Beauties of the Rail Revisisted

Story and Photos by Robert Jenkins

Since moving to the Magic Valley in 2008 from Seeley Lake, Montana, my time has been spent pursuing the interconnected hobbies of rail photography and railroad history, while admiring the area’s many scenic wonders. This pursuit of trains has taken me to many sleepy towns and pockets of natural beauty that are bypassed by the Interstates.

In many cases, these sights are either just out of view of the freeway or only a few miles’ drive away. Old towns now almost forgotten, such as Soda Springs, Lava Hot Springs, Minidoka, Shoshone, Gooding, Bliss, King Hill, Hammett, and Weiser, abound with natural charm. Each of these little burgs has a story to tell, history to be explored, and grace to be appreciated.