Wickahoney Stage Stop, Zeno Canyon, Buffalo Jumps

Safety notice:

For this adventure being proficient navigating with a GPS is a must.  There are too many roads and too large of an area to depend on verbal instructions or paper maps.  In addition, should you get turned-around, you will be able to find your way back to the beginning.

We rarely if ever encounter anybody else on this loop.  If anything should happen, you are literally on your own.  Even with satelite 911 systems, it will be hours before First Responders could arrive.  It would be prudent to travel with multiple, well-outfitted vehicles and at least three people.  There is no reliable source of water on this trip.  Be prepared for bad weather; or just about anything else you can imagine.

Note:  The Grasmere area is within the BLM's Saylor Creek Horse Management Area for wild horses.  The BLM maintains this herd at about 50 animals.   The one time when riding a dual-sport motorcycle near the Buffalo Jump complexes we had a herd of about 12 animals run directly at us from the right, and then they turned and galloped down the trail right in front of us.  It was an exciting moment.  

Safety notice:

Any large, wild animal can be dangerous.  Wild horses are no different.  These are wild animals, and the herd stallion can be very protective of his ladies.  Do not approach.  I have watched stallions go crazy, rearing, and whinnying when we were a good 1/4 mile away.  I have also had them walk right up to us when we were sitting still on an ATV.    

This excursion makes for a very long day trip if you are starting in Boise.  Once reaching the buildings that once were the town of Grasmere, Idaho, the trip consists of large loops on jeep trails.

Drive south of Bruneau, Idaho on US 51 until almost reaching the ghost town of Grasmere.  At about 1/4 mile north of Grasmere, take the all-season gravel road heading to the right: starting coordinates: 42° 22.95' north, 115° 53.10' west.  

Coordinates: 42° 22.56 north, 115° 55.02' west.   Turn right on the jeep trail.

Coordinates: 42° 23.09' north, 115° 55.32' west.   Reach the Sego Place.

Continue on this trail to the next intersection.

Coordinates: 42° 23.07' north, 115° 55.48' west.   Turn left.

Coordinates: 42° 22.57' north, 115° 55.32' west.   Reach the main road and turn right.

Coordinates: 42° 23.16' north, 115° 57.36' west.   Reach the below installation.  Turn right.

Turn north on the jeep trail.

Coordinates: 42° 27.37' north, 115° 58.99' west.   Arrive at Wickahoney Stage Stop.

Continue north on the jeep trail.

Coordinates: 42° 27.58' north, 115° 58.99' west.   Turn left.

Coordinates: 42° 29.33' north, 116° 00.13' west.   Stay right.

Coordinates: 42° 31.26' north, 115° 59.69' west.   Go straight.

Coordinates: 42° 31.92' north, 116° 00.25 west.   Turn left.

Coordinates: 42° 32.96' north, 116° 01.48 west.   Buncel Place; go straight.

Coordinates: 42° 33.13' north, 116° 02.04' west.   Turn right to visit the Holman Place.  

Return to the main trail you were just on, turn right and continue south.

Coordinates: 42° 30.69' north, 116° 04.55' west.    Turn right to visit the Harvey Place.  Turn to the left to visit the Zeno Canyon overlook.

Return to the main trail you were just on, turn to continue south.

Coordinates: 42° 28.87' north, 116° 05.61' west.    Go straight.

Coordinates: 42° 27.70' north, 116° 05.77' west.    Go left.

Coordinates: 42° 26.99' north, 116° 05.39' west.    Go left, and then right away another left.

Coordinates: 42° 27.19' north, 116° 03.45' west.    Go right.

Coordinates: 42° 27.02' north, 116° 03.44' west.    Go left.

Coordinates: 42° 26.09' north, 116° 02.48' west.    Go left.

Coordinates: 42° 24.36' north, 116° 01.42' west.    Go straight and then right away, go right.

Coordinates: 42° 23.75' north, 116° 01.14' west.    Go left.

Coordinates: 42° 23.30' north, 116° 00.58' west.    Go right and then right away, go left.

Coordinates: 42° 22.85' north, 116° 00.18' west.    Go left.

Coordinates: 42° 22.98' north, 115° 59.17 west.    Go straight.

Coordinates: 42° 23.29' north, 115° 57.47' west.    Go right and return back to the highway following the way you came in.

Almost due west of Grasmere is a geological feature known as the Five Fingers Buffalo Jump Complex.  Paleo-Indians held highly coordinated drives to stampede bison over these cliffs where they would fall to their death, get butchered, and then provided the natives with almost everything they needed for their lifestyle.  There is evidence that these cliffs have been used for over 8,000 years for this purpose.   

As you can see below, the Wild Horse Table butte was massive.  It is believed that these drives were a slow-motion action where the animals were gradually guided up the table and off the cliffs.  They built stone walls which are still evident to guide the bison to specific cliff locations.

To reach the Five Fingers Buffalo Jump Complex start at the road which heads west approximately 1/3 mile north of Grasmere.  Follow these directions.

Starting coordinates: 42° 22.95' north, 115° 53.10' west.   Drive west 3.9 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 23.17' north, 115° 57.38' west.  Continue on the jeep trial west for 2.5 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 22.85' north, 116° 00.18' west.  Keep right for 0.4 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 22.96' north, 116° 00.67 west.  Keep left for 0.6 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 22.52' north, 116° 01.22 west.   Keep right for 2.2 miles

Coordinates: 42° 23.52' north, 116° 03.31 west.   These directions will route you to the top of Wild Horse Table.  

Wickahoney Point is further to the northeast.  Note that there is a fence across the end of the butte preventing motorized travel.   This road to the top of Wild Horse Table is very rocky.  I rode up it on a dual-purpose motorcycle, struck a rock with my left foot, and broke three toes through my motocross boots.

 Also, about 40 years ago, a military F4D fighter out of Mountain Home Air Force Base crashed on top of the Wild Horse Table.  If you visit the "GC2YG41 Wild Horse Table: Jet Crash Geocache" site it will provide coordinates to the geocache and some additional information about the accident; I have not visited that location.

To reach the western 3 buffalo jump locations, follow these directions.

Return to the bottom of the hill to coordinates: 42° 22.52' north, 116° 03.31' west.  Turn left for 0.2 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 22.67' north, 116° 01.11 west.  Keep left for 1.2 miles.

Coordinates: 42° 23.73' north, 116° 01.13' west.  Keep left for 0.7 miles.  

Coordinates: 42° 24.32' north, 116° 01.36' west.  Keep left for 1.5 miles

Coordinates: 42° 24.19' north, 116° 03.13 west.  Keep left for 1.4 miles

Coordinates: 42° 24.08 north, 116° 04.74 west.   Go straight

Coordinates: 42° 24.40' north, 116° 05.91' west.  Arrive near the Location  #2 (see below) of the western buffalo jump.

Return to Grasmere by reversing your way in.

For an extra bit of fun, check out these fake rockets.  

Drive 6.8 miles south on US 51 from Grasmere.  Look for a jeep trail heading off uphill to the northwest. 

Coordinates: 42° 17.92' north, 115° 56.59' west.   

Hike or drive about 0.8 miles up this jeep trail to the northwest.  As you can see in the photos, it is wide-open desert.

I have no idea what these are used for.