Before our departure from Idaho, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the loveliest spots we visited:  Shoshone Falls.  The city of Twin Falls Idaho is named after the Twin Falls, so Tom and I started our waterfall adventure by visiting them.  Both waterfalls are located on the Snake River which runs through the city of Twin Falls.

Twin Falls is the biggest city in southern Idaho and has a population of 48,000.  The city was founded in 1904 when agriculture in the area boomed because of better irrigation methods.  Tom and I thought the Twin Falls would be the more impressive falls in the area so we headed there first.

But the Twin Falls waterfall was dammed in 1935 so the water could be diverted for irrigation.   Tom and I visited the falls at the end of October.  The summer was so dry that Twin Falls was just a trickle of its former self.  Not only is the waterfall unimpressive, it is also part of a hydroelectric plant.  Access to a viewpoint of the remaining falls is restricted.  A terrible thing to do to the town’s namesake.

Shoshone Falls, however, made up for the damaged Twin Falls.  It is a spectacular waterfall with plenty of viewing platforms.  The wayside by Shoshone Falls called it “The Niagara of the West.”  Although I’m sure the dry summer affected Shoshone Falls, an impressive amount of water still flowed over three separate areas.  A constant rainbow hovered over the largest of the falls.  The falls are 212 feet tall which makes them taller than Niagara Falls.

In order to reach Shoshone Falls you have to drive down a narrow, twisting road so there is an RV parking area at the top of the Snake River Canyon.  Tom and I took a chance on driving the truck to the bottom of the canyon but the great views of Shoshone Falls were worth it.  We are just glad we didn’t meet anyone when we were headed back up the road.  It was too narrow for another car and the truck.

Lots of people visited Shoshone Falls while we were there.  They oohed and aahed and took the obligatory selfies.  I enjoyed just standing at an out-of-the-way viewpoint and watching the patterns of the water in the river and over the falls.  The Falls park offers playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, a boat ramp, a swimming area, and scenic overlooks.  Admission is charged in the summer.

If you travel in southern Idaho, you will certainly visit the city of Twin Falls.  You can skip Twin Falls waterfall, but be sure to stop by Shoshone Falls.  You will be glad you did.