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About Etna
Etna is located toward the northern end of Star Valley about a mile east of the Salt River, and about a mile and a half east of the Idaho border. With a population of just 123 (at the 2000 census), Etna is just a small ranching community, although Star Valley, because of its beautiful scenery, has been targeted as a retirement area and a retreat from busy cities, and Etna has seen some growth on account of this trend. The Salt River Mountain Range stand just a couple miles to the east with beautiful forested slopes. The Palisades Mountains are visible to the north, a wall of great stone- and snow-capped mountains. The valley floor is covered in hay fields and grassland and the mountains of Idaho begin just on the other side of the border.
Etna’s main street is U.S. Highway 89, which heads north-south through town. The only significant cross-street is Etna-Forest Road which marks the center of town. There are a couple other small side roads. Many people pass through Etna on the highway in summer months on their way to tourist destinations like Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. Afton is the nearest large town, lying to the south on highway 89. Alpine is the next town to the north.
Mormon pioneers settled Etna and Star Valley in the 1870s. The first settlers at Etna were the Baker family, whose cabin built in 1880 still stands today, having been preserved as a historical memento of pioneer days. The large, well-maintained Latter-day Saint church, in such a small town, attests to the continued devotion of their descendants to the religion that brought them here.
The elevation at Etna is 5,820 feet. Summers are mild with lots of greenery, and winters are cold with lots of snow. If you like mountain scenery, then it would be hard to find a more beautiful place in the world than Etna.
For More Information:
See Wikipedia’s article on Etna.
Street Index
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Caribou Peak Loop Clearview Drive Etna Village Drive Etna-Forest Road |
Good Neighbor Lane Little Greys Loop Pit Run U.S. Highway 89 |