Table Rock (Ada County, Idaho) facts for kids

Boise

Location in the United States

Boise as seen from Table Rock, 2017.

Boise

Location in Idaho

Day hikers approaching the cross

Table Rock is a famous mountain near downtown Boise, Idaho. It is a tall rock formation located in the foothills of the Boise Range. This range is part of the larger Rocky Mountains in the western United States.

The top of Table Rock is about 3,650 feet (1,113 meters) above sea level. This means it stands about 900 feet (274 meters) higher than the city center below. Table Rock has many caves and ledges. It offers amazing views of the Treasure Valley area.

Exploring Table Rock

Table Rock is a very popular place for day hiking. Many people visit it from the Old Idaho State Penitentiary area. From the top, you can see the entire Treasure Valley. You can also see the Owyhee Mountains and the Boise Foothills.

You can start your hike from behind the Bishop's House. This house is in the Penitentiary Historic District. The Idaho State Historical Society takes care of Table Rock Mesa. You can visit Table Rock by foot or bike from sunrise to sunset. A gate on Table Rock Road stops cars from driving up.

The Table Rock Cross

A large, lighted cross stands at the top of Table Rock. This white cross is about 60 feet (18 meters) tall. It has been the subject of a legal discussion. This discussion was about the idea of separation of church and state. The cross itself is on a small piece of land. This land was sold to a group called the Jaycees in 1972 for $100. Because of this sale, the cross is on private property. However, some people have questioned if this land sale was legal.

Building the Cross

The idea for the cross came from a TV show in the mid-1950s. The Jaycees club asked volunteers to help build it. Their goal was to promote Christianity. They also wanted to stand against communism at that time. About $880 was raised to pay for the project. Three volunteers, Dick Wilcolm, Rich Jordan, and Chet Sawyer, dug the hole and put the cross in place.

At first, it cost $60 each month to power the lights on the cross. But in 2011, the lights were changed to LED lights. This made the cost much lower, only $20 a month.

Table Rock's History

People started digging for stone at Table Rock Mesa in the 1860s. Much of the sandstone used in Boise came from Table Rock. This includes the stone used to build the Old Idaho Penitentiary. Table Rock is still an active quarry today. This means stone is still being taken from it.

In 2016, some people used illegal fireworks on Table Rock. This happened just after midnight on June 30. The fireworks started a large wildfire. The fire burned about 2,500 acres (10 square kilometers) of land.

Ancient History

Table Rock was a very special place for the Northern Shoshone people. They are a Native American tribe. They used the high plateau, many caves, and nearby hot springs. These places were used for important ceremonies and meetings.

Archaeologists have found old objects during construction nearby. These objects include obsidian knives. Obsidian is a type of volcanic glass. These findings show how important Table Rock was to ancient people.

In 1893, prisoners were digging for stone for the penitentiary. They found Native American remains. Along with bones, they also found beads and bracelets. This discovery added more proof that Table Rock was a sacred burial ground for Native Americans.

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