History comes alive at the Canyon Creek Stage Station
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The historic Canyon Creek Stage Station offers a unique glimpse into Idaho’s past. One of only two remaining stage stops on the Oregon Trail, the Canyon Creek Stage Station is a fascinating piece of Idaho and American history.
Located 7 miles northwest of Mountain Home, the Canyon Creek Stage Station was built in 1874 by homesteader Archibald Daniel using native basalt stone. The station served emigrants and travelers in the final years of the Oregon Trail era, then became a stage stop on the Kelton Freight Road and Overland Stage Route. Archaeologists estimate that 30,000 to 35,000 Oregon Trail travelers passed through the site.
The site’s owners renovated the historic buildings in the mid-1960s, but a fire in 1976 reduced the buildings to stone walls. Deeded to the BLM in 2015, the station is slowly being restored. The BLM accepted the role as caretaker of the Canyon Creek Stage Station as part of a partnership that included the Norstebon family, the Idaho Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association, the Idaho Heritage Trust and the National Park Service.
Today, visitors can stand in the shade of the stone buildings and feel the rough rock, realizing the original stones were dressed and mortared in place nearly 150 years ago, when much of the West was still wild. Visitors to the site can also see the historic Canyon Creek Stage Station cemetery, located a few hundred feet west of the stage station.
To visit the Canyon Creek Stage Station, take Canyon Creek Road in Mountain Home from where it crosses under Interstate 84 and drive 7.3 miles north. When you visit, please keep your safety in mind. Stay clear of stone piles, stay off structures and watch out for snakes. Public land at the station includes the buildings and the lawn in their immediate vicinity. Please respect nearby private property and stay within the fenced area around the buildings.
Attachments:
CCStageStationHistoricalPhoto.jpeg - Owner Archibald Daniel in front of the Canyon Creek Stage Station, circa 1874.
CCStageStationPresentDayPhoto.jpeg - Canyon Creek Stage Station, present day.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.