It is hard to beat the hiking, hot springs, and waterfalls in the Twin Falls area and along the Thousands Springs Scenic Byway on US Highway 30. Check out some of these fun activities outlined here.

>>   Shoshone Falls is a site every Idahoan and their guests must visit. Even during low water, the 212-foot cascade on the Snake River is an awe-inspiring sight. It is higher than the famous Niagara Falls. Spring and early summer are the best times to visit, during high water flows. Enjoy a picnic at the nearby Shoshone Falls/Dierkes Lake Complex. Plan for a $3 per car entrance fee to view the falls and lake. The site is located three miles east of Twin Falls on Falls Avenue. Just follow the signs.

>>   Near Twin Falls and to the west are numerous other adventures. Soak in the geothermal mineral water at one of the three natural hot springs developed into commercial bathing areas, accessed via Highway 30. All are family-oriented.

        The first after leaving Twin Falls is Banbury Hot Springs, ten miles west of Buhl (banburyhotsprings.com). Banbury serves as the launch site for Thousand Springs Tours. Scenic cruises on the Snake River depart daily. Ride in the comfort of the 52-foot River’s Mist, a catamaran that holds 32 guests. The dinner cruise is the most popular. Find tour information at (208) 837-9006 or 1000springs.com.

        Miracle Hot Springs is next when continuing west on Highway 30. It offers camping, an outdoor swimming pool, and private hot tubs. Yurt rentals are also available. Call (208) 543-6002 or visit mhsprings.com.

        Even further west on Highway 30 is the 1000 Springs Resort, located along the Snake River. It features a boat launch, camping, indoor swimming pool, private hot tubs, and a view of Ritter Island, a unit in the Thousands Springs State Park. For resort camping and entrance fees, call (888) 849-4181 or visit 1000springsresort.com.

>>   After the hot springs, head to Thousand Springs State Park, which has several appealing units within it. Stop at the flea market at the Billingsley Creek Unit of the park, located right on Highway 30. The market is open from 10am to 6pm Saturdays and offers antiques, collectibles, food, and crafts for sale.

>>   Take a detour to the other side of the river. At the Ritter Island Unit of Thousand Springs, admire the emerald green creek fed by the cascading waterfalls, or launch a canoe, kayak, or raft. Mark your calendar for September’s popular Thousand Springs festival (thousandspringsfestival.org) held on Ritter Island. Access the site by driving to Idaho Power’s Thousand Springs Park on the northeast side of the Snake River, then cross the footbridge onto the island.

>>   Join a tour of the 1920s dairy farm historic structures located on the island, offered from Memorial Day to Labor Day between 10am and 3pm. Call for a reservation and wear sturdy walking shoes. Tom Coester, park manager, says, “For some it is a step back as they remember their grandparents’ place.”

>>   He recommends visiting other units in the Thousands Springs complex, including Box Canyon and Malad Gorge. “Each and every one is unique.” says Coester. There are new road signs to the sites and the best maps of the units are on the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation

website (parksandrecreation.idaho.gov, (208) 837-4504).  

        Return to Highway 30 and take the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway to Hagerman for the next adventure, about an hour northwest of Twin Falls.

>>   For unique family adventures offering a glance into geology and history, visit the 4,281-acre Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in Hagerman (nps.gov/hafo). Join ranger-led programs, hike the trails, drive the highway on the edge of the beds, and visit scenic overlooks. The monument includes seven miles of Snake River shoreline, so it is convenient to combine fishing or boating adventures with the short hikes.

        Start at the visitor center (right on Highway 30) in the town of Hagerman and pick up a trail guide, bird checklist, and monument map. The visitor center is open 9am to 5pm daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information, call (208) 933-4105 or visit nps.gov/hafo.

>>   For a driving tour, take Highway 30 south from Hagerman to Bell Rapids Road. It leads to the Snake River Overlook, about 7.5 miles from the visitor center. A brief walk on the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk with interpretive signs leads to a scenic view. Look down at the 600-foot cliffs above the Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir on the Snake River, where layers of the fossil beds are exposed. Famous for the Hagerman Horse fossil, Idaho’s state fossil, the area has a large variety of quality animal and plant fossils from the Pliocene Epoch. Fossil collecting is not allowed within the monument.

>>   Birding watching opportunities abound, with 195 species of birds sighted at the monument. Canada Goose, Red-Breasted Merganser, and Ring-Billed Gull are common.

        Continue up Bell Rapids Road another 2.8 miles to the top of the hill and the Oregon Trail Overlook. For a short, easy hike with views of the high desert terrain, the Snake River, and Hagerman Valley, take the gravel half-mile loop trail starting on the northeast edge of the parking lot. From this same site, access the three-mile, one-way gravel path named Emigrant Trail. You will be walking on a portion of the original Oregon Trail downhill to the Snake River Overlook. It is visible as you drive up Bell Rapids Road. Watch for the white fiberglass stakes marking the original Oregon Trail.

        Make sure your family plans two to four days to visit most of the sites mentioned above, or take several day trips to the area.

Natalie Bartley is a Boise-based author of the newly released Best Easy Day Hikes Boise guidebook and the Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest guidebook, available at outdoor retail shops and bookstores.