Yankee Fork Gold Dredge

I spent my last full day on this Idaho trip in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.  Near the town of Stanley, Idaho, is a tiny village/trading post called Sunbeam.  From there, I drove up the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, past piles and piles of tailings and cobbles, and then reached the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge.

The dredge was operated during parts of the 1940’s and early 1950’s, gnawing its way for several miles up the Yankee Fork and leaving the waste rock in its wake.

I recommend the tour.  You’ll be able to go inside and learn more about how the dredge operated and what it was like to work there.