with good shade and green grass. If by chance the campground at Three Island Crossing is full there is a nice commercial campground at a winery located at the front gate to the State Park. They were $20 for FHU and they had shade. Point being----they would be a good alternative and some would like it better than the state park since is was $1 cheaper and it had FHU.

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Our destination today is Bruneau Canyon Overlook 18-miles south of the small crossroads town of Bruneau.

 

Large stash of hay on way to Bruneau Canyon

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

The first 5 or so miles out of Bruneau was through a well irrigated valley producing of all things ------------- alfalfa, and loads of it as this huge stack of alfalfa hay attests.

 

 

From Bruneau set your odometer on -0- then turn south on Hot Springs Road---there is also a brown sign pointing toward "Bruneau Canyon Overlook". About 10-miles down Hot Springs Road it turns into decently maintained gravel. When the odometer reaches 18-miles you should see signage for Bruneau Canyon Overlook where you turn right (west) one mile or so.

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been driving down a gravel road for over 10-miles when low and behold we see the canyon overlook. It is hard to believe there is a canyon out here but here it is. From here one can see the dark gash in the earth.

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

Awesome, is the only word that comes close to describing it. Totally awesome! The Bruneau River has cut this canyon through what looks to me to be 600' of hard basalt. Some places are over 1,200' deep but I can't say for certain this overlook is over the portion of the 1,200' deep part of the chasm.

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One can only imagine the cataclysmic events over thousands of years that created lava flow this deep.

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By looking at the strata it is fairly easy to tell that tremendous volumes of lava would spill over this area then none would flow for hundreds of years. When lava was not flowing a layer of ordinary sediment would be laid down. Then lava would flow again covering the old lava and the sediments covering it.

 

 

In the picture on the left you can easily see the "bacon strips" clearly showing where the layers of sediment covered one old lava flow then that in turn was covered by yet another round of molten lava.

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

Layer upon layer upon layer of molten lava is what the Bruneau River has cut through to carve the Bruneau Canyon. My mind is having trouble even contemplating the events that created Bruneau Canyon. How many years of lava flow are represented in the walls of Bruneau Canyon? How many years did it take for the Bruneau River to carve this canyon through the hard basalt?

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The section of Bruneau Canyon visible from the overlook is known as Five Mile Rapids. During the spring run-off, it is one of the most challenging stretches of white waer in the nation for rafters and kayakers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we can not see them, rhyolite canyons dominate the Bruneau/Jarbidge landscape. These canyons are noted for nearly contnuous, vertical, monolithic rock walls that rise directly from the river channel, and countless majestic rock spires, called hoodoos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The basalt flows that stretch out from here were pushed up through large fissures in the earth's crust. As the flows cooled, they began to shrink and formed vertical fractures. This process is called columnar jointing.

Eventually, these colums of rock fractured again horizontally leaving large blocks. Eventually, the blocks break away and tumble to the base of the cliffs or into the river channel, constricting the river's flow and creating narrow, steep-gradient rapids such as those in the pictures.

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The blocks of basalt that tumble to the base of the cliffs are known as talus thus creating talus slopes at the bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Close-up of basalt wall of Bruneau Canyon

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a close-up of the basalt wall of Brueneau Canyon in southern Idaho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the picture to the right it is easy to see where layers of sediment were laid down between successive layers of molten lava.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bruneau Canyon Overlook

Bruneau Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I included this picture to show at least one thick layer of red sediment about 1/3 the way down this cliff face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

California quail

 

 

 

 

 

Evening around Three Island Crossing State Park is a good time to spot California quail. They are out moving around. During this time of year these birds are paired up. This is one colorful male, his mate is not nearly as colorful.

 

 

California quail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Male California quail walking through Three Island State Park in the Snake River Valley of southern Idaho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluffs on the south side of the Snake River Valley

Bluffs on the south side of the Snake River Valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evenings is also a good time to take pictures of the setting sun highlighting bluffs on the south side of the Snake River Valley in southern Idaho east of Brueneau..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluff on South side of the Snake River Valley near Three Island Crossing

Bluff on South side of the Snake River Valley near Three Island Crossing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is looking to the southeast across the Snake River Valley from Three Island Crossing State Park in the late afternoon. So much of the geography in southern Idaho is lava rock. Surprisingly along the south side of the river is this large river cut of sedimentary rock.

 

 

 

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Until next time remember how good life is.

 

Click here for our Idaho travellogs

Until next time remember how good life is.

Some Wyoming Adventures ** ** More 2007 Travel Adventures

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

 

 

 

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