Rocky Bar Road

The saying “you can’t see the forest for the trees” could have been coined for Rocky Bar Road. Heading south out of the small cluster of buildings called Rocky Bar, the well-maintained gravel road winds down into a heavily wooded valley en route to Featherville. The trees are right alongside the winding road and virtually eliminate any scenic view from the road. That is NOT to say it isn’t an enjoyable road to travel! It’s well maintained, well surfaced, and is an easy drive through the bottom of a steep valley. There just isn’t much of a view.

Rocky Bar Road is a connector road from Featherville to Rocky Bar. Featherville, Idaho, has a few services, including a country store, cafe, and bar. Rocky Bar has no services but has quite a few older buildings used as cabins, newer construction, and semi-active mining claims. North and west of Rocky Bar are an abundance of forest roads through the Boise National Forest and up to Trinity Ridge Road. Near Featherville are piles of rocks left over from dredge mining along the Feather River.

Rocky Bar is considered a ghost town, although there is current summer activity. The town was founded after gold was discovered in the Feather River in the early 1860s. Gold production declined in 1889, and in 1892, much of the town was destroyed by fire. There have been no permanent residents since the 1960s.

There is no camping to speak of along Rocky Bar Road, although there may be dispersed camping if you go up the side roads. Please be aware that much of the land in the area is privately owned and should not be used for camping or anything else without the owner’s permission.