---
id: "2048"
name: Hells Canyon Scenic Byway - Idaho
distance: "22"
duration: Allow 45 minutes each way.
description: At 9,300 feet deep, Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America. The views from the roadway above these towering canyon walls, and from below on the winding Snake River, defy imagination.
path: ufoqG`kfhUiAaDo@c@wFxDwAj@sA^_F`@s@My@Y_A?yATi@OoByA}Dq@cCDcEwAoHsA_A[}BsAyHmFwBcA_CiC_@SwB]wFsDaKwKyBcBwHaEcCMiEeAm@_@yBsCiCyBmAq@_Co@sDyBi@QgCAyDcAeJgAiPPoFl@cKX[PuA~Ai@`@sBv@cAHeAa@kCqCyCgAyDg@sBGcD]o@X}@`A}E~A[VaA`Bu@j@y@D{GMa@LYXiAlBm@b@e@F_CQgE^_@Es@a@cAwB_@g@cBsAoB_CwCuAyDcDiAg@oBWwDmAoBOmA]_Ag@_BmBiAkBqEgMiA{HOgDoAyFmByDgAoD{AeCmAgDyBaEiB_FoAeCy@sBiCoIgEyKiDiEaE}DkBcAqBeB_CyA}@e@_Cy@]_@Y_AMkAGuBSyAqAsDwBkEy@mAyAoAcD_BqDeEiCmDk@{@}AgEiD_E}CsFuH}PiAsBk@y@cCoBm@wA{B_DqAmCu@kAoBmFu@eA}AkAKs@G_BOi@_@Y_B]s@[sE}EY{@OwAOg@o@s@iA_AgBmCeAaAmA}AWQ_Fy@uB{@o@Q{CUk@c@qAuAkBQc@a@i@y@oBkAsAcAe@o@eAeC}AaBmSgN{B_AuBe@cAg@sC_CeBgAsAeBcBm@_@YmGmH_AsBsAyDs@_BoAkB_BiA_EeA_EKe@QsB{Ao@Sy@CmGv@y@j@sAnBuBdAeCJuB^i@E_Be@cDPwCSgIr@sBIiAHo@EyBs@}@K}CJsF`@qLg@mCDiAQ_Aa@gBeC{DyDwAm@qFeDuAuAaGkE_BmBcB_Cy@e@s@Ku@[}BmBaEs@uDeDmC{Aw@w@sByDkCmDSq@_@gEsAoCmAgFaBeCcAyD_AaC}C_M}@kGeBeHOaDWkCGsDIe@cBiCkB}Ag@aA_AgDsAmCEqAJsAUgAsB_FcCyCo@m@sA}@]AwARg@Ao@e@sDkEy@[cEk@}DmAmDgCYu@UoESkASa@i@k@_Cs@[Wc@o@}DyNUa@mBeBiAaEc@k@uCmB_IoMuBmCcBeB}DyCoAs@gG_CkI_BgDmAaBeAqDuCcEgBmCmCyCuAmCwCUKyACy@O_@k@cAyBsEuFmBeBe@k@sCiFs@w@kH{EuCmAmEk@cA?}BR_Cl@c@BUIcBsAy@MiAJyA`AeADqBWqBi@oAk@aBgBiC}@cBUsBIgCj@i@?uBm@w@KaDDoFSoAs@UCsAX_AK]OsB}C[Y}BgBmCaBiDkDw@YoByAuBkAiAgA]Sk@KmBVUC}BuBw@We@BmBr@eCl@i@@wF[sBLeAEy@Pi@?cFk@sCj@aFrAy@Di@]e@COBs@jAe@\y@C}@_@}APe@M_AyAI_@HkAEm@_@e@YKmAE[JmA~@o@EcAeAiA{By@e@yF_BsCSm@[iDqDiCuB]q@UgBOc@i@_@mCa@mC?kBm@iC_BaB_@cECiB[_@JsAfAy@@yBa@sAgAiBc@i@GuBF{BGoCy@iBP]IuAeAmCCcD}@gI{AgDkBeAYaC]eDiBcBwAqB_AsBoBwAYsAcAs@y@I_@CcBGe@SY_@QwEAu@UmAPmBWe@_@o@mA[OaDe@wB_AqJmBqAOsBaAc@JiAt@YHq@CkBa@{@?gDpAwBtAoCA_CW_BPw@Ry@Ji@XoALyAKcCa@SDu@tAUJS@u@g@mBj@_Ad@mBXmGCiCu@kBFoBVe@y@UyBwBmCe@]uMsCcDuAqG_EmEgAcFwCmCO_DeA{@KeDPi@OoB_AsBi@mBFy@PmACsBaA{@QiC~@}CVmB`@e@AgD}A_FaAwBZUCe@iASMYAo@Ny@v@_@Im@[eBsBs@mAy@_@yAQwEEmAHeAZe@r@iAdC
websites:
  - url: https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/hiking-backpacking/hells-canyon-scenic-byway/
    name: Idaho Travel Guide
attractions:
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wallowa-whitman/recarea/?recid=51359
    name: Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
designations:
  - Idaho State Scenic Byway
states:
  - ID
ll:
  - -116.855682
  - 44.97531900000001
bounds:
  - - -116.85617100000002
    - 44.97531900000001
  - - -116.69989799999996
    - 45.24272199999996
books: "978-1426219054"

---

The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway winds its way along the east side of this massive rift that separates Idaho from its neighbor, Oregon. While the view from the road is breathtaking, a guided float trip or jetboat tour is a must. Towering cliffs of black and green basalt hang so high above the Snake River and its sandy beaches that boaters strain their necks to see out in places.