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Ritter Island State Park

4.8 (6 reviews)

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Niagara Springs State Park - Niagara Springs State Park, Wendell ID

Niagara Springs State Park

4.5(2 reviews)
10.2 mi

Niagara Springs is a natural phenomenon south of Wendell, Idaho, and way off the beaten path. But…read morethis is surely my favorite hidden gem in Idaho, and the effort to get there is worth it. With parking for only two vehicles located at GPS coordinates 42.664699, -114.674502, you'll almost feel like your lost as you pass the fish hatchery on a road named S 1950 E and enter a very narrow span of the roadway. But within seconds as you cross the short bridge and catch a glimpse of this stunning natural spring to your left, you'll know you're in the right place. After parking, walk on a short path toward the sound of rushing water and you'll be rewarded with a freshwater spring gushing forth from the earth out of a dozen different openings along a steep cliff in the Snake River Valley. It's the Niagara Falls of natural springs and certainly earns its name. But I wouldn't recommend a continued drive east on S 1950 E which only leads to a booth at the state park entrance where you'll pay a fee (US$7 for cars) for a very tiny greenspace and an uninspiring view of the Snake River. It isn't worth the price. Thankfully the springs are completely free and located just before the booth.

The park ranger at Malad Gorge told me that the park entry I paid for at that park was good for…read moresame-day entry at a half-dozen other parks in the area. I checked the map and decided that Niagara Springs was the most convenient. The park is on a dirt road and down a pretty deep canyon. I had no trouble getting there in my sprinter van so unless you're in a big Class A, you should be fine. The spring itself is pretty darned cool. A huge force of water pushing it's way out of the rocks and then down to meet with the Snake River. The park has a circular loop of parking spaces and camping spots. It's so very peaceful that I decided to park for a bit and took a nap. Note that this is well below the surface level and you probably won't have any cell service here. [Review 17792 overall - 62 in Idaho - 1313 of 2022.]

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Niagara Springs State Park
Niagara Springs State Park
Niagara Springs State Park - Niagara Springs State Park, Wendell ID

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Niagara Springs State Park, Wendell ID

Three Island Crossing State Park - Oregon Trail

Three Island Crossing State Park

4.0(22 reviews)
27.7 mi

Fleece the campers???…read more I went through the procedure to reserve one of the smaller sites for our 21' trailer. The price of $40 was prominently displayed. OK, a bit high for a one-night stay in a state park with no sewer or water connection. But, I'll pay for the convenience. Big surprise upon checking out. The total cost was shown to be $58.71, nearly 50% higher than the $40 advertised price. Here is what the additional charges were for: $7 Motor Vehicle Fee. My vehicle is registered in AZ. How is this justified? And since everyone get there with a vehicle of some sort, why is this not included in the displayed price? $10 transaction fee. I did all the work that the person who used to take the reservation over the phone would have done. The ID State Parks have replaced that service with a computer program. And apparently I have to pay for their computer system as well. Go figure. 3% Service fee. Who knows how they justify this? It is fortunate that the West has an abundance of Federal lands on which one can camp for a small fraction of the cost of this state park.

This is one of our favorite camping spots. Located just an hour east of Boise, it's a very pleasant…read morespot as the weather starts to cool down. Campsites are spacious, mature trees provide shade and there's plenty of green grass. The campground includes free showers and a Frisbee golf course. The Snake River, where Oregon Trail pioneers crossed to the other side, is on the southern edge of the park and the Trail interpretive center is worth a visit. It's free.

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Three Island Crossing State Park - Sites among the shade trees - welcomed during hot summer days

Sites among the shade trees - welcomed during hot summer days

Three Island Crossing State Park - Long enough to accommodate the big rigs

Long enough to accommodate the big rigs

Three Island Crossing State Park - Signage at park entrance

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Signage at park entrance

Earl M Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve - This is Box Canyon Springs, a 20 foot waterfall on the Snake River.

Earl M Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve

4.3(3 reviews)
6.6 mi

Box Canyon is a 20 foot waterfall located in one of the Thousand Springs State Park units near…read moreWendell, Idaho. It's $7 entrance fee which is asked to be paid when you enter. Fill out a slip with payment and drop it into the safe box beside the gate. Then it's one mile drive to the parking area. Box Canyon Springs is not hard to reach. It's a half mile descent 400 feet into the valley floor below. As you keep going, the falls will be on the right hand side. They can't be missed. Then you can turn around and head back towards the canyon summit. But, if you have the time and want to explore more, Box Canyon Springs is a 3 mile loop. This will give you better opportunities to walk among nature alongside the Snake River. I must confess...the hike was better than seeing the actual waterfall, imo. Starting out beside the parking lot, take in the views from high above the canyon looking down as the Snake River veers its way through the valley floor. It's worthy of a photo from the overlook. You'll notice a small staircase with a few steps to climb over the barbed wire fencing. It adds a unique element to the journey. Then walk a short distance more until reaching a sign saying..."Caution: Unimproved Trail, Use at Your Own Risk". Don't be deterred by this sign. It's not dangerous whatsoever. It's here you'll discover the pathway leading down to the bottom. It's just a few switchbacks and is safe for everyone. Coming upon Box Canyon Springs...it's a decent waterfall. But with it being only 20 feet, it doesn't pack a punch of excitement or have that "wow factor" element I was anticipating. You may think the first area to see Box Canyon Springs is the best it'll get. The initial look at the falls is a side angle glance. But, if you continue just a little further on the trail, you'll discover a much more fluid backdrop of the falls splashing down the Snake River. There'll be a specific rock to stand upon which allows you to take in the scenery of Box Canyon Springs in its entirety. Going back to the actual hiking trail...it's easy - moderately challenging. What I really liked about hiking it was...for early August, the temperatures in Idaho were reaching 100+ degrees, but being next to the river offered a breeze and fresh air which cooled things down considerably. And when I started hiking, it was still morning time so being in nature without suffering from the heat was a relief, lol. Although I just did the out and back hike, according to visitsouthidaho.com, the path wraps around an aqua blue pool which you can go swimming in. Although the waters are mighty cold, they can be refreshing. Lastly, just a note on what I was doing. This whole area of Thousand Springs, Idaho is waterfall accessible. I visited 5 waterfalls all in one day. Starting out in Twin Falls, ID, they were...Niagara Springs, here at Box Canyon Springs, Lemmon Falls and Minnie Miller Springs (located together on Ritter Island) and finally...Devils Washbowl at Malad Gorge State Park. Out of these 5 waterfalls, Lemmon Falls was the clear winner from my pov. In the end, Box Canyon Springs is a quiet setting to bask in the heart of the great outdoors. I was just one of a handful of visitors out exploring this under the radar part of Southern Idaho that's surrounded by total farmland. Although the 20 foot waterfall wasn't magical looking, I still enjoyed making the trek down to the canyon floor and taking time to explore around.

Beautiful hike and amazing water to swim in! Not to many people either. The water is really cold…read morebut is worth it on a hot day and also beware is your brings pets the ground is really hot!

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Earl M Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve - Scenic setting hiking to Box Canyon Springs waterfall.

Scenic setting hiking to Box Canyon Springs waterfall.

Earl M Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve - Waterfall

Waterfall

Earl M Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve - This is the actual sign heading to Box Canyon Springs. Don't be deterred by the warning. It's an easy hike.

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This is the actual sign heading to Box Canyon Springs. Don't be deterred by the warning. It's an easy hike.

Shoshone Falls Park - Cool rock formations on road down to entrance

Shoshone Falls Park

4.5(217 reviews)
24.8 mi

Took a little side trip to see this waterfall while staying in nearby Jerome, ID. It costs $5 per…read morevehicle to enter. There is a guarded pay station as you drive into the parking area. They take credit cards for payment. We anticipated a lower falls flow than usual, since it's so late in the season, but we still thoroughly enjoyed our visit and thought it was well worth the $5 fee. They have restrooms, picnic tables, dog potty area with waste bags, garbage cans, and an information kiosk off the parking area. There is a nice sized viewing platform available for a closer the falls and Snake River. There's about a dozen stairs down to the platform from the parking lot. There are plenty of viewing opportunities from the parking lot as well, if stairs aren't an option for you. Overall we really enjoyed our time here. We would highly recommend!

Known as the "Niagara of the West," this waterfall is definitely worth a stop. There's a $5…read moreentrance fee, and a sign at the entrance shows the current water flow level--full, medium, or low. We visited in mid-September, so unfortunately the waterfall wasn't at full flow. It's very easy to access, with a short walk from the parking lot to the viewing area. For the best chance of seeing the waterfall at full flow, spring or early summer is normally the best time to visit. We also visited Dierkes Lake nearby. It's a beautiful lake and a nice addition to the visit.

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Shoshone Falls Park
Shoshone Falls Park - Caught a rainbow at the base of the larger falls!! March 2023

Caught a rainbow at the base of the larger falls!! March 2023

Shoshone Falls Park - Info signs around the park! Very interesting history!

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Info signs around the park! Very interesting history!

Ritter Island State Park - hiking - Updated October 2026

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