Passing through four western states, the 1000 mile long Snake River spends the majority of its time in Idaho. Starting out in western Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park, the Snake is among the largest rivers in North America. Now tamed by 15 major dams, evidence still exists of the powerful forces which the Snake River once held. Along with one of the deepest canyons on the continent, (Hells Canyon), the Snake River Canyon nearby the city of Twin Falls is another favorite tourist destination. The big draw in Twin Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the west. A wet winter turns a springtime Shoshone Falls into a 1000 foot wide torrent as it drops 212 feet at Shoshone Falls Park.
   For those who never saw daredevil Evel Knievel in action, he was best known for his ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980. Earning the Guinness Book of Records title of most broken bones in a lifetime, Knievel made his most daring and final jump at Twin Falls across the Snake River Canyon. Sitting on top of his X-2 Skycycle, Evil Knievel's wild ride took to the air on September 8th, 1974. Looking more like a rocket than a motorcycle, the outlandish jump on the Skycycle ended in failure when the parachute opened on takeoff. Slowed by the chute, the Skycycle stalled and strong headwinds carried it back across the river and sent it crashing into the canyon wall. Surviving the attempt, a granite monument recognizes the ill-advised jump at Buzz Langdon Visitor Center, near the Perrine Bridge overlook.

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