2010 Map of Wild Horse Butte

About this map

Snake River canyon walls and the high desert plateaus of Ada County define this landscape as it appeared in the early 21st century. The Swan Falls Dam stands as a primary landmark in the northwest corner, a site representing over a century of hydroelectric power generation on this stretch of the river. The map documents a transition between the rugged river corridor at Thomas Flats and the expansive volcanic plains to the east, where a network of straight-line section roads like Abendroth Rd and Leighton Rd divide the land. Of particular interest to historians is the preservation of the Emigrant Tr, which skirts the southern base of Wild Horse Butte, marking the enduring physical legacy of the Oregon Trail's south alternate route through the Idaho desert.