The paved paths on both sides of the river
give visitors access to the crown jewel inthe city’s park system.

Pathways

Greenbelt Activities

The Snake River in 1883 was a fearsome
sight for early residents. Baptist
Missionary Rebecca Mitchell described
the river flowing through a “crack in theearth between solid walls of lava rock.
It dashed upon the rocks, foamed androared.”

If Hilda McClure, whose estate createdthe flower gardens near the current Red
Lion Hotel, is considered the mother ofthe Greenbelt, then former Mayor TomCampbell, who began the expansion of thegreenbelt as part of a Centennial project in
1976, can be called its father.

But, by the mid-Twentieth Century, theriver had been put to work. Dammed anddiverted, it watered land that made Idaho
Falls the hub of an irrigated agriculturalempire.

On almost any given day rain, snow,or shine, visitors and residents takeadvantage of the trails. Easy access fromadjacent roads and streets, park benches,
picnic tables, restrooms and drinking
fountains make it a favorite place to go-be it for an hour or all day.
Special events draw thousands of visitors
to the Greenbelt each year: The Saturday
morning Farmers Market showcases
local produce and products; mid-summer
festivals display regional art and artistry;
the annual Great Snake River Duck Racefeatures a vintage car show and boatraces; and the Roaring River Youth Jam
draws young musicians and artists.
Not to be missed is the spectacular
Melaleuca Freedom Festival each July 4.
The largest fireworks event west of theMississippi, it draws over 100,000 people
from throughout Idaho and surroundingstates.

Northern loop (2.3 miles)
The Temple Loop path is the mostheavily used and extends to Highway
20. A summer floating walkway beneath
Highway 20 connects to Freeman Parkand an additional mile–long path thattakes you to the Idaho State Viet Nam War
Memorial to University Place.
Diversion Dam: The 1982 dam at
Broadway splits the river. The eastside flow is diverted to a city-owned
power plant while the west side remains
relatively unimpeded.
Keefers Island: Located in the center ofthe river, this was a gold mining claim
filed by Fred W. Keefer in 1939. Deeding
it to the city in 1962, the island and its
14x22 foot cabin is now restricted towaterfowl and wildlife.

Mayor Jared Fuhriman

The wild Snake River—epicenter ofthe region’s economy and Idaho Falls’
culture—is still spectacularly evident
during high water like spring runoffs.
Power generated by four city-owned
plants is sold to Bonneville Power
Administration and electricity is returnedto the city at reduced rates.

Walking the Greenbelt
At the “A” street kiosk, current
information on who is doing what, when,
and where is readily available.

Post Register Photo		Idaho Falls
Greenb t GuideelCovering 5 miles on both sides of theSnake River it is a joint project of theCity and its residents spearheaded by theIdaho Falls Rotary Club whose annual
Great Snake River Duck Race provides
additional funds for expansion andimprovement of the project. We hope you
enjoy your visit to the Greenbelt and will
come back soon.
elcome to the Idaho Falls
Greenbelt...a spectacular way to seeand explore the things that makes Idaho
Falls unique.

WThe Falls of Idaho Falls
In addition to spectacular views of theriver, information on native wildlife andhistorical facts of local importance havebeen posted along the Northern loop ofthe Greenbelt.

The west side 1/4-mile Memorial Trailprovides access to Pederson’s Sportsmen’sPark via the Taylor Toll Bridge plus theSnake River Landing commercial area.

Markers & Monuments

Southern Loop (2 + miles)

A 9/10 mile eastside nature trail fromthe Park accesses’ the Art Museum ofEastern Idaho and an adjoining children’s
playground. Further on camping
and boating facilities are available atSouth Tourist Park and Gem Lake. An
additional ½ mile trail from there ends at
Ryder Park, a 1-acre fishing and wildlifearea.
Taylor’s Crossing: a replica of the firstbridge across the Snake River in 1866,
it was reconstructed in the 1990’s by theEast Idaho and Idaho Falls Rotary Clubs.
Today only a footbridge, it also provides
access to the home of Idaho Falls’ Sister
City Program and features stone lanterns
from Nakamura, Japan.

The War Memorial at “A” Street honors
veterans of all wars.
Directly across the river, where the Red
Lion Hotel now stands, is the site of oneof two barracks built to house WWII
prisoners. In 1945 an estimated 15,000
Italian and German prisoners workedfor eighty cents a day in surrounding
potato and sugar beet fields. In 1946
the prisoners were returned to theirhomelands, but may returned to this area
to live and raise families.
A plaque on the east bank near Riverside
Drive denotes the 1909 camping spot ofa Lemhi branch of Shoshone Indians who
were on their way to relocation at the Fort
Hall Reservation near Pocatello.

Idaho Falls Greenbelt Guide

Maria Rizzi-Grandi Photo