The Snake River
When we reached the Shoshone Falls parking area and opened the car doors, we were welcomed by a heat so intense it felt like an oven.
The walk to the viewing platform was very close, but it seemed an eternity to get there. Every part of me felt heavy and weak at the same time. There we were, standing above the Snake river and looking at the “Niagara of the West,” but surrounded by desert.
Niagara of the West
The Twin Falls, Idaho Parks and Rec website states,
“Often referred to as the Niagara of the West, Shoshone Falls is a must see attraction in Twin Falls, Idaho. At 212 feet tall and 900 foot wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the United States surpassing the height of the famous Niagara Falls.”
Twin Falls, Idaho Parks and Rec website (link above)
It looked small surrounded by all of those giant cliffs and plateaus until you looked at the tiny building down there on the left.
It’s definitely not small; but it was not running full strength either. This photo, by Ryan Fish on Unsplash shows the true power of the falls.
The Twin Falls, Idaho Parks and Rec website explains,
“The Snake River serves as the lifeblood of our region. Harnessing the water from the Snake River for irrigation is a crucial part of our local economy. Twenty miles upstream, the water is diverted to irrigate over 500,000 acres of farmland. It is estimated that the crops produced in these fields are worth $62,000,000 annually.”
Twin Falls, Idaho Parks and Rec website (link above)
We stayed for a short time, taking pictures, limped over to the snack/gift shop to get some ice water and small souvenirs, then decided to check out Dierkes Lake.
Dierkes Lake
Dierkes Lake is located adjacent to Shoshone Falls and is included in the $5 entry fee. When we arrived, we saw people in swim suites heading for the water and that sounded Really good!
A section of the lake is blocked off for swimming and although there were quite a few people there by the time we left, it was not crowded. The refreshingly crisp water was a great way to beat the heat and we might have stayed longer if we hadn’t met the angel from SHP. You can read all about her here.
I would highly recommend a visit to Shoshone Falls, but perhaps not in late summer. Although… swimming in the lake was pretty fun. I will have to give that some more thought.
A little extra information for you:
- There is no camping at Shoshone Falls
- Dogs are allowed on-leash, except in the grassy area by the lake
- The entrance fee, mentioned above, is $5 and includes Shoshone Falls and Dierkes Lake
- The park is open dawn to dusk every day, unless the roads are closed due to bad weather
No camping? What a shame, spending a couple of overnighters there would be amazing.
Thanks for the comment Mike! I tried so hard to find tent camping in that area but we ended up in a hotel. Most of the good camping spots seem to be a couple hours north, in the forest.