Hells Canyon

We actually didn't sail our first night aboard the American Empress, so our first day of the cruise was in the same spot where we boarded the ship, Clarkston, Washington. There were a few shore excursions to choose from for this stop, we chose a scenic jet boat experience in Hell's Canyon.

Hell's Canyon is North America's deepest river gorge The canyon was carved by the waters of the Snake River, which flows more than one mile below the canyon's west rim on the Oregon side and 7,400 feet below the peaks of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains range to the east. Most of the area is inaccessible by road.

In 1806, three members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered the Hells Canyon region along the Salmon River. They turned back without seeing the deep parts of the canyon. It was not until 1811 that the Wilson Price Hunt expedition explored Hells Canyon while seeking a shortcut to the Columbia River. Hunger and cold forced them to turn back, as did many explorers who were defeated by the canyon's inaccessibility

After cruising on our jet boats for a couple of hours, soaking in all the natural beauty of the gorge, we made a rest stop at Idaho Garden Creek Ranch, owned by the Nature Conservancy in Hells Canyon. The Idaho Garden Creek Preserve, once a working cattle ranch, is now a facility welcoming its visitors to explore and enjoy this section of the Gorge. We had the opportunity to stroll through the orchard, looking for deer and turkeys, while enjoying some refreshments.

Then it was time for our 2 hour ride back to our ship. We kept our eyes peeled for some wild life among the rocky cliffs.

We saw some mountain goats!

Our tour guide showed us a couple of areas where there are some preserved petroglyphs. The earliest known settlers in Hells Canyon were the Nez Percé tribe. Others tribes visiting the area were the Shoshone-Bannock, northern Paiute and Cayuse Native Americans. The mild winters, and ample plant and wildlife attracted human habitation. These pictographs and petroglyphs are a record of these Native American settlements.

We saw lots of unique and beautiful geological formations