Oregon Trail in Idaho--Goodale's Cutoff

"The various emigrant trails and later stage and freight roads which followed the general route of Fort Hall—Big Southern Butte/Camas Prairie are included as the Goodale's Cutoff of the Oregon Trail. This cutoff had been used by fur traders for many years, and emigrant wagons had traversed the eastern section as early as 1852.

" 'A very reliable' mountain trader in the Snake country before Idaho was settled, Tim Goodale knew just about all of the Indian and fur trade trails of the valley and mountain country north of the Snake. For the 1862 trip Goodale used the Jeffers Road/Camas Prairie route. Setting out from the Snake River July 22, 1862, Goodale's wagon train collected into a large force to discourage trouble with Indians.

Highway signs in Blackfoot, 1999

"Near Craters of the Moon, Goodale stopped for a day (July 28) to gather up still more wagons. This precaution gave him a force of 795 men, augmented by 300 women and children. With such a show of strength, his wagons escaped the kind of misfortune of some emigrants who ran into an Indian fight at Massacre Rocks, August 9, on the regular Oregon Trail south of the Snake River.

"Goodale's Cutoff departed the Oregon Trail at Fort Hall, crossed the Snake River Plain past Southern Butte to Lost River, and then headed west across the Camas Prairie. Camas Prairie provided an approach to the Boise region that stayed north of the broad valley of the Snake. The cutoff rejoined the Oregon Trail at Ditto Creek."

Emigrant Trails of Southern Idaho, p. 130

The Goodale route was heavily used in 1852 and 1854.

Directions: Leaving Mountain Home, travel Hwy 20 to Arco; continue on Hwy 26 to Blackfoot

Must See: Camas Prairie

Current Observations/Journal Entry:

"I find it interesting when Larry reminds us that Goodale's Cutoff was also used to travel to Cheyenne, Wyoming—a west to east route— moving cattle to railheads. Goodale's went around both Windy Gap (old road) and Little Camas Prairie. Apparently Tim Goodale was a mountain trader and he settled a while in the Baker area; then word has it he was in the Hell's Canyon area and may have gone to Colorado. From there his trail grows cold. The Bennett Hills, which border Goodale's Cutoff south of Hwy 20, offer superb examples of petroglyphs. This art is located on the south side of the hills. That area was a travel corridor for Native Americans and living area between Camas Prairie and the Snake River—Thousand Springs sites. It was typically spring and summer living, defined by the climate and vegetation."