Three Island Crossing State Park joined several other state parks in Idaho in offering First Day Hikes. the public was invited to join rangers for guided nature and history hikes, as well as enjoy cookies and hot cocoa after.
- Mainly used from 1841 to 1848, the Three Island Crossing was one of the most feared river crossings along the Oregon Trail.
- Migrants in covered wagons could either cross the river at great risk or continue along the south side of the Snake River through the Owyhee desert, a longer and more difficult journey to reach Ft. Boise.
- Three Island Crossing has camping available year-round, and the Education Center is open Tuesday through Saturday through the winter season.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Ranger John Redd: "This is the most feared crossing of all the Snake River crossings"
On New Year's Day, Three Island Crossing State Park opened up its doors to welcome the public.
Rangers led hikes every hour, giving visitors a chance to explore the history and nature of the park.
"This park has a lot of things to offer and has a big historical significance to it with the Oregon Trail," Redd said.
For more than a decade almost 200 years ago, migrants in covered wagons faced a decision: Risk the river and possible calamity.
If they chose not to cross here, they could continue on the longer route along the south rim of the Snake that leads into the dusty, dry, hot Owyhee desert.
"If you picture a wagon bed which is right here, the water was 10 inches up from that response was pretty high," Redd said.
If they made it across, migrants would have a shorter trip to Fort Boise, with better access to water for their livestock.
One visitor, Ben, and his companions came from Boise to take advantage of the park's First Day Hike, one of several at state parks around Idaho.
"We just saw on the side that this was a thing that was going on on New Year's Day," Ben said. "We thought it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to get out meet the new year see a part of Idaho that we had before.
Although winter is the park's slow season, they do have camping and educational facilities available.
"A lot of people came here for a lot of different historical. If you like nature come out here and bring some binoculars and see some nature," Redd said.
