This is a little hidden gem on the Snake River along the border of Canyon & Owyhee Counties on Hwy 45 right before the junction of Hwy 45 & Hwy 78 between Melba & Marsing. To be honest, I'm not actually sure what this place is called. There is no website for it. It has been reviewed on both Yelp & TripAdvisor and called Cleo's Ferry Museum. Some people simply call it Water's Ferry - which is also the name of a boat ramp across the bridge. I've also seen it called Cleo's Nature Trail. Anyway, whatever it is, it's hard to find information about online since it doesn't have a website, but if you Google enough you can find some excellent reviews and thoughtful comments about it.
Personally, I heard about it by word of mouth. One of my local friends told me about it. She and her family call it "The weirdest place on earth."
And it kind of is.
It is a strange mixture of history about Walter's Ferry & the Swayne Family and a few other things. It is a collection of inspirational quotes, statues of anything from kids on stilts to a wedding to trolls and Snow White & the 7 dwarfs in the magical enchanted forest to famous writers, pioneers & presidents (I took pictures of my children sitting on a bench with Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein).
Duck, Duck, Goose
"Smile it will make you beautiful"
There is a hiking trail where at the peak one can see grand views surrounding the Snake River.
Views of the Snake River from the mini hike
There is a fake tomb that you can go into, a pond to 
sit and reflect on life, a small "church" at the top of the hill with three large crosses behind it, a cemetery that I am still unsure if it is real or not, and a silk rainbow along the hillside. There are also live peacocks along the trail. They used to be caged, but my kids and I were happy to see them walking freely along with us this last time we visited. Last year when we visited a deer jumped in front of us and ran up the hill.
There are many benches to stop, take a rest, have a snack, relax and look at the Snake River or the hillside above.
"Sit Down This is a Good Spot"
There is so much to look at there is no way to note it all - it's truly something you have to see for yourself. It is about a 1-2 mile walk in a loop on an asphalt path (except for the hikes to the top of the hill and the church which are dirt hiking paths). It is free to the public, but donations are welcome and signing in is requested. Dogs are strictly prohibited due to the peacocks and wildlife. Summer hours as of yesterday are 8am-8pm.
My kids absolutely love it. It gives kids things to look at and explore on a walk and no matter how many times we've been there we find something new that we hadn't noticed before. It is well worth the trip. If you are looking for something to do this summer in and around the Treasure Valley, I recommend you make this one of your stops.
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