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Author:
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jgillum64
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Activity:
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Not Specified
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State:
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Idaho (ID)
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Distance:
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9.55 mi
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Difficulty:
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5 / 10
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Rating:
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Unrated
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Massacre Rocks State Park is a historical site as well as an excellent place for bird watching, canoeing, hiking, and family camping. The park is open for camping all year. The park staff is personable and professional, with one weakness--they like to play dress-up. Over labor day weekend we were entertained in the program area on successive evenings by a pioneer woman in sunbonnet and long dress talking about Oregon trail history from a woman's perspective, by a mountain man complete with fringed bucksin, long knife, and percussion muzzle-loading rifle (which he actually loaded and fired) and by a magician who talked about geology and park history.
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SCENIC
| Dist: 0.43 mi |
Points: 26 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
The spectacular scenic river trail begins at the lower campground loop and ends at the fishing access park. The large boulders near the lower campground loop were deposited by the Lake Bonneville flood which drained Utah into Idaho about 15000 years ago.
OREGONTRAIL
| Dist: 0.59 mi |
Points: 19 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
Oregon trail ruts can be seen by taking this paved, wheelchair-accessible trail from the bus turn-around at the north end of the park under the interstate though two tunnels to the hillside just above where the wagons descended to the river from the hills above.
RESTAREATRL
| Dist: 0.44 mi |
Points: 16 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
A handicapped accessible trail and bike path joins the interstate rest area to the old Oregon Trail and to Massacre Rocks state park.
BOAT RAMP
| Dist: 1.47 mi |
Points: 60 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
The meadows to boat ramp trail takes you from the program area to the boat ramp at the southwest end of the park.From this trail or points nearby you can see many waterbirds, such as the common tern, Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Greater Egret, and American Pelican.
BOATRAMPRD
| Dist: 1.68 mi |
Points: 29 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
Paved road from visitor's center to motor boat launch.
CENTENNIAL
| Dist: 1.02 mi |
Points: 40 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
This trail begins at the fishing access and ends at the gravel bus turnaround/parking lot. The trail winds through some very sandy spots along some of the more scenic vistas here at Massacre Rocks.
REGISTERRD
| Dist: 2.52 mi |
Points: 236 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
An easy bicycle ride from Massacre Rocks State Park takes you to Register Rock, where you'll find the names of Oregon trail pioneers carved by themselves.
NORTHPOLE
| Dist: 0.99 mi |
Points: 117 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
Gravel road from fixing access to see Oregon Trail wagon ruts. The gate is locked, but the park office at the visitor's center loans keys to responsible visitors who want to visit the wagon ruts without a long walk.
FISHNACCESS
| Dist: 0.42 mi |
Points: 61 |
Calories: none |
| Time: none |
Speed: 0.0 mph |
Pace: 0:00 / mi |
Paved road from visitor's center to fishing access park. At the fishing access you'll find the only green grass in Massacre Rocks State Park.
BTA
Location: 42.689690°, -112.968002°
BTRAMP
Location: 42.661736°, -113.003548°
Large parking area and boat ramp.
CANOE
Location: 42.679729°, -112.988312°
Canoe Ramp at Massacre Rocks State Park. The canoes in the photograph, and kayaks, are available for rent from the park.
FSHING
Location: 42.683121°, -112.980850°
Fishing Access Trailhead and Parking Lot.
OREGON
Location: 42.690903°, -112.962631°
The Oregon Trail descended into Massacre Rocks here. The wagon rut is clearly visible here.
PGRM
Location: 42.678032°, -112.989334°
Program Area parking lot and trailhead. Massacre Rocks State Park provides canoe rentals for your use in the slackwater of Lake Walcott here. (The canoe campground host lives near the upper end of this parking lot.)
RGSTR
Location: 42.652531°, -113.017235°
Register Rock historic site and picnic area. Oregon trail emigrants carved their names here.
RSTAREA
Location: 42.697132°, -112.958321°
Interstate Rest Area
SNAKE
Location: 42.683979°, -112.985565°
This section of the Snake River in the slackwater of Lake Walcott is somewhat sheltered from the wind, which makes for good canoeing. Launch at the canoe ramp upriver from here, or if you are staying in the picnic area, pack a canoe or inflatable kayak right down to the water from your camp. That's what I did.
STEPS
Location: 42.680668°, -112.986534°
Trailhead for the scenic river trail from the lower campground loop. The large melon gravel boulders below this point were transported by the Bonneville flood.
VC
Location: 42.677845°, -112.986534°
Small museum and campground office with map of Oregon trail.
