Enjoy Endless Outdoor Activities in Twin Falls and Southern Idaho
Few places can match the broad range of fun and connectivity that Twin Falls and the surrounding Magic Valley offer residents.
Southern Idaho is a magnet for adrenaline junkies, and it’s easy to see why. With its stunning canyons, cliffs and waterways, the Snake River corridor offers endless opportunities for adventure seekers of all stripes to get their fix. Take whitewater rafting, for instance. Riding rapids can be an everyday occurrence, since major rivers neighbor city centers. Here’s a sampling of the fun-filled outdoor activities in Twin Falls and Southern Idaho.
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Whitewater Rafting
Idaho boasts some of the best whitewater in the Lower 48, with the Snake and Salmon rivers both easily accessible from the Twin Falls area.
Idaho Guide Service offers whitewater thrills from half to seven days in length, including their ever-popular Ultimate Adventure, which will take you from the bottom of the Snake River Canyon to the Smoky and Boulder mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, which top out at 11,700 feet above sea level.
One area of note is a 15-mile section of the Snake River known as the Murtaugh stretch, a one-day float trip with 16 major rapids on the descent downstream to the Twin Falls on the Snake River.
BASE Jumping
The Perrine Bridge is the site of the ultimate extreme activity: BASE jumping. Twin Falls has a historical connection to BASE jumping, dating back to the 1970s when legendary jumper Carl Boenish pioneered the sport from the Perrine Bridge. Local company Tandem BASE bills itself as the “Godfather of Tandem BASE,” claiming to have started the first tandem BASE jump company in 2009. For those daring enough to take a leap from the 486-foot-tall bridge, Tandem BASE allows you to jump as a tandem student with a highly experienced BASE instructor. All students are provided with helmets and must wear proper footwear, such as athletic shoes or hiking boots.
Rock Climbing
If you feel the need to get vertical, there are dozens of rock-climbing destinations in Southern Idaho, from City of Rocks National Reserve, with its unique granite spires, to the adjacent Castle Rocks State Park featuring a mix of bolted and traditional routes.
But the gold standard is Dierkes Lake, located in Twin Falls, which offers both bouldering and sport climbing options. You can get loaner gear from the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) Outdoors Rental Shop; their Climbing Package contains a helmet, harness, shoes and chalk.
The Gemstone Climbing Center in Twin Falls has weekly lessons on how to belay, or you can also make an appointment at Gemstone for a private belay tutorial. Gemstone also recommends the Mountain Project app, which shows the popular top rope climbing routes in the area.
Mountain Biking
Twin Falls has a robust network of bike trails crisscrossing the community. No bike? No problem. Pertt’s Bike Rental, owned by husband-and-wife team Andrew and Jessica Perttula, offers great bikes at affordable rates, and they deliver bikes (including e-bikes) at three prime locations: the Twin Falls Visitor Center, the Poleline/ Eastland Trailhead and Auger Falls.
If you begin at the Visitor Center, head east on the Snake River Canyon Rim Trail for killer views of the Perrine Memorial Bridge soaring 500 feet above. After a gap, you can pick up the eastern leg of the trail in Shoshone Falls Park and take in the park’s namesake 212-foot waterfall. A well-fitting helmet and sturdy shoes with good traction are essential for safety, along with sunglasses to protect your eyes from dirt, dust and insects.
Off-Roading
Idaho Adventure Tours & Rentals offers a variety of options for exploring the trails and lakes around the Snake River corridor via a two-person or four-person utility task vehicle (UTV).
Customers can choose to rent by the hour and head south to a hummingbird sanctuary or to the Magic Valley Ski Resort, where “there’s a decent chance you’ll see a moose or deer,” says owner Adam Stockberger.
Rent a UTV for an overnight and Stockberger will recommend some great campsites near the south hills or the Magic Reservoir. Drivers must be at least 18 years old, but passengers just need to be big enough to wear a helmet and seatbelt. Stockberger’s biggest safety tip? “Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times.”
Camping
After a fun day filled with outdoor activities in Twin Falls and Southern Idaho, you need a good place to sleep. If you like camping or other off-the-grid experiences, here are four suggestions where recreation enthusiasts can enjoy a night, weekend or even a week of relaxation and adventure.
Miracle Hot Springs & Banbury Hot Springs, Buhl
Open year-round, Miracle Hot Springs and Banbury Hot Springs are located about two miles from each other and allow customers to soak in geothermal spring water pools. Miracle Hot Springs is billed as having hot spring water that is soft to the touch and odorless, and it has an ideal alkaline pH of 9.6. Banbury Hot Springs has offered its healing mineral waters to the public since 1920, and it features five private baths along with a large swimming pool. Camping, overnight accommodations and kayak rentals are also available.
Rock Wren Hideaway, Elba
Glamping is a form of camping that involves accommodations and amenities more luxurious than traditional camping, and Rock Wren Hideaway provides such an experience. Guests have a choice between camping in spacious bell tents or large lodge rooms, and meals can be prepared on outdoor grills and firepits. If you don’t feel like cooking, three nearby restaurants are Outpost Steakhouse, The Lunchroom and Piggy Sue BBQ. Within a 10-minute drive of this idyllic outdoor setting are adventure destinations like City of Rocks National Reserve as well as Castle Rocks State Park.
Porcupine Springs Campground , Cassia County
Twelve individual camping units and three group units are available to the public at Porcupine Springs Campground, located in Sawtooth National Forest. One of the group units at Porcupine Springs can accommodate up to 100 people and another large group area can host 50 people. Reservations are required for group camping only, and Porcupine Springs is equipped for trailer and tent camping. Also on the grounds is the Little Fork Trailhead where visitors can hike, mountain bike, ride horseback and go off-highway roading.
Smoky Mountain Campground, Almo
A total of 38 campsites are available at Smoky Mountain Campground, including a separate area that has six sites for equestrian campers. As part of Castle Rocks State Park, the campground is located near the east entrance of the City of Rocks and has an available lodge, bunkhouse and glamping yurt (round tent) to rent. Restrooms and a shower building are open to Smoky Mountain visitors during the peak season from May 1 through September 30.
Get to Know Southern Idaho
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