The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-08-11
BETTER ROADS
TO LOST RIVER
Detours That Save Tires
and Jolts-Cut Out
for Reference

People motoring between Black
foot and Arco have some road prob
lens to work on, and since the loose
rocks have been thrown out Of the
road they see more reasons why
the rest of the rocks should be dis
posed Of or covered up. Where
rocks have been dug out there are
bad holes with sharp edges that arc
hard on tires passing over them,
and an effort has been made to find
way around those sections of the
road until some remedy can be ap-
piled.
One traveller hunting a route to
Idaho Falls found what he thought
was valuable detour for Arco-
Blackfoot travellers and this article
reports upon it. People who start
from Blackfoot for Arco nearly al
ways have trouble getting out from
Snake river bridge on the right road
for Taber. Some routes are bad and
others are worse. There are one or
two very good routes, and this arti-
Gle tells how to find what we con-
slider the best one.
Blackfoot to Taber
When leaving Blackfoot for Taber
cross Snake river bridge and take
the left-hand road thru Riverside
and past Rockford; go Ill miles
from Blackfoot and turn to the right,
north, at Spencer's corners. Follow
the main Travelled road north and
west into Taber.
Taber to Arco
A good old road beyond Taber that
is not travelled much affords an es-
cape from the rough, dusty road
leading to and beyond Tilden flats.
A couple of miles north of Taber
at the Ahrens farm, the big house
with four lightning rods on, at
point about 26.7 miles from Black,
foot, drive west where the regular
road leads north. At 29.9 from
Blackfoot, or 32 miles westward
from Ahrens' house, turn north,
right, 28 miles and enter main road
again at 32.7 miles from Blackfoot.
High speed can be made on this de-
tour.
The Powell Flat Detour
Persons desiring to make high
speed and escape rocks and dust can
do so by making a detour on the
Powell tract. At about 425 miles
out. from Blackfoot road turns to
the right to Little lost river. Follow
it 6.7 miles to Root Hog ford (dry
bed) of Big Lost river. Drive about
two miles beyond ford and take a
good old road leading back at a
sharp angle westward up Lost river.
Follow 1t 90 miles to the Rock house
on the regular road. When within
a couple of miles of the Rock house
there Is break in the road at the
crossing of large canal, and one
has to pick his way among rocks
and cross gully. Any car and any
load can go thru, but must go slow
ly for 100 yards. The rest Of the
way the road Is smooth and cars
can make high speed. This detour
Is about four miles longer than the
regular road, but a couple of miles
could be cut off at the sharp angle
mentioned near Root Hog ford. The
whole distance Of about eighteen
miles in the detour allows good speed
and has scarcely any rocks.
Reversing the Trip
In going from Arco to Blackfoot,
the Rock house is at 14.7 miles, and
turn to left not crossing dry bed
Of Big Lost river. Where road
forks to go to bridge about a quar-
ter of a mile from ford, take left
hand track. Several miles down,
road leads to the right across the
river We don't know where it leads
and may be good road to take.
Somebody drive over it and report to
the press, giving distances if it is
any good. Disregarding the road
leading across the river, cut into
the road from Little Lost river at
mile "a while going nearly north.
Then turn nearly south on that road,
cross Root Hog at 25.3 and enter
main Arco-Blackfoot road at mile 80.
Pass the DelZer ranch at mile 37.7
and take the other detour at 41.8,
south. Go south on smooth
road to 44.6, turn eastward along
Mackay track to 47.8, which is
Ahrens' farm, with four lightning
rods on the house.
Taber to BlacHoOt
Passing east from Taber on south
side Of railroad, go two miles and
urn to the right. Follow line Of
most travel, turning east and south
and some Of the time cutting across
lots to southeast. 1t leads to the
Spencer corner II miles west Of
Rlackfoot and connects with the
bond roads leading into town.
The detour west of Ahrens' farm
Is probably less than mile longer
.han the main road and is smooth
and hard
(Local papers please copy. Carry