Running straight through Southern Idaho and forming the lifeblood of the state, the mighty Snake River is a powerful, magnificent body of water that has carved the intimidating Snake River Canyon over the course of thousands of years. While the plunging depths of the gorge are definitely intimidating, reaching over 500 feet deep, what's perhaps most impressive is the canyon's girth. At certain points, the canyon reaches around 1600 feet wide; nearly 1/4 of a mile across.

The scenic canyon slices through the outskirts of Twin Falls, and without going around the region, there's only one way to get across the canyon: the Perrine Bridge. In fact, when it was built in 1927, the Perrine Bridge over the canyon — which stands at an impressive 486 feet — was the tallest bridge in the world.

You might have heard the story of how a famous daredevil, one Evel Knievel himself, decided that there was another way to get across the gorge: a steam-powered rocket. What you might not know is that the Snake River Canyon wasn't his first choice for his now-famous stunt — or that the terrifying stunt was recreated.

The Snake River Canyon is an intimidating sight, but one you might not even see from a distance because of how sharply the canyon walls plummet down to the Snake River.

Thousands of visitors and tourists flock here every year to witness the roaring Shoshone Falls — the Niagara of the West — in person.

At 212 feet, this raging beauty is taller than Niagara Falls and delightfully unexpected as the water pours out of the rocky, desert landscape.

In the early 70s, world-famous Evel Knievel decided he wanted to jump the Grand Canyon by motorcycle. When his request was denied, he scouted the country in search of a comparable challenge ... finding it in humble Idaho.

To meet legal restrictions, he leased land on both sides of the canyon and set to work building an angled dirt ramp and a 180-foot tall launch structure for the rocket he hoped would get him to the other side: the steam-powered SkyCycle X2.

But every test jump, each of them sans Knievel, plunged straight into the raging Snake River at over 350 mph.

Despite the stunt being doomed from the start, on September 8, 1974, Evel Knievel was lowered into his SkyCycle by crane and strapped in for the ride.

The custom-built machine sat perched on an almost vertical-angled launch structure, equipped with multiple parachutes to help Knievel land (somewhat) gently on the other side of the 1600-foot canyon. Already well up in years, Knievel's greatest concern before launch was that the G-force of the rocket would make him blackout and release the safety parachute too early.

But then, something went wrong.

As millions watched on TV and thousands more gathered in person, the parachute opened even before Knievel was off of the launch pad and fully deployed mid-air, bringing the rocket to a near-halt over the middle of the canyon.

Hearts fell as the SkyCycle began plunging — spinning — towards the water. Paddlers rowed towards the center of the river as quickly as they could. Fortunately, strong canyon winds blew the X2 backward towards the rocks just in time and Knievel was able to escape the rocket with only a broken nose. The cause? An electrical issue.

A monument was placed in the visitor center on the southern end of the Perrine Bridge in commemoration of the attempt.

The 1974 stunt was one of the last for the aging Knievel.

Recently, world-class stuntman Eddie Braun decided to recreate the jump and succeed where Knievel couldn't.

Were you watching when either of these famous daredevils took flight over the Snake River Canyon? What do you know about Evel Knievel and the Snake River? Have you ever visited his jump site? Let us know in the comments.

The Snake River Canyon, Shoshone Falls, The Perrine Memorial Bridge, and even the Evel Knievel jump site are all excellent road trip stops. For some road trip ideas, check out our list featuring some of our favorites. Just make sure you are prepared for your road trip with some of the best car-friendly snacks.

If you are searching for another must-visit spot to visit in the area, check out the Twin Falls Visitor Center, one of the coolest visitor centers in Idaho.

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