Explore Southern Idaho’s Soothing Blue Waters
The whoosh of water will wash all of your worries away.
Color psychology studies have long pointed to blue being associated with feelings of peace, calm, stability and serenity. Other studies on being near water have yielded similar findings of its ability to boost mood.
So, it stands to reason there’s been even more recent research on how increasing blue water infrastructure can improve public health. But why wait on scientific studies to connect the dots when you can explore Southern Idaho’s many bluewater destinations and test these theories yourself?
The region’s many bluewater destinations are located in the Gooding and Twin Falls counties area. Box Canyon State Park near Buhl features a few crystal pools and a 3-mile hike that guides you to them from the lookout, into the canyon and past a waterfall. Blue Heart Springs is also near Buhl and requires paddling in to access. Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard at Banbury Hot Springs and take the Snake River down about a mile to find the access point. Be watchful of where the blue waters of the Banbury Wetlands flow into the Snake River along the way.
Ritter Island near Hagerman is a top draw for peaceful paddling and fishing in vivid blue-green waters, and another Hagerman-area spot is Billingsley Creek. At Niagara Springs State Park near Wendell, there’s a tucked away blue pool called Crystal Springs Lake close to the waterfall at Niagara Springs State Park. There’s another hidden blue gem in the furthest west canyon at Malad Gorge State Park.
In Twin Falls, you can see the namesake of the private Blue Lakes Country Club from above by driving north across the Perrine Bridge and taking the first turn off. Coming soon will be the reopening of Devil’s Corral Springs just north of the Snake River, an area being developed for better access.
