SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO A PERFECT LOCATION FOR THE ADVENTURINGADVENTURING SPIRIT | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 54 Snake River Early settlers found the Snake River Plain a bit too dry for their taste, so they set about building a dam and irrigation canals along the Snake River. These structures so dramatically changed the landscape—turning arid, cracked soil into fertile agricultural fields—that the area became known as the “Magic Valley.” Everywhere you look, you’ll see evidence of the earth’s forces at work: deep canyons, high bluffs, unusual rock formations, and even lava flows. Sure, this area is a geologist’s dream, but its terrain also delivers big fun for the adventurer in you. The Snake River is at the heart of the valley’s recreation, inviting you to swim, raft, speedboat, and paddle its waters, and BASE jump and zip-line into its stunning canyon. The river’s reservoirs are pristine destinations for camping, hunting, and fishing—and are home to an abundance of big game and other wildlife. Throughout the region, see springs surge from within cliff walls and thundering waterfalls crash and churn into canyons. Wander through lava tubes, discover world-famous fossil beds, and eat homemade ice cream. Take a relaxing drive through Hagerman’s peaceful country- side and make your way to City of Rocks National Reserve, where granite columns and spires stand guard over a 500-acre windswept valley. Follow Visit Idaho on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social media channels. VISITIDAHO.ORG | 55 #VisitIdaho SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO ‹ ADVENTURES AS DRAMATIC AS THE LANDSCAPE HAGERMAN VALLEY ducer of steelhead and rainbow trout. While you’re in the area, visit Ritter The valley around Hagerman was Island, one of the units of Thousand the place to be during the Pliocene Springs State Park. Ritter Island, which Epoch (that’s about 3.5 million years sits along the Snake River between two ago). The area holds the richest fossil springs, is a lush haven for wildlife, deposits of the period, including the especially heron, golden eagles, and oldest fossils anywhere of Equus, the prairie falcon. If you continue south genus that includes modern horses. along the scenic byway, you’ll head You can see a replica of the “Hagerman into the western Magic Valley at Buhl, Horse” at the Hagerman Fossil Beds a charming little town with a thriving National Monument Visitor Center on arts community. Detour south past Balanced Rock Main Street downtown and, depending Castleford, and you’ll see an awesome on the season, take a ranger-led tour sight—Balanced Rock. This giant wind- of the beds. Ask at the visitor center carved rock is 48 feet high and weighs about hiking, biking, and horseback 40 tons, and it stands precariously on riding in the monument. To see the a tiny rock pedestal. Take a picnic and valley’s incredible mix of geological hike up to the rock from the nearby features and rural farmlands, drive the Balanced Rock Park. Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, which begins in Bliss and drops down into the If you’re driving the Hagerman Valley Snake River Canyon. Near Hagerman, along I-84, stop at Malad Gorge to see you’ll see the Thousand Springs area, the Malad River rushing into a steep where waters from the Snake River 250-foot canyon on its way to the Snake Plain aquifer tumble from canyon walls. River. Walk the bridge for a great view The springs’ cool temperatures are of the Devils Washbowl waterfalls. ideal for rearing trout—in fact, most of From I-84, access several units of the the trout eaten in the U.S. come from Thousand Springs State Park, including this valley. You’re welcome to tour the Billingsley Creek (grab your fishing Hagerman National Fish Hatchery, pro- rod), the 350-acre Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Preserve, with a 20-foot | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 56 Follow Visit Idaho on all your favorite social media channels. #VisitIdaho City of Rocks waterfall and crystal-clear springs, to do around here than just look at and Niagara Springs, which offers an the canyon, though. Amp up your amazingly rugged drive into the canyon. adventure by rafting or kayaking the Snake River’s many rapids, especially in In Hagerman, stop for lunch or dinner the exciting Murtaugh section. Or rent at the Snake River Grill, where inno- a kayak at Centennial Park and paddle vative chef Kirt Martin and his staff below the Perrine Bridge toward Pillar prepare wild game and locally grown Falls and climb on the basalt pillars. catfish and trout with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Continue the culinary There’s also indoor adventure here. adventure with a tasting at the organic Kids will enjoy the fossils and Native Thousand Springs Winery in Buhl. American artifacts—and the 50-foot BASE Jumping Treat the kids to homemade ice cream planetarium dome—at the Herrett at Cloverleaf Creamery, where you can Center on the College of Southern get huge scoops in unusual flavors like Idaho campus. Downtown, view works black licorice and vanilla cloverleaf. by local artists at Full Moon Gallery, browse Rudy’s–A Cook’s Paradise, or TWIN FALLS treat yourself to a crepe and a latte at On the south rim of the Snake River Twin Beans Coffee. Canyon sits Twin Falls, the Magic See what it was like to live in the Magic Valley’s largest city. You might remem- Valley long ago at the Twin Falls County ber that Evel Knievel tried to jump the Historical Museum, and, in nearby Snake River Canyon in 1974 on his Jerome, at the Idaho Farm & Ranch special “rocket” motorcycle; he didn’t Museum and Jerome County Historical make it very far, but the attempt was Museum. In Hansen, take a self-guided impressive nonetheless, considering tour of Rock Creek Station, a preserved the canyon is a mile wide and 500 feet settlement that once served as a deep in that spot. You’ll find awesome transportation center on the Oregon views of the canyon at the visitor center Trail. Near Jerome, you can visit the on the southwest side of the Perrine Minidoka National Historic Site, where Bridge, where you’ll also likely see thousands of Japanese-Americans BASE jumpers in action, free-falling were interned during World War II. Twin into the canyon. Stroll to the east side Falls’ culinary options range from the of the bridge to admire a sculpture down-home, always-bustling Buffalo called The Twins by Coeur d’Alene artist Café to the more upscale Canyon Crest David Clemons. If you look down, you’ll and Elevation 486—both on the canyon Thousand Springs see two golf courses and Centennial rim, where stunning views complement Park, a great spot for taking photos outstanding menus. of the bridge, picnicking, boating, and fishing. At Shoshone Falls Park, If you’re near Shoshone between May catch an amazing view of waterfalls and September, cool off underground cascading 212 feet down from the rim at the Shoshone Ice Caves. The “cave” of the canyon; the falls are actually is actually a lava tube with a year-round slightly taller than Niagara Falls—so ice floor. Bring a sweater; even in a selfie is probably in order here. (The falls are most stunning during spring runoff; ask at the visitor center about current water flow.) There’s a lot more Snake River REGIONAL INFO ‹ LARGEST CITY TWIN FALLS Population – 46,528 ‹ REGIONAL CLIMATE Summer Average High – 88° Winter Average High – 35° Annual Precipitation – 8" ‹ ELEVATION Highest – 10,339' (Cache Peak) Lowest – 2,575' (Snake River) Perrine Bridge SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO REGIONAL MAP ‹ ENJOY OUR ROADSIDE DISTRACTIONS 75 Sawtooth 93 Scenic 46 Byway A Shoshone 84 26 24 Minidoka Wendell 71 Lake 86 Hagerman Minidoka National Walcott Jerome Historic Site Rupert Thousand Lake Walcott State Park Springs Thousand Heyburn Scenic B Springs State Snake River Byway Park Buhl 30 81 Filer Twin Falls Hansen 30 Burley Albion 93 27 B 77 City of Rocks Hollister Backcountry Oakley Byway C 84 A Castle Rocks Almo State Park Rogerson City of Rocks National Reserve 93 SCENIC DRIVES Jackpot ‹ Sawtooth Scenic Byway A 208-774-3411 ‹ Thousand Springs Scenic Byway B 800-255-8946 ‹ City of Rocks Backcountry Byway C 208-824-5519 For additional information, go to visitidaho.org/things-to-do/ state-parks-byways SKI AREAS A ‹ Magic Mountain Ski & Summer Resort magicmountainresort.com B ‹ Pomerelle Mountain Resort pomerelle.com skiidaho.us | OFFICIAL IDAHO STATE TRAVEL GUIDE TRAVEL | OFFICIAL STATE IDAHO 58 ‹ FIND YOUR PARK! summer, the 45-minute tour can be cinder cones, which you can see in the chilly. You can take a self-guided tour Craters of the Moon area. Whether you ‹ ENJOY OUR ROADSIDE DISTRACTIONS of another lava tube at the nearby like geology or just being in a majestic Mammoth Cave; it’s not icy but it shares place, take a drive south of Burley to a location with the very unusual Castle Rocks State Park and City of Shoshone Bird Museum. Rocks National Reserve. Here, granite spires and columns 60 stories high cre- BURLEY/RUPERT ate one of the most dramatic skylines you’ll ever see. More than 700 charted 75 When you’re ready to play, head to Oakley Burley, where locals enjoy access to 20- routes await rock climbers—this is plus miles of Snake River shoreline. You renown granite-crag territory—and Sawtooth 93 the unusual landscape just begs to be Scenic can swim, fish, water-ski, wakeboard, 46 Byway A and windsurf here; a lot of the action explored on foot, mountain bike, or starts at the public docks and ramps at horseback.