Road Tripping Through Southern Idaho: Twin Falls and Beyond by Car or RV

Proper preparation constitutes the foundation of any successful expedition, particularly when traversing terrain as varied as Southern Idaho's. Prior to departure, I recommend a comprehensive vehicle inspection with particular attention to your cooling system—summer temperatures in this region regularly exceed 90°F (32°C), placing considerable demands on your engine.

For those traveling by RV, note that while most major routes accommodate larger vehicles comfortably, some scenic byways may present challenges for longer units. My colleague Dr. Jameson, who regularly traverses this region in his 30-foot Class C, swears by his backup camera system, which proves invaluable when navigating tight turns or unfamiliar campgrounds.

Regardless of your vehicle choice, a reliable GPS navigation system with offline mapping capabilities is essential. Cell service remains inconsistent throughout portions of this route, particularly in the more remote sections between Twin Falls and Craters of the Moon.

Begin your expedition in Twin Falls, where the eponymous waterfalls once cascaded in magnificent twin columns before the construction of the Milner Dam in 1905. While the original falls exist now primarily in historical documentation, the area offers numerous hydrological features worthy of examination.

Shoshone Falls, often called the 'Niagara of the West,' presents an exceptional case study in natural power generation. At 212 feet, these falls exceed Niagara's height by approximately 45%, though with significantly reduced volume. Visit in early summer when snowmelt maximizes water flow. The juxtaposition of the adjacent hydroelectric facility against the raw power of the falls provides an excellent educational opportunity regarding renewable energy infrastructure for children.

The Perrine Bridge, spanning the Snake River Canyon, offers both an engineering case study and recreational spectacle. This truss arch structure extends 1,500 feet across the canyon, with a deck height of 486 feet. My last visit coincided with several BASE jumping demonstrations—the bridge represents one of the few structures in America where such activities are permitted year-round without permits. The technical precision required for successful deployment of aerodynamic deceleration devices (parachutes) from this fixed object provides fascinating parallels to my own skydiving experiences, albeit with significantly reduced margins for error.

Southern Idaho offers a spectrum of accommodation options that satisfy both educational and recreational family requirements. For RV travelers, I recommend the Anderson Camp in Twin Falls as your initial base of operations. This establishment provides full hookups, adequate site spacing, and—most notably—a swimming pool that proves invaluable after days of geological exploration in summer heat.

For those traveling by car, the family camping setup provides efficient deployment capabilities at established campgrounds throughout the region. During my documentation of fermentation practices at a local cheese production facility last summer, I utilized this shelter system at Thousand Springs State Park with excellent results. The park's Billingsley Creek unit offers proximity to the remarkable springs emerging directly from canyon walls—a hydrogeological phenomenon worth detailed examination.

If indoor accommodations better suit your requirements, the portable travel router has proven essential for maintaining connectivity at various lodging establishments throughout the region, where WiFi infrastructure often proves inadequate for multiple device connections. This allows for evening research and educational content review after days of field exploration.

Approximately 87 miles northeast of Twin Falls lies Craters of the Moon National Monument—a location I consider mandatory for any technically-minded family expedition. This vast basaltic lava field presents an exceptional opportunity to examine relatively recent volcanic activity, with formations dating primarily from 15,000 to 2,000 years before present.

The preservation of various flow structures, spatter cones, and lava tubes provides an unparalleled natural laboratory for understanding fluid dynamics in high-viscosity molten material. During my documentation visit last summer, I observed numerous families engaging with the Junior Ranger program, which effectively translates complex geological processes into accessible educational content.

For exploration of lava tubes such as Indian Tunnel, proper illumination proves essential. My headlamp provided adequate hands-free lighting while allowing detailed examination of ceiling formations and cooling patterns. The technical specifications of this device—particularly its beam distance and battery efficiency—make it suitable for both casual family exploration and more detailed scientific observation.

The 7-mile Loop Road provides vehicle access to primary features, though I strongly recommend allocating time for the Devil's Orchard Trail, which offers exceptional examples of pressure ridge formation and ecological succession patterns on relatively young volcanic substrates.

The Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument presents a compelling chronological counterpoint to the relatively recent geological formations elsewhere on this itinerary. Located approximately 30 miles west of Twin Falls, this site contains the highest concentration of Hagerman Horse fossils in North America, dating to the Pliocene Epoch approximately 3.5 million years ago.

The technical aspects of paleontological excavation and preservation merit particular attention here. The visitor center's displays regarding matrix removal techniques and fossil stabilization methodologies provide excellent demonstrations of how engineering principles apply to historical preservation contexts.

For families with children interested in hands-on learning, I recommend bringing a field microscope to examine sediment samples from approved collection areas. During my documentation visit, I observed several children utilizing similar equipment to identify microfossils under ranger supervision—an excellent application of observational technology in educational contexts.

The Oregon Trail overlook within the monument also provides important historical engineering context, demonstrating how 19th-century travelers navigated this challenging landscape with period-appropriate technology and methodology. The juxtaposition of prehistoric horse fossils against the documented passage of actual horses through this same landscape during westward expansion creates a compelling educational narrative regarding transportation evolution.