Idaho Was One of the First Areas in U.S. Inhabited by Humans
Idaho has some rich history. The famous Louis and Clark Oregon Trail runs right through the state. The gem state is sprinkled with ghost towns that once were bustling communities during the gold rush. Did you know that Idaho is one of the first areas of land inhabited in the U.S.?
It turns out Idaho has always been a special place for humans. Dating back as far as 16,000 years ago!
According to Factsite.com, "In 1959, an excavation was conducted at Wilson Butte Cave, an archaeological site near the town of Twin Falls, Idaho. The excavations revealed some of the oldest evidence of human activity in the united states, dating back at least 15,000 years. A much more recent excavation in Western Idaho was conducted in 2019, where archaeologists discovered evidence which suggested that humans have lived there for as long as 16,600 years!"
Visit Southern Idaho expands in saying, "A portion of the east side of the rock bubble has collapsed, like a fallen ruin. Big black boulders frame an opening into a large, cool cavern that offers protection from the wind, rain and heat outside. Archaeologists have unearthed evidence that native people found Wilson Butte Cave at least 10,000, and possibly 15,000 years ago, and camped there until recent times. It provides the first evidence of human occupation on the Snake River Plain."
You can hike to the cave and while it is a short hike it seems hard to navigate the area. All Trails does not give it good reviews. The best one was from Greg saying, "This small cave is cool, but pretty far away from everything, so I'd only recommend it if you're in the area. The dirt road to get there can be a bit rough. The cave is a big lava bubble out in the middle of the Snake River Plain."