Cleo’s Ferry Museum & Nature Trail
Located just 6.5 miles (10.46 km) southwest of Melba, ID, Cleo’s Ferry Museum and Nature Trail are hidden behind and below a service station off Highway-45. Cleo’s Ferry Museum and Nature Trail has various eclectic features, including a collection of birdhouses, a graveyard, a replica stagecoach, and a flock of live peacocks. The trail also features several rustic buildings preserved from the 1860s, when the site was used as a ferry crossing on the Snake River. The museum was created by Cleo Swayne, a local resident who began collecting birdhouses and other items in the 1960s. Over time, her collection grew to include hundreds of pieces, which she displayed on the grounds of her home. After Swayne died in 2007, the museum was donated to the City of Melba. The city has since opened the site to the public and offers guided property tours.
Important:
No dogs allowed. I’ve even seen that Service Dogs are NOT allowed. This is due to the free-roaming peafowl and the danger posed to them and possibly the dog. Other wildlife can appear on the grounds as well. Deer, fox, raptors, and many small rodents and birds find their way into this area.
Equipment:
Quarters for the feed vending machine if you want to feed the peafowl.
Sunscreen, a hat, and a water bottle if it is hot.
Weather-appropriate clothing.
The Approach
Driving along Highway-45, pull into the Dan’s Ferry Service/Philips 66 on the north side New Cleo’s Ferry Bridge. Looking just south of the service station, you will see signs on a fence and a small road leading down to the Ferry Museum and Nature Trail. The road will be lined with all manner of interesting bobbles and small statues. As you make your way down the road, don’t stop until you reach the dirt parking lot with all the signs.
Nature Trail
The nature trail begins at the parking lot. A small chainlink gate leads to the paved path. To the right are the museum buildings. The first thing you’ll notice is the group of peafowl loitering around the gate. This was curious to us when we arrived. Once inside the gate, the answer became obvious. Along the fence line were two coin-operated bins filled with food for the birds. If you have quarters, you may feed them; however, be mindful that they are ravenous animals and do not have any patience where food is concerned.
After enjoying the beautiful plumage, we started along the path. We were tickled by the numerous creative birdhouses atop every fence post along the path. Below each birdhouse was a cute, funny, or inspirational quote or comment. It was a treat to examine all of it.
In no time, you reach your first group of statues. You certainly find a theme among most groupings of statues. From angels, cherubs, and biblical manifestations to animals grouped by type and/or size. Take your time to explore the little side trails when they appear. Also, be sure to pause as long as you like at some of the more tranquil/reverent spots along the way.
If you feel up to a bit of a climb, you can take the trail to the rainbow. We did not make this journey since we were already hovering around noon. We had already completed a 7.5-mile hike and were starting to get hungry. This is a popular spot for folks to take a picture of them under the rainbow and also to capture a good shot of the entire area.
One section is a large concrete area filled with bronze statues of a bygone American era. What looks like a statued representation of a Norman Rockwell picture. From the children’s baseball game to the marching band, you feel a sense of nostalgia for a time never experienced but somehow familiar. Be sure to stop and get some selfies alongside some of the greatest leaders in history.
My favorite spots on the trail were the serenity enclaves and the spot dedicated to Christ's life, death, and resurrection. The most overwhelming part was the overall sense of care, love, and devotion that created this fascinating location. At times I was truly taken aback by the emotion I felt as I stood in awe of the pure act of love that created such a unique and wonderful place. I can only describe some of the locations as sacred. While there are several Christian-themed locations and statues, even non-religious or other-religious individuals will still be able to enjoy the simple sense of peace this nature trail provides. I truly believe that no matter your spiritual background, we need peace and moments of reflection in our lives. In a world increasingly filled with noise and distractions, finding a place that actually created the opposite for me was wonderful.
The Museum
We were unable to enter any of the buildings in the museum area. They typically only open the buildings in the Summer. To find out the schedule, you can check their Facebook page. The buildings look incredible on the outside, and hopefully, we can go back soon to fully take in the museum. Our favorite buildings were the little wedding chapel and the stagecoach. Among the buildings were more peafowl. They were unafraid and came right up to us, probably looking for food. Back in the parking lot, we made a donation in the box. The entire place is run using donations and remains free to the public. Be careful backing out in the parking lot. The peafowl are not afraid of the cars and are not all that keen on staying out of the way either. If you are getting hungry, I highly recommend making the short drive to The Orchard House for some amazing food and desserts.
