Mayfield Road

 Mayfield Road is a delightful, well-maintained gravel road that runs along the base of the foothills between the Snake River Plain and the Sawtooth Mountains. Along the majority of the road there are rocky outcroppings where the harder rocks were left behind when the softer soils and rocks were eroded away. Many of the outcroppings are quite tall and relatively narrow and provide very interesting views of the local geology. Because Mayfield Road runs along the foothills, it crosses many small valleys and ravines, which makes for an interesting but easy drive that can be done in any vehicle.

Mayfield Road is part of the new Main Oregon Trail Backcountry Byway, which runs from Glenn’s Ferry, Idaho, on the Snake River to Bonneville Point outside of Boise. Several information displays at historically significant points along the road make it an interesting route for history buffs or anyone interested in the Oregon Trail and its history. More information on the Byway and the historical sites along Mayfield Road can be found on the internet with a simple Google search.

Much of the land along the road is private, and proper respect for private land is encouraged. One section of the road travels through the Boise River Wildlife Management Area where motorized travel off of the main road is not allowed. The rest of the road travels through BLM land, where dispersed camping is allowed; however, there are no particularly enticing places to do so. The west end of Mayfield Road can be accessed via Black’s Creek Road off of Interstate 84.