Twin Falls, Idaho is the best place to be in the spring time. Flowers bloom all along the canyon rim and the waterfalls rage! There are over 30 waterfalls just in the ‘City of Waterfalls’ but even more in the surrounding region! Visit the picturesque area and hit all of the waterfalls this spring by following our waterfall guide!
Shoshone Falls
Shoshone Falls is a sight to be seen year round, but spring time makes for a show. It’s raging waters powerfully drop off of a 212 cliff, and spill into the Snake River below. Rainbows glitter in the mist on a sunny day, and kayakers make the enduring paddle to float at the base of the falls. Walk out onto the viewing platform to feel the mist of the 212 ft tall and 900 ft wide waterfall!
The Niagara of the West is the City of Waterfall’s pride and joy. The larger than life waterfall flows just minutes from town and is very visitor friendly. Shoshone Falls City Park has a concession’s stand in the summer, public restrooms, a gorgeous picnic area, and clear, convenient parking. The Canyon Rim Trail also starts at the park and leads all the way past the Perrine Bridge! The trail provides views of Shoshone Falls at many different points. Find small waterfalls throughout the city park, too! Shoshone Falls was given its name in honor of a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the area years ago.
Another great way to visit the waterfall is by kayaking. It is an 8 mile round trip excursion, but nothing beats the view! AWOL Adventure Sports rents out kayaks at Centennial Waterfront Park for the summer season, and help you and the kayak into the river to get started. The route to Shoshone Falls is under the Perrine Bridge, porting at Pillar Falls, hiking over the river waterfall area, past Evel Knievel’s jump site, waterfalls and finally to Shoshone Falls.
Because Southern Idaho likes to make amazing things even more incredible; the famous spring event puts on a show with lasers to light up the night sky and waterfall! Lights and Lasers is on its third year of success. The show is displayed on the water and surrounding canyon walls. Vendors and other entertainment are set up in park making it the perfect family event.
Perrine Coulee
Perrine Coulee is also located right in the City of Waterfalls. Drive towards Centennial Waterfront Park, then, as you make your way down the canyon watch out the window for first switch back to the south. A 200 foot waterfall will appear! Spring means a flow that is so powerful you will feel it from the road! The pull off on the road has a trail to get down, but it can be tricky! There is another trail option below the waterfall, past Centennial Waterfront turnoff, next to Canyon Springs Golf Course. Here you can walk up the trail to the waterfall. Either option leads to the trail that walks behind the waterfall! Prepare to get a little wet!
Another option to view the falls is from above on the Canyon Rim Trail. Park at Elevation 486 and walk east on the trail. Before you know it you will see the gorgeous falls from above. A photographers dream is at sunrise at this viewpoint!
Pillar Falls
While kayaking to Shoshone Falls, you will enter this other worldly area. Giant pillars tower over the river and showcase little waterfalls all around. If you do kayak to Pillar Falls, be sure to stay right. This will assure you do not have to climb up boulders. It is easier to stay to the right and follow with the water areas to pull the kayaks through. Pillar Falls makes a great halfway picnic stop, too!
Pillar Falls is also accessible by foot. Park at the corner of Poleline and Eastland in Twin Falls and walk the road (not the walking trail) east. A short, 5-10 minute walk will lead you to a gravel trail descending into the canyon. The trail is very steep and has some landslide areas. Stay right on the trail to make it all the way down to the camping area right before the river. This area is generally flooded in the spring and can make it difficult to explore. If it is not yet flooded, continue onto the riverbed to explore the boulder area.
Auger Falls
Auger Falls Heritage Park is 680 acres of walking and biking paths along the river. In the spring time there are waterfalls cascading down the canyon walls in every direction! The main graveled path leads to the Auger Falls waterfall. After about a mile of walking, branch off onto a small path and follow it to the Snake River. Here you can explore all along the shoreline and watch as the powerful river tears through the canyon. In the spring it flows mind-blowingly powerful, so be careful when you’re near the edge!
Twin Falls
This waterfall named the town! It is now partially dammed and supplies clean, hydroelectric energy to nearby homes and businesses. Spring brings a heavy flow to this waterfall and it will always sport a rainbow in the sun. There is a gravel road that leads below the view point to a gate. The tunnel right after the gate is also a beautiful view of the waterfall. Access to the river is not allowed here, rather it is allowed on top of the waterfall! There is a great floating doc and is a popular area to bring the family for a swim.
Mermaid Cove
This waterfall is located on the Jerome side of the canyon and can be accessed by parking at the end of Yingst Rd. Follow the grade down the canyon to get to the cove. A powerful waterfall rushes into a pool of water, that spills out into another waterfall, then continues descending down the canyon. Walk down the grade, and on the first switchback heading west you will see the glorious Mermaid Falls flowing through a mini canyon forest and into the Snake River.
There are 20+ other waterfalls located in Twin Falls. They are scattered all along the Snake River Canyon walls, and can be found at Rock Creek Park. Walking on the Perrine Bridge or the Canyon Rim Trail will showcase a handful of these falls. The City of Waterfalls earned its name because in the spring, every direction you look is another waterfall!
Cauldron Linn (Lynn)
This beast of a waterfall is located north of Murtaugh. This falls forces the river to rush through a few smaller openings, creating an very powerful surge and experience! The road that leads down to the falls can be rocky and muddy. If you don’t have a 4WD vehicle we suggest parking at the top and walking down the grade. There is a large area to explore to the east and to the west of Cauldron Linn.
Hagerman Valley
Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, leading from Twin Falls to Hagerman, speaks for itself; there are thousands of waterfalls! Take this road to see waterfalls everywhere. Ritter Island is a great spot to stop along the way where you can visit Lemon Falls or Minnie Miller. Box Canyon is also a wonderful hike in the Hagerman Valley that leads to a 20 foot waterfall of aqua blue water. Niagara Springs and Crystal Springs are unique waterfalls that spring from the canyon side and poor into another aqua blue pool!
Ross Falls & Phantom Falls
Take a drive through the South Hills in the Sawtooth National Forest to discover this hidden waterfall. Park at the designated sign ‘Ross Falls,’ located about 50 minutes from Twin Falls. The trailhead is located on the south side of the pull off, and leads into the trees. The hike is about .5 miles to the waterfall. Covered in bright green moss, the orange cliffs accompanied with the beautiful waterfall is truly a stunning sight. Take a rest on the wobbly bench below to watch the large waterfall run through the forest.
Continue driving south through the hills for another hour to find this ghostly waterfall. It is the tallest waterfall in the South Hills, measuring 65 feet high! The trail is pedestrian-only and is about a 1.5 mile walk that follows a beautiful creek. In the spring the falls are visible and will stream all the way to the base of the cliff, but towards the end of the summer the falls become phantom like and disappear halfway down.
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