Skip to main content

Shoshone Falls & Pocatello

Shoshone Falls


A couple of weekends ago, I went on a short weekend trip to Pocatello, stopping at Shoshone Falls on the way. Did you know that Shoshone Falls is often called the "Niagara of the West"? The waterfalls' flow volume depends on the amount of snowfall the area has received, so spring is the best time to see . In October, the falls are at very small volume, but even seeing the rock formations and the overall scale of the falls was awe-inspiring. Also, the fee season is March 1-September 30, so if you're in the area, fall is a great time to swing by and take in this sight for free! 

I've heard about being able to kayak to the falls, and this guide lays out all of the details on how to plan a trip. I am putting this on my Idaho bucket list as a fun summer adventure! 


One of the great walkways to view the falls

Hints of fall color peaking through in the brush!


Traveling further into Eastern Idaho, I went to Pocatello, and explored this area for the first time. I took a mountain bike ride on Mink Creek trail in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. This was a beautiful, gradually uphill trail in gorgeous forested areas along Mink Creek. The fall colors were beautiful, especially the vibrant yellow aspen leaves, and the trails were fairly empty. 

The next day, I took a drive and small walk in the Scout Mountain area outside Pocatello. It was a very brisk fall day, and the mountainside was covered with the shimmer of an early frost. There are a lot of trails in this area, and I would love to go back and explore it more. There is also a National Forest campground here, making it the perfect base for hiking, biking, or trail running! 

It was fun to see a different part of the state in all of its autumn glory! 

Gorgeous yellow aspens on the Mink Creek trail

View of golden aspen-clad drainages on the road to Scout Mountain outside Pocatello

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Driving Tour

Driving tour of Birds of Prey National Conservation Area - click here to see the brochure and map A couple of weeks ago, I took a driving tour of the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. The driving route outlines some notable geographic features of the area, as well as bringing birds to great spots above the Snake River for catching glimpses of birds of prey. Read more about the history of this unique area here .  View of Initial Point Snake River at Celebration Park Helpful bird identification sign at Dedication Point This sign at the Kuna Visitors Center has great ideas for stops along the Western Heritage Historic Byway View from Dedication Point

One Year in Boise!

  View from 8th Street Extension Trail  A beautiful morning walk in the foothills  This week marks my anniversary of living in Boise for one year! I can hardly believe that this time last year, I was arriving in the City of Trees, strolling along the Boise Greenbelt in awe, and taking photos of the river. In some ways, it feels inconceivable that a year has gone by, but in other ways, the amount of things I've done and places I've gone in Idaho this past year seem impressive. It seems like a common theme that individual moments and days can seem slow, but years fly by.  In honor of my one-year anniversary of living in Boise, I jotted down a list of some of my favorite memories of exploring this city and state.   Memories of this past year (in no particular order): Floating the Boise River twice Showing my parents Boise (driving up to Bogus Basin, running a half marathon, the farmer's market, biking the Greenbelt,  hiking Ridge to Rivers trails, etc) Learning wildflowers of

Quarantine Driving Tour of Boise

Map of the Boise Driving Tour to go along with this guide. Find the map here . We're all still under the statewide Stay at Home order here in Idaho, but many of us are itching to get out and enjoy the beautiful spring weather we've been having. Luckily, outdoor recreation is still permissible and encouraged, as long as social distancing guidelines are followed.  Another great way to shake things up and enjoy the beauty of this time to year is to take a scenic drive around Boise. I put together a guide of some significant parts of Boise  Here is a map with directions between each stop on the driving tour: Boise Driving Tour Map 1. Start at the  Idaho State Capitol Building in downtown Boise. Did you know it's the only capitol building in the U.S. that is heated with geothermal water?   check out this online tour of the Capitol and this fact page on the Capitol .  2. Cruise through downtown and stretch your legs at Freak Alley Gallery ,  an alley-way of mural