Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-08-25
MONTPELIER SHOULD
PROFIT BY ITS LOCATION
Writer Pictures the Beauties of Route Through
Bear Lake Valley to Park--To Hold Travel
We Must Improve Road to Alton.

Editor Examiner-Montpeli and |
Bear Lake county have profited con-
siderably from their position on one
of the main routes from Salt Lake
City to Yellowstone park. The bene-
fits to garages, hotels and some
classes of merchants are obvious.
What is likely to be overlooked is
the benefit to property owners and
everyone in town from the prosper
Gus conditions that the auto traffic
has helped to bring Montpelier is
becoming known and everyone who
has watched the development of
towns and cities knows that publicity
is a factor of prime Importance to
any forward-Iooking town. If al
place is to grow, people must be got
ten to talk about it.
To reach our county, the autoist
travelling from Salt Lake to the park
must leave the direct route at Logan
and must make detour about twice
as long as the straight road. The at
fractions of Logan canyon and Bear
Lake form the principal reason for
leaving the shorter line. The fact
that people are willing to leave good
roads and short line for good
roads and good scenery, is something
to be remembered. Another thing to
be remembered is, that many people
cannot spare the time for detOurs
but must take the shortest route
available. Many tourists go from
Salt Lake to the park without touch
ing Montpelier or Bear Lake county
at all.
At present the park-bound auto
list has no choice on leaving Montpe-
lier but to strike west to Pocatello.
The distance is considerable and the
roads and scenery are alike indiffer-
ent, rather than good or notable.
Further, the road parallels the
Short Line.
At Pocatello, one strikes the Salt
Lake-YeIlowstone highway and fol-
lows it to the park. There is no in
tention to discredit this route but
the stretch from Pocatello to Ash
ton is admittedly pleasant farming
country, broken by wide stretches of
hot, dusty sagebrush, rather than a
region OF scenic interest. Again the
road parallels the railroad. Most au-
toists must regard one way over this
route as sufficient and wish for a diff
ferent route for the return trip.
Compare with this, the trip from
Montpelier, via Star valley from Vic
tor to Ashton, or to the park via
Jackson'B Hole. From Montpelier to
Alton the road passes thru shifting
scenes. After rugged Montpelier can
yon comes the more open hill c0un-
try around Giveout. Next are Pruess
creek crossing and the Halfway
House, and all of this stretch is en-
liyened by irregular timber bodies
Just beyond Halfway House, tbs
road turns sharply down a small can
yon and enters beautiful Grow Creel
Basin. This high mountain valley
fringed with dark timber and re
lieved here and there by patches ans
groves OF willows and aspen, is Sc
of especially by the long cliffs o
Snowdrift ridge, stretching for mile
on the west. A little further Their
are interesting mountain rancho
and a section of canyon road befor
one reaches Fairview, at the edg
of Star valley.
To the traveller coming out OF tn
sparsely settled and somewhat for
bidding lower Crow Greek Canyon
sthe first glfmpses Of Fairview an
of Alton, cleaning in the distanct
are filled with very unusual charm
And 1t is fair to add that much {
this impression Is held on closer II
spection. Star valley is well know
as a prosperous region, and fortuI
ately Star valley people have ALLOW
ed their prosperity to show in goo
buildings and planted trees, as we
as in smooth fields and meadow
The high mountains lying east I
Star valley afford excellent chanc'
for fishing, hunting and campin
and, in fact, there are a number
pleasant camp grounds betwet
Montpelier and Alton. Alton itse
is a live place and a bold answer
the theory that only towns on Il
railroad can be progressive and u
to-date
The road follows Salt river to
juncture with the Snake, thru
rapidly developing farm country tn
still retains much of the primitis
On the east are rugged mOu
tains, dark with timber and brok
By deep canyons thru which lar
clear streams rush out into the vi
ley. On the west the hills are smoof
er and lower but interesting, ncvt
the less The grayelly road Is grad
and free from dust. Thayne, FRI
dom and Etna are attractive 3
growing towns.
AS one approaches Snake riv
the scenery becomes more and mt
bold. The river itself Is a magni
cent stream. Such a volume OF wa
issuing smoothly and swiftly fr
the Grand Canyon IL enough 10 q
the imagination OF anyone. A
Grand Canyon has a peculiar int
est to Montpelier people. The sc
Of Wyoming Is carrying on a VI
ordered drive with Grand Cans