Lesser-Known Idaho Parks Tell Stories in Stone

Hagerman Fossil Beds:  If fossils excite you, then this fascinating park, located 28 miles southeast of Twin Falls, is well worth seeking out. The Snake River has revealed a treasure-trove of fossils ever since the Smithsonian started excavating in the 1930s. A six-mile-long, 600-foot-high cliff on the west side of the river offers a rare glimpse into life before the last Ice Age, dating back three to four million years. The skeletal remains of more than 150 species of plants and animals settled into the layers of sand, silt, and clay, which perfectly preserved the specimens – including the complete fossils of 30 horses! The Snake River Overlook gives an impressive view of the cliff walls and river below. RV camping is available within ten miles of the park. Park Info Here

City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho: A lesser-traveled national park reserve, this “city” of hundreds of rocky pinnacles dates back 2.5 billion years in geological terms. Some of the monoliths rise 60 stories into the sky. California Trail wagon trains forged pathways through this corner of Idaho and over Granite Pass on their way to Nevada from 1840s into the 1850s. Some even left their names, painted in axel-grease, on the gray and weathered granite face of Register Rock. They’re still visible today, along with some of the old wagon wheel tracks. The park sits in the south-central part of Idaho, two miles north of the Utah border. It became a National Reserve in 1988. There are many good RV parks within a five-mile radius of the park. Park Info Here