About Swan Falls Picnic Area
Swan Falls Dam is on the Snake River about 40 miles south of Boise. It was built in 1901 to provide electricity to nearby mines in the Owyhee Mountains. Swan Falls is the oldest hydroelectric generating site on the Snake River. Idaho Power built a new power plant in the mid-1990s. The old plant is now a museum. The museum is open to the public, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday between April 15 and Labor Day. Tours at other times may be arranged in advance by contacting Idaho Power by email - [email protected]. Scheduling tours outside open hours requires at least one week prior notice. The park adjacent to the dam is day-use only, but there are many free camping areas above and below the dam. **Boating on the Snake River:** Motorized craft can navigate with caution between Swan Falls Dam and Celebration Park. A developed launch site is located below the dam. Non-motorized or…
- Fees: /
- Managed by: Bureau of Land Management, BLM
- Where: 9 mi east of Murphy, ID · 43.24245, -116.37631
Things to do:
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: May–Jun & Sep–Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Nov–Feb.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is bright, with a little glow low on the horizon.
Class 3 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 24 mi
Propane: 17.9 mi
Camps nearby
- Swan Falls River Access 1.8 mi
- Halverson Bar/Lake 6.7 mi
- Celebration Park 8.2 mi
- Campsite · in Grand View 22.6 mi
- Silver City Campground 23.4 mi
- Mountain View RV Park 24 mi