Twin Falls: Waterfalls, Canyon and Nature

Shoshone Falls is 212 feet high and 900 feet wide. Spring is the best time to see it because that is when the snowpack begins to melt. If the falls are the focus of your trip, this seasonal recommendation offers a specific starting point for planning.

Snake River Canyon and Perrine Bridge

The Snake River formed the Snake River Canyon by cutting through ancient basalt lava flows. The canyon stretches for more than 50 miles and features two large waterfalls and countless springs. Its formation and these natural features give the landscape a geological dimension that goes beyond individual viewpoints. Perrine Bridge adds a striking structure to the scene: it spans the canyon almost 500 feet above the Snake River.

Perrine Bridge is open for BASE jumping year-round. If this activity is part of your travel plans, check the requirements before you arrive. The seasons affect these two nature and activity experiences differently: spring is recommended for visiting Shoshone Falls because the snowmelt is beginning; BASE jumping at the bridge is open year-round.

Lakeside Loop or Canyon Rim Trail

At Dierkes Lake Park, a 1.7-mile unpaved loop trail circles the lake. Non-motorized boats, kayaks and canoes are permitted on Dierkes Lake. This gives you different ways to experience the lake: on foot along the loop trail or in one of the listed watercraft. Before setting out on the water, check water conditions and applicable restrictions.

The Canyon Rim Trail is a paved, 7.6-mile trail along the canyon rim. Taken together, the trails differ in length, surface and landscape: the 1.7-mile loop circles the lake and is unpaved, while the 7.6-mile Canyon Rim Trail is paved and runs along the canyon rim. These differences can help you choose a trail based on the distance and surface you prefer.

Museums and the History of Twin Falls County

Curry Union School was built in 1914 and now houses the Twin Falls County Historical Society Museum. The museum is therefore housed in a building whose former use is already apparent from its name. The Herrett Center for Arts & Science offers a different institutional setting: it is a nonprofit museum on the main campus of the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. If you’d like to include museums in your trip, you’ll find two distinct settings here—a historic school building and a museum on a college campus.

Rock Creek Station and Stricker Homesite dates to 1865. As an early transportation hub, it served the Oregon Trail, the Overland Mail stagecoach route and the Kelton Freight Road. Visitors can tour the Rock Creek Store building, the Stricker House, the reconstructed summer house and the Rock Creek Interpretive Center. The site’s log cabin is the oldest surviving building in Twin Falls County. Together, the historic routes, the buildings open to visitors and the significance of the log cabin offer several ways to explore the county’s history.

Discover more destinations: Kimberly, Twin Falls, Buhl, Bingham County, Elmore County, Lemhi County, Bannock County, Jefferson.

View the broader travel guide: Idaho.