World-famous Balanced Rock near Castleford is a true Southern Idaho icon. The mushroom-shaped rock measures 48 feet wide at the top and only 3 feet, 17 inches at the base. Thousands of people have climbed up to the rock over the years to take a unique photo or visited the county park for a picnic or overnight camping.
Nowadays, it’s very popular to visit Balance Rock and take a unique selfie to post in the social media.
April is a great time to visit Balanced Rock. The park, managed by Twin Falls County Parks and Waterways, is situated in a beautiful box canyon shaded by cottonwood trees along Salmon Falls Creek. You can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the quiet setting in the park for an afternoon or camp overnight. It’s self-support camping; there are no RV hookups. You also can fish Salmon Falls Creek.
The park is shaded by the canyon and mature trees. Self-support camping is allowed.
How to get there: Balanced Rock is easiest to access via Buhl on U.S. Highway 30, the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, and then follow signs to Balanced Rock.
Balanced Rock was carved by wind and weather over time. It’s part of a rhyolite lava formation that was created 15 million years ago by multiple volcanic eruptions in the area. It’s the same type of rock that forms the Jarbidge Canyon and portions of the Bruneau Canyon.
Pin it for Later!
