The South Hills, south of Twin Falls, are very green and full of wildflowers. The snow has melted except for a few shady spots. It’s a perfect time to plan an ATV ride.
We tagged along on a trail ride with the Magic Valley ATV Riders to experience the mountain scenery in the South Hills. Please watch the video on this blog post to get a flavor for what it’s like to ride in the South Hills. There are an extensive series of mountains and creeks south of Twin Falls, Burley, Kimberly and Hansen.
For detailed directions to the loop we rode, please reference the hard-copy South Hills Trail Map for the Rock Creek Recreation Area. It is available from the Minidoka Ranger District, or an online trail map for the same area.
Our loop ride went as follows:
Started at the Diamondfield Jack day use parking area, just south of the actual Diamondfield Jack Campground. We took a connector trail from Rock Creek Road #515 to Trail #239 heading to the top of Pike Mountain. Turned right on Trail #241 to drop into the Third Fork of Rock Creek. At the three-way trail junction, you should go straight along Third Fork on Trail #922, then left on #884, then right on #174. There you will hit a main dirt road that goes from Oakley to Rogerson. We turned right on that road (#533) and stayed on it as it turned into #538 and returned to the trailhead. This was a three-hour ride at a leisurely pace.
In the South Hills area, there are tons of trails on both sides of Rock Creek Road. Magic Valley ATV Riders club recommends that people come visit and try riding the trails around the base area of Diamondfield Jack. You can do longer rides, if you wish, or shorter rides with kids or friends.
From this trailhead, it’s possible to ride all the way to Jackpot, Nev. Visitors can enjoy lunch or to explore other parts of the trail system. Carrying a trail map and a GPS unit with you will help with navigating the trail system.
You also can watch the Magic Valley ATV Riders web site for group rides to go along with them. Visitors are welcome!
Have fun and enjoy your ride!
