Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations
Traveling the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
Great American Roads
2 • Byways
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ell County! fanfare of Cab ng for everyone! Join in the interes ts, Huntington has somethi No matter your
Get thrills and chills at Camden Park!
Explore historical Appalachia at Heritage Farm Museum & Village!
Eat, drink and be merry at our unique fairs & festivals!
Romp and play in our award-winning parks!
Scour the city on a geocaching adventure!
Cheer on the Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium!
August 22-24 Pilot Club Antique Fair
July 21-27 Cabell County Fair
August 23 Diamond Teeth Mary Blues and Arts Festival
July 25-27 Huntington Classic: Powerboat Racing and Championship July 26 West Virginia Hotdog Festival
Discover the art of hand-blown glass at Blenko!
August 1-2 Blenko Festival of Glass Immerse yourself in art & culture at the Huntington Museum of Art!
Catch a show at Big Sandy Superstore Arena!
July 3 DAWG Dazzle
August 16 Rails & Ales Festival
September 6 The Color Run September 13 Chilifest September 17-20 Barboursville Fall Fest September 26-28 Greek Festival September 27 Huntington Music & Arts Festival
Stop by the Visitors Center to pick up your free visitor’s guide! Visit our website at www.wvvisit.org for a complete listing of Cabell County’s attractions and festivals. 210 Eleventh Street | Huntington, WV | 304.525.7333
WHERE GROUPS DROP ANCHOR FOR A
G R E AT DAY Got a big group? So do we.....of ways to entertain you. Like raising the sails of a historic vessel. Cruising the Mystic River. Exploring a 19th-century seafaring village. And enjoying our galleries, exhibits, Planetarium, shopping, and delicious food. Come for a few hours, or a full day. Information: 860.572.5309 Reservations: 860.572.5322
Byways Magazine
©Copyright 2014 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.
Byways Magazine is celebrating its 31st year of publication in 2014, featuring the leading travel destinations along the highways and byways of North America. In 2010, Byways became an all digital publication. It is published in two versions, a free Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iPhone and iPad. An Apple Newsstand/App Store edition including sound and interactive video is also available. All advertising and editorial is included in both versions of the publication. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine 502-785-4875 http://bywaysmagazine.com
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PREVIEW By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher
elcome to the annual Great historically significant part of the 2,900-mile Lincoln American Roads issue of Highway that runs from the San Francisco Bay to Times Byways. This year we feature Square in New York City. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, a recently a number of well-known and not so well designated National Scenic Byway, takes travelers along known scenic roads with historical siga 180-mile road trip through history. Starting in nificance. Charlottesville, VA, the home of Thomas Jefferson, the We begin our journey on Route 9 in Byway brings visitors north through many eras of New York State, cutting through Dutchess County and the beautiful Hudson Valley. New York’s historic Route American history, past presidential homes, and into sev9 delivers not only a number of significant historic sites eral Civil War battlefields to Gettysburg. Next, we travel West where the spectacular Hells but also some of the country’s most celebrated natural Canyon Scenic Byway winds through the northeast corscenic beauty. ner of Oregon. Our next stop feaExtremes in tures the National the land define The Poughkeepsie Bridge & Walkway Over Road, the first federalthe Hudson River in New York State. this Byway and ly funded roadway in have likewise the United States. shaped the Some 620 miles long, region’s cultural the National Road history. At the connected the eastern edge of Potomac and Ohio the Byway is the Rivers and was a gateHells Canyon way to the West for stretch of the thousands of settlers. Snake River, When rebuilt in the North America’s 1830s as the deepest gorge. Cumberland Road, it Here you can became the first hard experience the surfaced road in the 8,000 foot country. depths of Hells Another historical Canyon and the road is the Wilderness 10,000 foot Road, along Virginia’s peaks of the Wallowa Mountains. Heritage Migration Route. This portion of the trail We complete our travels along one of the most scenic begins at the top of Virginia, in Winchester, the oldest highways in the Southwest. city west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sky Island Scenic Byway, one of America’s shortest This section of the Wilderness Road, the route follows scenic byways, is also the only paved road leading up to The Great Road or Valley Pike, known today as U.S. the top of Mt. Lemmon near Tucson in Southern Route 11. Through the years, the road, which runs paralArizona. lel to Interstate 81, served as a buffalo trail, Indian Path, In about an hour you can drive the 27-mile scenic Sky and Stagecoach Road. Island Parkway, leaving the serene land of desert scrub Getting to Gettysburg, PA is half the fun. Next we and climbing to nearly 9,000 feet atop Mount Lemmon. learn that no less than two historically significant roads In What’s Happening, we take a trip to Branson, MO lead to Gettysburg and beyond. to learn about the $1 million Light Parade that Silver The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor – one of 12 Dollar City is featuring this holiday season. heritage areas in Pennsylvania – connects visitors to one We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways. of America’s most famous roads. Loosely following U.S. Route 30, the corridor begins just east of Pittsburgh, PA, and travels the 200 miles to Gettysburg. It’s a small -- but 4 • Byways
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WHERE GROUPS DROP ANCHOR FOR A
G R E AT DAY Got a big group? So do we.....of ways to entertain you. Like raising the sails of a historic vessel. Cruising the Mystic River. Exploring a 19th-century seafaring village. And enjoying our galleries, exhibits, Planetarium, shopping, and delicious food. Come for a few hours, or a full day. Information: 860.572.5309 Reservations: 860.572.5322
6 • Byways
Volume 31, Issue No. 5, 2014
On the cover. On the road between Baker City and John Day on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway in Oregon. Photo courtesy Sumio Koizumi. For more on this spectacular Byway, turn to page 34. To learn about Great American Roads, turn to page 10.
Features
Great American Roads 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 New York’s Historic Route 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The National Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Blaze Your Own Trail Along the Wilderness Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Historic Roads Lead to Gettysburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The Spectacular Hells Canyon Scenic Byway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Arizona’s Sky Island Scenic Byway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Departments
Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
What’s Happening
Silver Dollar City’s $1 Million Light Parade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Coming in future issues of Byways…. . .North America’s Top Tour Destinations, Great American Railroads, Ocean Destinations along the Altantic, Pacific and Gulf, and much more! At right: Niagara Falls is traditionally one of the most popular group tour destinations in North America.
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Great American Roads
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The Walkway Over the Hudson now has a glass enclosed elevator taking visitors 212 feet up for amazing Hudson Valley views. The Walkway was the first Hudson River crossing as a railroad bridge in 1889 and is now a New York State Park.
New York’s Historic Route 9 Byways • 11
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oad-tripping continues to be one of the most popular ways to explore America’s past and present and New York’s historic Route 9 delivers not only a number of significant historic sites, but some of the country’s most celebrated natural scenic beauty. Who could imagine that a little dirt road once designated a postal route in 1669 by Dutch settlers would become such a desirable scenic drive through America’s history? This narrow path from what is now New York City to Albany, followed the old trails of the Wiccoppi and Wappinger tribes, eventually becoming Old Albany Post Road during British rule. After the Revolutionary War, parts of the original route branched off to become New York’s Route 9 which now runs 325 miles from the tip of Manhattan at the George Washington Bridge to just south of the Canadian border in Champlain. Mostly two lane roads through the Hudson Valley region, the route flows close to the Hudson River through quaint urban neighborhoods with lush green trees along curvy roads of the scenic Hudson Highlands. Highlights on Route 9’s southern portion offer a stop in legendary Sleepy Hollow made famous by Washington 12 • Byways
FDR’s desk from the Oval Office in Hyde Park.
Irving, considered to be America’s first genuine internationally best selling author. His home at Sunnyside is open for tours and events. In nearby Tarrytown just off Route 9, travelers can explore the mansion, grounds and gardens of the Jay Gould estate at Lyndhurst Castle, and the Rockefeller estate at Kykuit. Route 9 then passes through Ossining where Sing,
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
The dining room of the Staatsburgh estate of the Mills family, another Gilded Age mansion on the Hudson.
Sing, a maximum security prison dating back to 1828 sits right on the Hudson. This is where “up the river” comes from, a term criminals often referred to being sent up the Hudson River for incarceration.An offshoot of the Entrance to Walk Over the Hudson.
main route, Routes 9A and 9D follow along the Hudson, over the hills of the Highlands with views of United States Military Academy at West Point, and passing the Federalist style house and estate Boscobel, and eventual-
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Frederick Vanderbilt’s Gilded Age home offers tours of his elaborate mansion.
ly into the historic village of Beacon. the Dutch in the 17th century and spared the battles of the Beacon is the home of the prominent museum Dia, and American Revolution to become NY’s second capital. a thriving cultural arts scene with art galleries, shops and Visit the 1869 Bardavon Opera House for contemporary specialty food stores, breweries and restaurants along live performances and don't miss the world’s longest eleMain Street. A highlight is Towne Crier Cafe, the longest vated pedestrian bridge, Walkway Over the Hudson, continually running performance venue of its kind, fea- which now has a glass enclosed elevator taking visitors turing live entertainment with name and local talent and 212 feet up for amazing Hudson Valley views. The a terrific menu using local farm ingredients. Walkway was the first Hudson River crossing as a railNearby Fishkill encompasses Routes 9 and 9D. road bridge in 1889 and is now a New York State Park. Named for Dutch words (vis) for fish and (kil) for stream or creek, the land Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, home of the Renegades. was granted to the Van Wyke family Photo courtesy David Spagnolo. by the Wappinger Indians in 1714. Just off 9D is Mount Gulian Historic Site, a small Dutch Colonial estate with nearly 400 years of history. Originally Wappinger tribe territory, the land was granted to the Ver Planck family which served as headquarters to General Von Steuben while he trained George Washington's troops during the Revolutionary War, and as the meeting place for the Society of the Cincinnati. If it’s summertime, the Hudson Valley Renegades offer minor league baseball fun for the whole family at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill. The Class A Short Season Team of the New York-Penn League are a champion team and an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Another 13 miles north takes you into Poughkeepsie, known as the “The Queen City of the Hudson,” settled by 14 • Byways
Continuing north on Route 9 brings you to The from dawn until dusk. The Staatsburgh estate of the Culinary Institute of America, offering student-guided Mills family is another Gilded Age mansion on the tours and the chance to dine in one of their four award- Hudson with 79 rooms of original furnishings from 1914 winning restaurants. As you enter Hyde Park, the home and an unprecedented great lawn running down to the of Franklin D. Roosevelt, watch out for the historic mile river. Their Downton Abbey tours with costumed markers. These milestones placed along Route 9 date docents are especially popular for groups who visit. back to the 1700s and were later the benefit of FDR’s WPA project which Girl Friends outing in Dutchess County along Route 9. built small stone structures around the markers to protect them against erosion. Recently featured in Ken Burns’ highly acclaimed PBS TV series “Roosevelts: An Intimate History,” visitors can tour the birthplace, home and grounds of FDR National Historic Site, Eleanor Roosevelt’s Valkill, the only National Historic Site dedicated to a First Lady, and the recently renovated FDR Presidential Library & Museum, America’s first Presidential library. Roosevelt’s neighbors were the Vanderbilts and Frederick Vanderbil’'s Gilded Age mansion offers tours of his elaborate mansion, garden strolls and magnificent views of the nearby mountains with access to the grounds The Staatsburgh estate mansion.
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Old Rhinebeck Ariel View of the Hudson Valley.
County Fair. As you venture further north on Route 9 the vistas become even more spectacular as you view the Catskill Mountains across the Hudson. Each mile takes you even further into Hudson Valley countryside, rich with apple orchards, vineyards and farms. Stops along the way during harvest season include any number of farm stands offering an abundance of Hudson Valley bounty. A relaxing drive along Route 9 to explore its heritage, splendid scenery and unique attractions promises to enrich the mind, and nourish the soul, and it all began with a little dirt foot path.
Route 9 Live Links
Hudson Valley Renegades Baseball http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t537
Towne Crier Cafe http://www.townecrier.com/dining/brunch-lunch-menu FDR Presidential Home, Library & Museum http://www.historichydepark.org DIA http://m.diabeacon.org/sites/main/beacon Rhinebeck http://enjoyrhinebeck.com
Beekman Arms http://www.beekmandelamaterinn.com
Staatsburgh Mills Mansion https://www.facebook.com/StaatsburghSHS Dutchess County Fairgrounds http://dutchessfair.com
As you arrive in Rhinebeck, established 1688, you’ll discover numerous restaurants and boutique shops, and America’s oldest operating inn, the Beekman Arms at the heart of it all. Beekman Arms has hosted dignitaries dating back to the early 18th century. Walkable from the village is Dutchess County Fairgrounds to catch one of the annual festivals and events such as the Country Living Fair, Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest, New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, and Dutchess
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Walkway over the Hudson http://walkway.org Mount Gulian http://www.mountgulian.org
Dutchess Group Tour Information Dawn@dutchesstourism.com 845-463-5444 Dutchess Tourism www.dutchesstourism.com
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The National Road, America’s First Federal Road
The Wheeling Suspension Bridge. Wheeling, WV was the original western terminus of the National Road, stretching from the Potomac to Ohio Rivers. It was the first Federally funded road in America. Byways • 19
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Petersburg Tollhouse. Photo by A.S. Burns, courtesy Library of Congress.. Below, National Road marker, Columbus, OH. Photo courtesy Brant Jones.
he National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, was the first major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. About 620 miles long, the National Road connected the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and was a gateway to the West for thousands of settlers. When rebuilt in the 1830s as the Cumberland Road, it became the first U.S. road surfaced with macadam, an aggregate with layers of small stones, with a coating of binder as a cementing agent. In 1811 construction began at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), on the Ohio River in 1818. Subsequent efforts pushed the road across the states of Ohio and Indiana. Plans were made to continue through St. Louis, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, and to Jefferson City upstream on the Missouri. After the panic of 1837, however, funding ran dry and construction was stopped at Vandalia, Illinois. Beyond the National Road's eastern terminus at Cumberland and toward the Atlantic coast, a series of private turnpikes were completed in 1824, connecting the National Road (Pike) with Baltimore, Maryland, and 20 • Byways
its port on Chesapeake Bay; these feeder routes formed what is referred to as an eastern extension of the National Road. In 1835, the road east of Wheeling was turned over to the states for operation as a turnpike. The road's route between Baltimore and Cumberland continues to use the name National Pike or Baltimore National Pike and as Main Street in Ohio. In 1912, the Cumberland National Road was chosen to become part of the National Old Trails Road, which would extend further east to New York City and west to San Francisco. In 1927, the National Road was designated as the eastern part of U.S. Highway 40, which still generally follows the National Road's alignment with occasional bypasses, realignments, and newer bridges. Many of the National Road's original stone arch bridges also remain on former alignments. Notable among these is the Casselman River Bridge near Grantsville, Maryland; built in 1813-1814, it was the longest single-span stone arch bridge in the world at the
time. Also in Maryland, you'll find the Washington Monument State Park in Middletown, where in 1827 citizens erected a monument to George Washington that originally stood 15-feet high on a 54-foot circular base. Though it fell into disrepair after, the monument has been restored twice and remains a popular site for hikers and bird watchers. Or drive through Mount Airy, formerly a railroad town, which now features several vineyards open for tours and picnics. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge across the Ohio River, opened in 1849, is the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in the United States still in use. A newer bridge carries I-70 and the realigned U.S. 40 across the river nearby. The original bridge is listed as both a National Historic Landmark and a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. One of the road's original toll houses is preserved in La Vale, Maryland, and two others are located in Addison, Pennsylvania, and near Uniontown, Pennsylvania; they are known as the La Vale Tollgate House, Petersburg The original Wheeling Suspension Bridge on the National Road, Wheeling, WV.. Photo courtesy Chris Light
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The S Bridge on the National Road east of Old Washington, OH. Photo courtesy Bwsmith84.
Tollhouse, and Searights Tollhouse respectively. Many mile markers can still be found along the National Road, some well-maintained, others deteriorating, and yet others represented by modern replacements. Today, various portions are now signed as U.S. Route 40, Alternate U.S. 40, or Maryland 144. A spur between Frederick, Maryland, and Georgetown in Washington, D.C., now Maryland Route 355, bears various local names but is sometimes referred to as the Washington National Pike; it is now paralleled by Interstate 270 between the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Frederick. The full road, including extensions east to Baltimore and west to St. Louis, was designated "The Historic National Road, an All-American Road" in 2002.
Cumberland National Road marker in Riverside Park, Photo courtesy Dave Umling and City of Cumberland, MD. 22 • Byways
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Belle Grove Plantation. Photos courtesy VisitWinchesterVA.com
Blaze Your Own Trail Along the Wilderness Road
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Beginning in Winchester-Frederick County, VA
ne of the most famous of all Great American Roads is the Wilderness Road, Virginia’s Heritage Migration Route. The road’s name conjures up exploits of Daniel Boone and the determined settlers who poured after him through the Cumberland Gap on their way to the Wild West. More than 43 million Americans can trace their heritage to families that migrated along the trail. The portion of the trail that we are considering begins at the top of Virginia, in Winchester, the oldest city west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the largest metropolis of Frederick County, organized in 1738. In this section of the Wilderness Road, the route follows The Great Road or Valley Pike, known today as US Route 11. Through the years, the road, which runs parallel to Interstate 81, 24 • Byways
served as a buffalo trail, Indian Path, and Stagecoach Road. In the early 18th century, Frederick County, Virginia was the destination of European settlers – newly arrived English, Scots, Irish, and German immigrants who came south from Pennsylvania in search of good, cheap farmland. Religious conviction also influenced area settlement as Governor William Gooch permitted dissident faiths to practice their own beliefs, instead of requiring them to join the Episcopal Church. In the mid-1700’s, Frederick County became the military and political training ground for George Washington, who came to the area at the age of sixteen to survey land. Washington built Fort Loudoun during the French & Indian War, and at the age of 26, was elect-
ed to his first political office as Frederick County’s representative to the Virginia House of Burgesses. By 1820, stagecoaches were running on the Great Road, and the Frederick County towns of Winchester, Stephens City, and Middletown provided relaxing stops for dusty, weary travelers. Visit the Winchester-Frederick County Visitors Center, located at 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road, to begin blazing your own trail. Driving directions and brochures are available from the friendly and helpful travel counselors. In Winchester-Frederick County, visitors following the Wilderness Road will get a better view of history when they explore relics of the era: old homes built of native limestone, George Washington's headquarters, the ruins of an old church used as barracks during the Revolutionary War, the oldest tombstone in the Shenandoah Valley, an inn that has welcomed travelers since 1797, an 18th century grain and livestock farm, and much more.
Newtown History Center and wagon exhibit.
Some specific attractions on the trail include: Abram’s Delight Museum, built in 1754. • Old Stone Presbyterian Church, home of the first Sunday School south of the Mason-Dixon line. • Site of Historic Fort Loudoun, built by George Washington.
George Washington’s Office Museum. Byways • 25
Wayside Inn, reportedly the oldest continuously operating inn in America.
• Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall, a center of commerce for more than 250 years, bursting with unique shops, restaurants, cafés, and lively events. • George Washington’s Office Museum & statue of George Washington as a 16-year old surveyor. • Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, dedicated to interpretation of the art, history and culture of the Shenandoah Valley. • Opequon Presbyterian Church, oldest Presbyterian congregation west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. • Newtown History Center, a complex of homes and museums. • Wayside Inn, reportedly the oldest continuously operating inn in America. • Belle Grove Plantation, an 18th century grain & livestock farm with an elegant limestone manor built in 1797. From Winchester-Frederick County, the Wilderness Road Trail continues south on Rt. 11 through Shenandoah County, Harrisonburg, Lexington, and points south to the Cumberland Gap. The Wilderness Road: Virginia’s heritage Migration Route is a 501c3 corporation, formed to promote the region in Virginia from Winchester to Cumberland Gap as a tourism destina26 • Byways
tion. For more information on The Wilderness Road, please www.wildernessroadva.org For more information on Winchester-Frederick County, www.VisitWinchesterVA.com Call 1-877-871-1326. George Washjington Statue.
Abram’s Delight cabin.
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Historic Roads Lead to Gettysburg
or visitors to Gettysburg, Pa. – one of America’s most historic towns – getting there is half the fun. Surrounded on all sides by popular destinations such as Washington, DC, Lancaster and Hershey, PA., as well as Baltimore and Philadelphia, Gettysburg is becoming increasingly more popular to travelers. These neighboring attractions provide visitors with the opportunity to experience a variety of destinations in and around Gettysburg, and two historic roads are bringing these experiences even closer.
The Lincoln Highway Corridor The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor – one of 12 heritage areas in Pennsylvania – connects visitors to one of America’s most famous roads. Loosely following U.S. Route 30, the corridor begins just east of Pittsburgh, Pa., 28 • Byways
Lincoln Highway Experience Museum.
and brings travelers 200 miles to Gettysburg, Pa. It’s a small – but unique – chunk of the 2,900-mile Lincoln Highway that runs from the bay at San Francisco to Times Square in New York City. Along the way, travelers experience such attractions as the Lincoln Highway Experience Museum, Flight 93 Memorial, Fort Ligonier, the Gettysburg battlefield, as well as the majestic vistas along the route through the Allegheny Mountain Range. The road is famous for its roadside attractions such as the Coffee Pot, Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and the Roadside Giants sculptures. Additionally, the corridor is dotted with roadside signs, murals, diners, museums and its signature gas pumps. The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor reminds visitors of a bygone era – one before the interstate highway system and turnpike service plazas; when the time on the road was as much fun as the destination itself. Visit www.lhhc.org for more information on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor.
The Journey Through Hallowed Ground The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, a recently designated National Scenic Byway, takes travelers along a 180-mile road trip through history. Starting in Charlottesville, Va. near the once-home of President
Paintings and signs mark the route of the Lincoln Highway.
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Monocacy Aquaduct in Frederick, MD is part of the The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Scenic Byway.
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Lincoln Highway Experience museum.
Thomas Jefferson, the JTHG brings visitors north the United States. through many eras of American history, past presidential For more information on Gettysburg, visit www.destinationgettysburg.com homes, and into several Civil War battlefields to Gettysburg. Stretching a width of 75 miles, this byway features 400 years of European, American, and African- Thomas Jefferson’s home at American heritage, and is said to be Monticello in Charlottsville, “Where America Happened.” The Virgina. JTHG includes more than 10,000 historic sites, nine presidential homes, 13 national parks and dozens of historic towns. Additionally, these visitors along the JTHG are finding great food, great outdoor recreation, wineries and events along the Byway. For more information on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, visit www.hallowedground.org. Gettysburg, itself, is an American destination, but when paired up with the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor or the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, it truly creates a getaway that enlightens, engages and entertains travelers from around 32 • Byways
The Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, PA.
A stately mansion, beautiful rolling farmland, exquisite gardens, a repository of more than 200 years of American history and culture – all of these can be found at Oatlands Historic House and Gardens near Leesburg, VA along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Scenic Byway.
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The Snake River winding through Hells Canyon in Eastern Oregon. Photo courtesy X-Weinzar. 34 • Byways
The Spectacular Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
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On the road between Baker City and John Day, OR. Photo courtesy Sumio Koizumi.
he Hells Canyon Scenic Byway winds through the northeast corner of Oregon, taking in the craggy 8,000 foot depths of Hells Canyon and the 10,000 foot peaks of the Wallowa Mountains. Along the way, you’ll encounter exceptionally scenic country and fascinating cultural history in the ancestral homelands of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians and along the Historic Oregon Trail. The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a 208-mile loop encircling the Wallowa Mountains, intersecting with Interstate 84 at La Grande and Baker City. Extremes in the land define this Byway and have likewise shaped the region’s cultural history. At the eastern edge of the Byway is the Hells Canyon stretch of the Snake River, North America’s deepest gorge. It boasts hair-raising rapids, awesome rock formations, and many signs of the indigenous peoples that once called this vast area home. At the core of the Byway are the Wallowa Mountains whose jagged, snowcapped peaks are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. Flows of plateau basalt, batholiths of gran36 • Byways
ite, and layers of shale were buckled and folded to form the mountain range. West of the Wallowas, the bountiful Grande Ronde Valley unfolds. Once a spring and summer gathering place for members of the Umatilla, Yakima, Shoshone, Walla Walla, Cayuse and Bannock Nations, the valley is now a rich agricultural center, hosting fields of hay, wheat, grass, mint, and canola as well as cattle, sheep, and horse ranches. Surrounding the Byway, the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, the Eagle Cap Wilderness area, and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest offer incomparable outdoor recreational opportunities. Numerous campgrounds and trail systems are available. Anglers can fish the region’s many rivers or Wallowa Lake. Hunters can pursue deer, elk, bear, cougar or bighorn sheep. Visitors can experience the backcountry on a pack trip or rafting adventure. When the snow falls, downhill skiing is available at area resorts, and abundant open spaces make for a snowmobiling/snowshoeing wonderland. Cultural
events and attractions showcasing the region’s heritage, including rodeos, powwows, music festivals, craft shows, concerts and other community celebrations, can be enjoyed all along the Byway, throughout the year.
Baker City As you travel on Interstate 84, enter the Byway’s southern end by taking exit 304 and following the signs to Oregon Highway 86. Start your canyon adventure with a tour of the National Historic District in Baker City, the “Queen City of the Mines.” Late 19th century Victorian architecture dominates the commercial and residential buildings of the city’s downtown, where many buildings, including the famous Geiser Grand
Launching fishing boats on Wallowa Lake, near Joseph, OR. Below, Baer House Bed and Breakfast in the historic district of Baker City, OR. It is a Victorian Italianate style home circa 1882. Photos courtesy Sumio Koizumi.
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View of Hells Canyon Dam from the air. Photo courtesy Sam Beebe. 38 • Byways
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Wallowa County Stage Stop Realty in Joseph, OR. Photo courtesy Sumio Koizumi. Hotel, have been carefully restored. North of town, take Oregon Route 86 east to the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Flagstaff Hill.
The Baker-Copperfield Highway Continue east on Oregon Route 86 through sagebrushcovered plateaus, the fertile farms of Richland, and mining towns like Halfway, Pine and Copperfield. Early pioneers first traveled portions of this route on their way to the Willamette Valley in the early 1840s. Gold strikes on the southern side of the Wallowa Mountains and the Blue Mountains brought another wave of settlers to the region in the 1860s. Later settlers were attracted by fertile valleys and abundant timber; agriculture and forest products are still important industries in northeast Oregon. Today, visitors come to Halfway for outdoor activities including backpacking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, rafting, fishing and hunting. Many use the town as a point of departure for Hells Canyon adventures.
Snake River and Hells Canyon To see the river from its shore, drive past the junction of Forest Road 39 to Oxbow and continue on the Idaho side of the river until you reach Hells Canyon Dam. You’ll discover the mighty Snake River as it approaches 40 • Byways
Display inside the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, OR. Most people walked or rode horses and did not ride in the wagons. Above right: Pioneer wagon encampment display . Photos courtesy Sumio Koizumi.
the southern end of Hells Canyon, the deepest rivercarved gorge in North America. According to Nez Perce folklore, Coyote dug Hells Canyon with a big stick to protect ancestors in Oregon’s Blue Mountains from the Seven Devils mountain range across the gorge in what is now Idaho. Geologists believe that Hells Canyon was formed by normal stream erosion as the Snake River cut its way through rocks of a rising mountain range, beginning 6 million years ago. It is still being cut and is probably deeper and more rugged today than at any other time in its history. The 652,488-acre Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, designated in 1975, encompasses a 71-mile stretch of the Snake River and contains some of the country’s most remarkable scenery, plants, wildlife and geology. Relatively mild winters and abundant deer, elk, and bighorn sheep drew native peoples to the canyon. Signs of human habitation date back over 11,000 years. Pictographs and petroglyphs, as well as winter pithouse villages, are scattered along the river, documenting the presence of those early inhabitants. A rafting or jet boat excursion on the Snake provides an excellent way to experience the abundant wildlife and grandeur of the canyon.
Hells Canyon Overlook Return to Forest Road 39 and travel 16 miles to Forest Road 3965. From here, a short drive brings you to paved overlook — which rests at 5,400 feet — provides breathtaking vistas at Hells Canyon Overlook. The outstanding views of McGraw Creek, Hells Canyon, and the Seven Devils Mountains which stand at the Idaho border. The Overlook features interpretive displays about the canyon formation.
Wallowa Mountains and Eagle Cap Wilderness Back on Forest Road 39, you’ll head north across the “Wild and Scenic” Imnaha River and then west toward some impressive views of the majestic Wallowa Mountains. The Imnaha provides important spawning habitat for steelhead trout and chinook salmon, and offers excellent angling opportunities. The 387,915-acre Eagle Cap Wilderness offers five campgrounds and 10 trailheads, should you wish to stretch your legs and explore this pristine wilderness up close and personal. Skirting the northeast foothills of the Wallowa Mountains, you’ll soon reach Joseph, a quaint recreational hub and thriving art community. One mile south of town, glacially-formed Wallowa Lake features a state park with a variety of accommodations including yurts for rent. A tramway takes you to the summit of Mt. Howard, where 2 miles of easy trails lead to viewpoints. There’s superb fishing and hiking for all ages in local streams and the lake. Geologists have proclaimed the moraines on either side of Wallowa Lake the most impressive moraines in the world. Byways • 41
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ravel along one of the most scenic highways in the Southwest, complete with mountain forests, canyons, deserts, and breathtaking vistas. Sky Island Scenic Byway, one of America’s shortest scenic byways, is also the only paved road leading up to the top of Mt. Lemmon near Tucson in Southern Arizona, The road, also known as the Mount Lemmon Parkway, takes visitors through five life zones, from Sonoran Desert lowlands all the way up to a mixed-conifer forest, the geographic equivalent of traveling from Mexico to Canada, in just 27 miles. Start your journey among giant saguaro cacti of the Sonoran desert and climb to shady conifer forests at nearly 9,000 feet, passing through layers of biological diversity. Enjoy spectacular views and recreational opportunities from hiking and camping to picnicking and skiing. Near Tucson, the towering saguaro cacti clustered across the desert corrugations of Saguaro National Park loomed, brooding, ever a mystery. The defining plant of the Sonoran Desert, the largest of the saguaros are 200 years old, 50 feet high and weigh in at 8 tons. In about an hour motorists can drive the 27-mile scenic Sky Island Parkway, leaving the serene land of desert
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Above: View of Tucson from the mountain top.
Right: Giant saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert on the climb to shady conifer forests at nearly 9,000 feet.
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scrub and climbing Mount Lemmon into a mixed conifer forest. For outdoor recreationists, it’s a perfect getaway. “Any man experienced in driving a car, can make the road all right, but it is no place for . . . women drivers,” wrote Allen B. Jaynes on August 12, 1919, in a commentary on the newly constructed highway leading from the desert floor surrounding Tucson up into the forested slopes of Mount Lemmon. Perhaps Mr. Jaynes didn’t realize that this lofty peak, reaching up in elevation to 9,157 feet, was named for a woman – in fact, the first Anglo woman to hike to the summit. This scenic byway gets its name from areas of biological diversity in the Coronado National Forest that rise dramatically from the desert floor to stand wreathed in clouds as 12 widely scattered “sky islands,” so named for mountains being like islands of forest in a sea of desert. The elevation at the peak reaches over 9,000 feet. Wide, paved, bordered by guardrails and topped by clear blue sky, the road provides a genuine treat for those seeking a day away.
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Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas Presents NEW $1 Million Light Parade Starring Rudolph
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ilver Dollar City lights up its brightest season with a new $1 million light parade featuring the beloved Christmas character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® for An Old Time Christmas. One of the nation’s most acclaimed holiday festivals, An Old Time Christmas also features a 5story Christmas tree with a light and sound show, Broadway-style musical productions, holiday foods and five million lights, November 1 - December 30 at the Branson, Missouri theme park. Rudolph's Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade, led by the most famous reindeer of all, debuts on the 50th anniversary of the television special. First airing in 1964, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is the longest-running, highest rated Christmas special in television history. As Grand Marshal, Rudolph leads the new evening parade of nine musical, lighted floats - one featuring Sam the Snowman - as it winds through the streets of the City. The floats, illuminated with 100,000 ultrabright LED* lights, were designed exclusively for Silver Dollar City with animated features from huge drumming bears and cymbal-playing penguins to a cowboy doll rocking on a hand-carved wooden rocking horse. The parade is accompanied by 33 colorful costumed characters, including 46 • Byways
Rudolph’s friend Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, 14-foot moose characters, 12-foot tall elves and 10-foot candy canes, plus penguins, elves and a troupe of marching wooden soldiers. The parade follows the lighting of the 5-Story Special Effects Christmas Tree on the Square, a towering icon with over 250,000 colorful LED lights that is the centerpiece of the Christmas on Main Street light and sound shows beginning at dusk each evening. The massive tree blazes in synchronization to the musical movements of Christmas songs, up to 100 light changes per second, while lights around the Square flash along with it, accompanied by surround-sound. The festival also features two popular musical productions, It's a Wonderful Life and A Dickens’ Christmas
Carol. It's a Wonderful Life presents a musical interpretation of the inspirational story that was voted the #1 “Inspirational Film of All Time” by the American Film Institute, and features unique special effects and a talented’cast of 14 singer/actors. A Dickens’ Christmas Carol, also an original musical adaptation of a famous classic story, includes elaborate sets and visual effects, flying spirits, pyrotechnic special effects and a talented cast of 15, accompanied by a live band. Since its debut more than two decades ago, Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas has become one of the country’s most recognized events for spectacular lighting and world-class entertainment. Guests can view the park's lights from high above the ground too -- in temperathe park, including a prime rib buffet and tratures down to 42 degrees, guests can soar into the night ditional favorites such on the park's coasters and rides, including the groundbreaking top-rated wood coaster Outlaw Run.
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Fine craftsmanship is also showcased, as the park’s 100 demonstrating craftsmen create one-of-a-kind handmade holiday items, from blown glass ornaments and angels to pottery dessert platters. The tastes of the season are in abundance throughout
as turkey with appleraisin dressing. Festive holiday treats from apple dumplings to hot wassail can be found throughout the park, and the bakery cooks up fresh homemade fruitcakes. For kids, there’s a lunch with Santa, available on weekends, and classes at the Midwest Living Culinary & Craft School feature holiday specialties. Information: 800-831-4FUN(386) or visit www.silverdollarcity.com
Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America. Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators plus selected travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptions are complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes and Newsstand in the App Store. Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, and selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2014 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher. Editor and Publisher Stephen M. Kirchner
Advertising Director 502-785-4875
Internet: bywaysmagazine.com byways@motorcoach.com Byways on Facebook Byways on Twitter
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