Local Sightseeing
Shoshone Falls
(6.3 Mi ) Shoshone Falls is on many people’s bucket list. Also known as, “The Niagara Falls of the West.” Best time to visit the falls is late Spring to early Summer. Inside the park is also… Dierkes Lake (swimming and smaller cliff jumping) and Hidden Lake (high cliff jumping). Kayak up toward the falls from Centennial Waterfront Park (need to carry kayaks for a short distance and then place your kayak back in the river to continue to the falls). AWOL Adventure Sports offers both kayak rentals, as well as Kayak Tours to Shoshone Falls.
Perrine Memorial Bridge
(4.7 Mi ) If you’re lucky, you’ll see a B.A.S.E jumper or two jumping off the bridge with a parachute! The only place this sport is legal in the US without a permit.
Perrine Coulee Falls
(4 Mi ) Stand behind a waterfall!
Blue Heart Springs
(Approx 25 Mi./Depends where you launch your kayak or boat.) Often listed as one of the places with the clearest water. Need a kayak or boat to get to Blue Heart Springs.
Centennial Waterfront Park
(4.2 Mi ) Great views of the Perrine Coulee Waterfall and the Perrine Bridge! FREE boat launching. Activities include zipline, kayaking, boating, fishing, waterfalls and trail hiking. This park is where people launch their kayaks/SUPs and paddle up toward the famous Shoshone Falls. Note: along the route, you’ll need to pull your kayak out of the water, carry it for a short distance and then place your kayak back in the river to continue up to Shoshone Falls. Severe safety warning: please do not kayak near or too close to the extremely powerful Shoshone Falls. Stay a safe distance away! Know what you are doing before you go.
Ritter Island State Park
(30 Mi) Beautifully clear water and waterfalls!
Box Canyon State Park
(26 Mi ) HIKE 4.3 miles to crystal clear spring waters. This is the 11th largest natural spring in North America. Hike is rated easy-moderate. At first, it will look like you are just on an old farm road. Then, the canyon hills down to the springs emerge.
Balanced Rock Park
(27 Mi ) Balance Rock is on many people’s bucket list. Personally, I enjoy relaxing with a picnic lunch in the canyon park or kayaking along the canyon stream.
Pillar Falls Scenic Overlook
(4.2 Mi) Being up close to the falls is incredible, but so is the view! If you are interested in getting up close to the falls, they are reachable by hike, kayak or boat tour. AWOL Adventure Sports offers both kayak rentals and a tour to Pillar Falls by pontoon boat out of Centennial Waterfront Park. To hike, start at the Pillar Falls Trail Head.
Pillar Falls Trailhead
(4.2 Mi) HIKE this steep, generally considered moderate (some consider difficult) trail. Approximately 0.8 Mi each way. All Trails website says that it takes on average of 37 min to complete and that the best times to hike this trail are April through October. Another way to see Pillar Falls is by Pontoon Boat with AWOL Adventure Sports.
Auger Falls Trailhead
(8.8 Mi) HIKE, mountain BIKE or road bike the Auger Falls Loop. Generally, considered an Easy hike. A 6.3 Mi loop which the All Trails website says takes an average of 2 hours 9 minutes to complete.
Snake River Canyon Trail
(3.4 Mi ) WALK or BIKE Spectacular views from the canyon rim of the Snake River. There are several places to park and start your walk along the trail. The Twin Falls Visitors Center is a good place to start even though it’s not necessarily the beginning of the path.
Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site
(4.8 MI) A site along a portion of the Snake River Canyon Rim Trail. The monument can also be seen from a distance.
Rock Creek Station & Stricker Homesite
(14 Mi) History Buffs – Rock Creek Station was built in 1865 as the first trading post along the Oregon Trail west of Fort Hall. The Stricker homesite was built in 1901. Still standing are the log store, two stone cellars, a cemetery and the Stricker home. Check for business hours.
Minidoka National Historic Site
(21 Mi) History Buffs – This was a WWII American Concentration Camp for Japanese Americans. There’s not much left to see, however history buffs may sense and feel the intensity of the history which happened here. Walk around and imagine how life would have felt living in this isolated desert location with many miles of distance between you and the civilized world.
Twin Falls Visitor Center
(3.4 Mi ) See the Perrine Bridge and walk along the Snake River Canyon Rim Trail. They also have a small souvenir shop.
Mary Alice Park
(450 ft / 2 min walk) Take a moment to enjoy this whimsical community park! Features: Follow the 1/4 mile labyrinth walking path within the park. Play yard sized chess and checkers! Relax and take in the pleasant plants and surroundings. When fruit are in season, picking of a few fruit to enjoy is encouraged. (Note: This park may be closed during some seasons such as winter, bad weather or private events.)
Downtown Twin Falls Commons
(0.5 Mi) Enjoy yourself, right here on Main Ave! This is where it all happens! During the summertime, there’s Wednesday “Twin Falls Tonight” dancing in the street to live bands, Octoberfest happens here, holiday parades, the summer Saturday morning farmer’s market and the Christmas tree lighting. Check for events. Walk or drive along Main Avenue in Twin Falls! Visit or Rudy’s Cook’s Paradise to shop or take a cooking class. Enjoy one of the freshest ice creams you’ll ever taste at Cloverleaf Food Market. Sample some cheese at Glanbia Cheese Marketplace or take in a play at the historic Opheum. Look through what may possibly be the largest kaleidoscope you’ll ever look through in your life! It’s right in front of Twin Falls City Hall. During the summer you may see the Downtown Commons Splash Pad fountains, in front of City Hall. During the winter, there may be an outdoor ice skating rink. It all happens right here on Main Avenue!
Regional Sightseeing
If you’re ready to venture out a little further.
Tea Kettle Cave
(44 Mi) Tea Kettle Cave is really pretty and unique. It can be difficult to find, even for locals. There’s no signs, so you’re completely reliant on a good GPS. You have to drive a decent distance in a very dirt filled area with no real clear path of where you’re going. Also, you’ll need a high clearance vehicle.
Shoshone Ice Caves
(44 Mi) “ Take a walk through Idaho’s largest ice cave. This professionally guided experience will take you 100 feet below the surface of the earth into a world of volcanic wonder and ice. The cave is well-lit with LED lighting so you won’t miss any part of this unique experience. Tours run May 1st – September 30th.” ~ taken from the Visit Idaho website.
Idaho’s Mammoth Cave & Shoshone Bird Museum Of Natural History
(37 Mi) Self-guided tour. One of the largest lava caves in the world.
Shoshone Snack Bar
(27 Mi) SHOSHONE ICE CAVES or MAMMOTH CAVE or BLACK MAGIC CANYON… then, you’ll drive right by this place! Be sure to stop at The Snack Bar in Shoshone. Their soft serve ice creams and frozen yogurts may be some of the largest served. Even their smalls are large!
Thousand Springs State Park – Malad Gorge Unit
(38 Mi) Natural 451-acre park along the Snake River.
City of Rocks National Reserve
(66 Mi) Enormous granite rock formations appreciated by rock climbers.
Bruneau Dunes State Park
(83 Mi) SANDBOARD or hike the Dunes! “… boasts the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America with a peak rising 470 feet above the surrounding desert floor. Explore the dunes in your hiking boots or rent a sandboard from the Visitor Center,…” taken from Idaho Parks and Recreation website
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
(90 Mi) “ a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush” ~ as described on the National Parks Service website.
Black Magic Canyon of Big Wood River
Considered by many to be a spectacular 3 mile volcanic work of art. This truly is a geological treasure. Its location is hidden away in a difficult to find, seasonally used, slot canyon waterway. Many locals aren’t even aware that this geological gem exists in their own backyard. IMPORTANT: BEFORE you go, be sure to call BLM to check that the canyon is safe to enter and that no water will be released into the canyon that day. Only explore the canyon when it is dry safe to do so. This is an actively used waterway! Summer is most likely not safe. Wait until later in the fall. It generally becomes accessible late July/August through the winter. Test flows may be released as early as February. DIRECTIONS (from Visit South Idaho website): “… tucked away north of Shoshone, and west of Richfield. Drive north of Shoshone on HWY 93, past Johnny’s Country Store, and take road 520 to the east. Follow this road to the end and pull up to the old dam. Here, there is a parking area above the dam. Walk down the sandy rocks and emerge slowly into the incredible Black Magic Slot Canyon.” ~ Photos found on Only in Your State .com webs
Snake River Overlook (Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument)
(34 Mi) Not much to see driving around. You really need to go to the Visitors Center to get any info at all. People report that where they learned anything, at all, was at the visitor’s center. I understand that most of the fossils found in Idaho are horses and that they are considered the fossil of Idaho.
Things To Do
Check with vendors for hours, days and seasons.
AWOL Adventure Sports at Centennial Waterfront Park
(4.2 Mi) PADDLEBOARD or KAYAK the Snake River!
Tandem Base
(3.4 Mi) Experience the thrill of B.A.S.E. JUMPING!
AWOL Adventure Sports at Centennial Waterfront Park
(4 Mi) ZIPLINE the Snake
Dierkes Lake Park
(6.7 Mi) CLIFF JUMPING at Dierkes Lake & Hidden Lake! Or, swim and relaxing at the park. For HIGH CLIFF JUMPING (or just to watch) follow the dirt path and then a smaller path through the bushes to Hidden Lake. That’s where you may see some locals jumping off the medium and super high cliff jumps! Do a YouTube search for “Hidden Lake Idaho cliff jumping,” to see some of the cliffs.
Banbury Adventures
(25 Mi) KAYAK Blue Heart and the Snake River
Idaho Guide Service Inc.
(38 Mi) WHITE WATER RAFTING in Hagerman
Miracle & Banbury Hot Springs
(27 Mi) HOTSPRINGS on a cold day… The colder the day, the better! If there’s snow, that’s even better, yet. Several pools plus private tubs.
Kelley’s Canyon Orchard
(17 Mi) Summertime U-PICK FRUITS (Check ahead to see if fruits are in season and ready for harvest.)
Cactus Petes Resort Casino
(47 Mi) Our nearest CASINO located right over the Idaho border into Nevada. For Show details, please check Cactus Pete’s website for upcoming show headliners, dates and times.
Big Green Adventure Tours
Novelty Shopping
Rudy’s – A Cook’s Paradise
(0.3 Mi) As mentioned in the store’s name, “A Cook’s Paradise.”
Indoor Sports & Fitness
Gemstone Climbing Center
(0.7 Mi) “We have something for everyone, from first-time climbers to serious rock climbers, from kids to adults…. a climbing center, a yoga studio, a fitness gym and a community!”
Golf IN
(0.4 Mi) Indoor Golf Simulator. Please, call them for hours and booking info.
Twin Blades Rage N Axe
(0.7 Mi) “Experience unforgettable axe throwing and rage rooms.”
Advantage Archery
(0.5 Mi) Indoor Archery Range
Twin Falls City Pool
(2.0 Mi) Outdoor pool during the summer. Enclosed during the winter!
Ski Resorts
Pomerelle Mountain Resort
(69 Mi) Often, Pomerelle is one of the earliest ski resorts to open for the season. It’s a small, family friendly resort. They have a nice Green run for beginners, yet there are more advanced runs, too! It’s one of Idaho’s oldest resorts which receives over 500 inches of snowfall annually! There are 24 expertly groomed runs, 2 terrain parks and a 1,000 foot vertical drop serviced by one triple, one double, and one surface lift.
Magic Mountain Ski Resort
(37 Mi) Skiing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, tubing and sledding in the general area of The South Hills and Magic Mountain Ski Resort. We haven’t personally skied here, but it’s worth mentioning for their affordable lift tickets and for being local. This is a very small ski area covering only 120 acres and 11 trails. They also have tubing! Please, do your own homework and look the resort up online before going. We have only been sledding in the hills BEFORE reaching the resort.
Sun Valley Ski Resorts, Weather & Snow Report
(84 Mi) 18 Lifts. 3450 Vertical drop. 2154 Skiable acres. Average snowfall 220”. Located in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Soldier Mountain Ski Area
(81 Mi) 1150 Lift served skiable acres PLUS 2000 acres of cat ski area.
Dog Park
Baxter’s Dog Park
(0.7 Mi) Our local dog park.
Must Try Ice Cream!
This ice cream comes from a local dairy and creamery. Well worth a stop!
Cloverleaf Creamery
(0.4 Mi) Serving our FAVORITE Cloverleaf Creamery ice cream! Cloverleaf brand ice cream is, “a true farm to table Creamery.” Their dairy focuses heavily on their cows’ comfort and it comes through in their products. Their herd consists of grass-fed, registered Holsteins with they count as family. This Creamery is just a stroll away from the guest house.
* Photos and descriptions are taken from our Twin Falls Cottages Guidebook which we created for our Airbnb listing using online tools provided by Airbnb.
