5 Summer by whitekaylee1
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Palisades Creek Trail / Lakes and Waterfall Canyon
Irwin, Idaho
4.4 miles E of Irwin, IdahoPalisades Creek Trail is located about 50 miles southeast of Idaho Falls and about 60 miles west of Jackson Hole WY in Swan Valley Idaho. The four mile hike up to lower Palisades Lake or the 6.2 mile hike to Upper Palisades Lake (elevation 6800 feet) provide some of the best mountain views in the Swan Valley region. Palisades Creek Trail is well maintained and can be used only by hikers, backpackers or horses as it is in the Palisades Wilderness Study area. If you choose to hike up to Upper Palisades Lake, two miles above Lower Palisades Lake you have to leave Palisades Creek trail and turn up Waterfall Canyon Trail and it is just a short distance up Waterfall Canyon. The upper lake typically has better camping because sites at the lower lake fill up sooner.
Both lakes were formed ages ago when giant landslides came down the canyon and blocked the creek. If you scan the mountain walls you may see mountain goats. It is 4 miles to the lower end of the lower lake.
Trail Map courtesy of SnakeRiverMountainBikeClub.com
Mesa Falls
Ashton, Idaho
10.0 miles NE of Ashton, IdahoUpper Mesa Falls, aka Big Falls, is an absolutely awesome waterfall on the Henrys Fork of the Snake River. The falls drop 114 ft. and measure 300 ft. across. To get to the falls from the parking lot is 0.2 miles of paved walkway and several sturdy stairs with plenty of gaurdrails and handrails. There are several platforms along the route for viewing and taking photos. Catch it in the morning to see the rainbows in the lingering mist that often rises well above the platforms. There's a wheelchair accessible path that can get a pretty good view of the falls but does not go right down to it.
Lower Mesa Falls is about a mile down river from the Upper Falls. There's two great viewing options. One is from a cliff hovering 200 feet above the falls and the other is from the the Observation Site sitting 0.25 miles away and almost 500 feet above the falls. To get to the cliff above the falls, there's a trailhead on the South East end of the main parking lot. The trail is 1 mile each way (2 mile out and back) with about a 100 ft. difference in elevation (about the same as the stairs the the Upper Falls platforms). The trail goes through the woods well away from the river itself but there are no guardrails at the end when you're peering over the edge of the cliffs to see the waterfall. To see the falls from the observation site is free and the walk from your car to the lookout is only about 500 ft.
This is an Idaho State Park and there are day use fees. Passes have reciprocity with Harriman State Park which is only about 20 minutes away. Get there before 5pm to check out the old inn which has been transformed into a fun and informative visitor's center.
Fall River Bridge
Ashton, Idaho
6.6 miles SW of Ashton, IdahoRight off Highway 20, there's a great spot to swim, swing, and dive. There's pullouts for parking right next to the bridge. There's a rope swing under the railroad bridge and a little swimming hole to the North. As always be careful of water levels. There are rocks down the middle of the river on the North side. If they're covered, the water is high.
Fun Farm Bridge
Saint Anthony, Idaho
3.1 miles E of Saint Anthony, IdahoAlso known as the Funny Farm Bridge, this is an excellent place for bridge jumping. You can jump from the road level, the top of the bridge, or swing from the bars below. Just be watchful of cars as this bridge is still in use. It just downstream from a boat launch which has parking and a restroom.
St. Anthony Sandbar
Saint Anthony, Idaho
0.2 miles SE of Saint Anthony, IdahoThe Sand Bar is located on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River.. It has been the local swimming hole for more than 60 years and features a shelter, picnic tables, a water slide, a playground, sand boxes, a roped area for swimming and a diving board. A popular place for families, and visitors to cool off in the heat of the summer. There is no charge to use the Sand Bar, but the park cannot be reserved. It has a shallow, bordered swimming area for novice or non-swimmers, and a diving board and floating platform area for better swimmers.
The park has sandboxes on the sides of the steps down to the water and a small water slide which ends in the novice swimming area.
Swim at your own risk. The Sandbar is a popular place. No dogs are allowed in the park.
Take precautions when swimming in rivers with fast currents like this one.
The diving board is safe as long as you:
1. Don't use it when the river is running high, fast and cold.
2. Jump or dive off the front, not to the sides. There are huge rocks to the sides. Stick to the front to avoid getting hurt.
Don't swim in the "safe area" if the buoys aren't up. It is not safe until the City of St. Anthony puts them up.
Twin Bridges
St. Anthony, Idaho
6.6 miles NE of St. Anthony, IdahoThere's an old abandoned bridge next to the one currently in use. The water is pretty deep underneath and offers two distinct levels to jump from. There's a little rope swing under the bridge and a path up river that makes a great put-in spot for a LITTLE float. If you've got little kids, there's a great little sandbar on the north side of the bridge just upstream from all the commotion. There are almost always people there on the nice days but you rarely ever have to wait to jump.
Monkey Rock
Saint Anthony, Idaho
4.1 miles SE of Saint Anthony, IdahoMonkey Rock features a beautiful waterfall you can wade right up to during the summer. Just under the waterfall is a great spot to wade around in or even some shallow swimming pretty good for small children. Maybe you just want to take advantage of the great bank to bask in the summer sun. The water temperature is fairly cool, which by no means is unwelcomed during the hot summer months. You'll get used to the water fairly quickly once you're in. The waterfall is a fun feature at Monkey Rock, not to mention a popular engagement photo backdrop. The name "Monkey Rock" is derived from the "monkeys" who jump off the rocks at the top of the falls to the pool below. Though not a great height, it's important to be careful and only jump into areas clear of rocks and other hazards and where the water is deep enough that you won't hit bottom when you jump. There really isn't a safe spot to jump from the falls as it doesn't usually get more than 5 feet deep.
The real jumping location is off the Hog Hollow Bridge up the road from the waterfall.
PLEASE NOTE: On the roads leading to Monkey Rock, the speed limit is 35 mph for the last mile. There are kids, cows, horses, and dogs along that road and many people tend to speed going to and from Monkey Rock. Please slow down and stay safe.
Jumping Rock at Phelp's Lake
Jackson, Wyoming
10.1 miles N of Jackson, WyomingJust below Teton's Death Canyon, on the eastern shore of Phelp's Lake is a 20 foot boulder sitting all by itself above deep water. It's almost if God said, "Those hikers will need a break. Let's give them a diving board and a swimming hole." There are not a lot of swimming holes with this kind of view either.
The hike to get to the rock is about 2 miles each way.
