Bayhorse Ghost Town

  Bayhorse was never a large town. During it’s heyday in the late 1800s the population may have reached 500. Today, because fires and deterioration from the elements have destroyed most of the town, there are fewer than a dozen building standing. Four of them are from the 1920s and 1930s when mining restarted for a short period of time during the Great Depression.

  The state of Idaho bought the property in 2006, stabilized the structures, built a walking trail with fences on both sides to keep people from entering dangerous areas, and opened it as a state park in 2009. None of the buildings are open to visitors. Brochures about Bayhorse and the surrounding area are available at the self service fee kiosk.

  The trail is wide but steep with loose gravel in spots so most wheelchair users will need assistance. All interpretive signs are easy to read. The gate that must be passed through to get to the kilns was locked at the time of our visit with only a narrow walking passage for access. The kilns can be seen from the road by driving northwest past the park entrance but there may not a good place to turn around.

      

  Bayhorse is about 3.5 miles from Hwy 75. The road is gravel, single lane with many wide pull offs to allow opposing traffic to pass.  It’s very rough in spots with sharp stones but drivable by any vehicle. The parking lot is large enough for any RV. Bayhorse  44.39725, -114.31275