Hi friends! Have you ever seen a petroglyph?

There are famous sites like Newspaper Rock outside of Moab. It's massive and very impressive – almost mesmerizing. But did you know you can see petroglyphs in the wild not too far from Boise? There is something really special about seeing them scattered throughout a landscape. It reminds you who was here before us and makes you wonder what life was like.

Last weekend, my fiancé and I took a lil day trip to check out Celebration Park. I had heard of it but never been. Located under an hour from Boise, just south of Melba, it's Idaho's only archeological park and filled with things to do and explore.

I’ve had a few people write in asking about historical sites you can visit and also about things to do with kids. Celebration Park checks both boxes.

The drive in is simple yet spectacular. My fiancé fell asleep (lol) and I drove, watching the gleaming snow-covered Owyhee Mountains grow larger as we zipped passed farms. The road is pretty straight and leads you right down to the Snake River, where the park straddles either side.

We were nearly to the park when wouldn’t you know it, we passed two of our friends who were headed out of the park. 40 miles from home on a random day trip and the one of the few cars we pass are our friends, who had also taken a random day trip to go for hike. That's just Boise, right? <3

Anyway, Celebration Park is definitely under-the-radar but totally worth the drive. Pack a picnic and go check out it.

Petroglyphs

The main attraction at Celebration Park is petroglyphs. There are hundreds of rock carvings in the area that are thought to be between 100 - 12,000 years old. These carvings were etched by ancient peoples on large boulders which have a smooth surface from tumbling down the Snake River Canyon during the Bonneville Flood about 15,000 years ago.

The area that is now Celebration Park is thought to have been a wintering home for indigenous tribes. No one truly knows what the petroglyphs mean though researchers believe they indicate animals and hunting. The little program/map at the park notes that there are three styles of petroglyphs identified in the park: Great Basin Representational, Great Basin Abstract, and Great Basin Curvilinear.

The easiest place to view petroglyphs is right behind the visitor’s center and parking area. There are dozens in this area and there are even more along the Petroglyph Trail, which is only about a mile long. It's well marked and there are some free maps located near the restrooms in the parking lot.

Additional petroglyphs can be seen in the area with a short drive. Map Rock is super cool and thought to be a map of the Snake and Payette Rivers. There are also more petroglyphs on anothr Petroglyph Trail near Wees Bar and Swan Falls Dam.

On weekdays you can get a tour of the petroglyphs in Celebration Park. You can call 208-455-6022 or email parksprograms@canyoncounty.id.gov to schedule a tour.

Most important thing: don't touch, climb, or stand on petroglyphs.

More history

In addition to seeing petroglyphs in real life, Guffey Railroad Bridge is the other highlight of Celebration Park. This big beautiful bridge was built in 1897 and is now the state’s largest historic artifact – it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Guffey Bridge was built to carry ore cars loaded up with gold and silver from Silver City to Nampa. The Parker Through-Truss bridge design was chosen because of its weight bearing capability and it's the only bridge with this design in the state. When the bridge was complete on September 1, 1897 it was the tallest bridge in the nation.

It’s now a beautiful pedestrian bridge and allows people to cross the Snake River and access hiking trails up and around Guffey Butte.

Another unique thing at Celebration Park is the Atlatl Range. An atlatl is a spear throwing tool that was used more than 35,000 years ago to hunt game. The range was closed when we went, but Celebration Park has a dedicated space where you can actually try your hand at throwing an atlatl. Super cool.

Recreation

In addition to exploring history, there is a lot of recreation things to do out here.

Hiking – You can hike to Guffey Butte, hike the Guffey Butte Ridge, hike to Halverson Lake, or hike the Snake River Canyon Trail. I'm sure there are more trails around here.

Camping – There is a campground right on the water next to the park. It's not the best campground I've ever seen tbh, but would be cool for little kids or if you have a boat or paddleboard. Campsites are first-come, first-served, have picnic tables, fire rings, bathrooms, and shade. It's $5 per night to camp.

Wildlife – Celebration Park is actually on the western boundary of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. So be on the lookout for birds, as well as coyote, deer, and rabbits. If you want to know what birds to watch for, check out the Idaho Birding Trail.

Fishing – The Snake River is prime time for fishing and there is lots of places to fish from around here. Definitely check the regulations before you go.

Swimming – The river is wide and pretty slow in this spot so it would be a great swimming spot. I bet it gets hotter than hell down there in the summer too.

Bouldering – Melon boulders without petroglyphs on them make for good rock climbing spots.

Other things nearby to see – Swan Falls Dam (fishing/camping/hiking/biking) is 28 minutes away; Kuna Caves are 20 minutes away and on your way back toward Boise; Cleo’s Ferry Museum & Nature Trail is only 13 minutes away.

Also... isn't there someone with a pet a camel out here somewhere??

Happy exploring!

Thanks for reading!

With love from Boise,

Marissa