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15 – Atlanta

Atlanta is a living ghost town that was founded in 1864 as a gold mining community. In 1863, gold was discovered in Atlanta, and the area has since experienced gold rushes, busts, fires, and engineering feats. According to the town’s Facebook page, Southerners named it after a supposed Confederate victory in 1864 over Union general William Sherman in Atlanta, Georgia. 

To get to Atlanta from Boise, you can take Highway 21 east to the Middle Fork Boise River Road, which follows the river up and ends in Atlanta. From the south, you can travel Featherville and take either James Creek or Phifer Creek roads from the ghost town of Rocky Bar. 

Beaver Lodge in Atlanta offers comfortable cabins near Sawtooth National Forest and the middle fork of the Boise River. 

More Information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta,_Idaho


Coordinates: 43.80238, -115.12925
Elevation: 5400 ft
Difficulty: 2
What to Expect: No info

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16 Check Ins
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Tjames

Love it

What bike did you take?
Tenere 700
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
20240601_144517
Ed Torrey

big loop to get this one.

What bike did you take?
KTM890
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
PXL_20241004_192035147
Tumbleweed208

We rode in from Rocky Bar which lived up to it’s name. Very scenic ride. Enjoyed a double cheeseburger at the Beaver Lodge and a dip in the natural hot springs up the road. Rode out along the Middle Fork.

What bike did you take?
KTM 500 EXCF
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
IAMCAtlantaBeaverLodge
Dougiethenoo

Great burger at the Beaver lodge. Two routes from Rockybar are eiter steep and stony but spectacular views.. or a lot of very soft gravel. Would rate this a 3.

What bike did you take?
KLR650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
IMG_0075
Justin Wilke

I was camping near Featherville this past weekend, so I brought my DR and picked up a couple challenge sites. The road from Rocky Bar up and over to Atlanta was easy, fun, and beautiful.

What bike did you take?
DR650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
15-Atlanta
Trent01

Very smokey today! Nice early morning ride to Atlanta.

What bike did you take?
GS1200
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
240831-15
JRATZ

Came up here on James Creek Rd. First time here, cool little town.

What bike did you take?
KTM 500
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
Atlanta
Robert

Road through Pine, Rocky Bar then up to Atlanta and came back down the middle fork road
and over Arrow rock. Nice ride but smoky.

What bike did you take?
KTM 890 R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
20240828_Atlanta
FW190Pilot

Stop 2 of 3 today…been awhile since I’d been to Atlanta too. What an interesting town! Lots of photo ops…..I liked the Fisk and the Veltex signs so here you go. Plus the obligatory giant Atlanta sign when you enter the town.

What bike did you take?
BMW R1250GSA
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
IMG_3918
IMG_3921
IMG_3926
Dan Huff

I rode today with Alex Crane on a 340-mile loop that saw temps as low as 52 degrees and as high as 104 degrees. Fun ride on what I call “fast gravel”. Atlanta is a cool little town.

What bike did you take?
KTM 890R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
Alex Crane

We hit up Atlanta after Rocky Bar. The road between is a bit harder at maybe a 2.5, but doable on a big bike. It was a great stretch. After Atlanta we headed towards Idaho City, which is an easy 2. Coming in from the south isn’t a lot harder, and less traffic.

What bike did you take?
R1200GS
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
Atlanta1
KaptSlow

It’s July 4th, and I figured Middle Fork Rd would be a zoo. So, I slabbed it to Featherville and got sites 14 and 15 from the south. The run from Featherville to Rocky Bar is a graded dirt highway — James Creek Rd, from Rocky Bar to Atlanta, not so much.

James Creek was “graded” in the past week, so it was all loose dirt with fist-sized rocks on top. It’s not difficult, but you’ll want a solid skid plate mounted because your front tire will launch a barrage of projectiles toward your engine for 11 miles.

The road gets relatively narrow around some of the numerous blind turns. On my trip, I was lucky not to encounter any power-sliding side-by-sides or other 4-wheel hazards in the corners. YMMV.

FYI, Beaver Lodge opens for food at 10:00 a.m.

What bike did you take?
1989 Honda TransAlp
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
IAMC-15
englund

The road from Rocky Bar to Atlanta was nice

What bike did you take?
DR650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
1
15-Atlanta
BB445

Great ride in via Hwy 21 and W Fork Boise Road. Road after Twin Springs is currently in great condition and has minimal washboard. Watch for occasional rock fall on the road. Great weather, no dust, and no traffic!

What bike did you take?
KTM890R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
IMG_3287
chatty03

I was starving when I got there – smoky chicken sandwich did the trick.

What bike did you take?
F800GS
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
ca1
ca2
chatty

Long dusty ride, but the burger was worth it 🙂

What bike did you take?
Norden
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
atlanta1
atlanta2
atlanta3