Bruneau is a tiny ranching town located in the Bruneau River Valley. The valley is an oasis in the Owhyhee desert. The Bruneau River, after watering the native and irrigated vegetation of the valley floor, flows into the C.J. Strike Reservoir not far north of town. The town was built at the edge of the valley, next to hills where the native white earth shows through sparse vegetation.
No population figure is available for Bruneau, but it couldn't be above a couple hundred. Idaho Highways 78 and 51 pass along the edge of town as a combined route. To the west they separate just a couple miles away, as they do several miles to the northeast. The Main Street of the town is Belle Street, where a few commercial buildings appear to be little used. Tourism in the area, thanks to the reservoir, draws some visitors to Bruneau.
The elevation at Bruneau is 2,546. The grid of streets is aligned with the edge of the hills at a northwest-southeast angle and the highway cuts through straight east-west, intersecting all the streets diagonally.
Street Index
|
Belle Street Benham Street First Street Hot Springs Road |
Hyde Street Myrtle Street Ruth Street Second Street |
State Highway 51 & 78 Third Street |