Waterfalls in Idaho: 8 falls worth the trip

Shoshone Falls

At 212 feet, taller than Niagara Falls, Shoshone Falls is the largest waterfall by volume in Idaho and sits about 5 miles from downtown Twin Falls. The City of Twin Falls reopens its ticket booth each spring; for 2026 it opened April 1, charging a $5 per-vehicle admission fee through the fall, with the fee waived off-season. Season passes run $25. Flow depends heavily on how much of the Snake River is diverted for irrigation upstream: spring runoff produces the fullest falls, while summer and fall irrigation demand can reduce Shoshone to a fraction of its spring volume in a typical year. Full fee and season details are on the dedicated Shoshone Falls page.

Auger Falls

A network of free trails along the Snake River in Auger Falls Heritage Park leads about a mile in to Auger Falls itself, with nearby Mermaid Falls also visible along the same trail system. The parking lot is large and free, with restrooms on site, and the park sees noticeably less traffic than Shoshone Falls or the Twin Falls city center attractions. Full trail details are on the dedicated Auger Falls page.

Perrine Coulee Falls

A roughly 200-foot cascade down the canyon wall just north of the Perrine Bridge, fed by the Snake River Plain aquifer rather than the river itself, which keeps it flowing at a consistent volume year-round regardless of season. A short trail leads behind the falls for an up-close view; Centennial Waterfront Park below offers a free, easy vantage point without any hiking at all. No fee, no permit, limited parking at the main trailhead.

Pillar Falls

Distinctive basalt pillars split the Snake River into multiple channels about 2 miles downstream of Centennial Waterfront Park, reachable only by kayak, canoe or small boat, or via guided boat tours that operate seasonally out of Twin Falls. A hiking route along the canyon rim gets you a distant overlook instead. Swimming here isn't recommended because of strong undercurrents in this stretch of river.

Devil's Washbowl (Malad Gorge)

The Malad River drops about 60 feet down a stairstep series of falls into a circular pool at Malad Gorge State Park, part of the larger Thousand Springs State Park system near Hagerman. A bridge spanning the gorge gives a direct overlook of the falls below. Idaho State Parks charges a $7 per-vehicle day-use fee here; Idaho residents can cover it with the $10 annual State Parks Passport, which covers this and every other state park. Open year-round, sunrise to sunset.

Fall Creek Falls

A roadside waterfall dropping nearly 60 feet directly into the Snake River near Swan Valley, visible with only a brief walk from a pullout on Forest Road 058 off U.S. 26. No hiking trail, no fee and no facilities — just a dirt-road pullout and a short path to the viewpoint. Anglers and boaters also reach it by floating the Snake River.

Jump Creek Falls

A 0.6-mile trail through a narrow canyon leads to a 60-foot waterfall on Bureau of Land Management land about 7 miles outside Marsing, with picnic tables and a falls overlook along the way. The BLM has floated a proposal to add a day-use fee and eliminate camping at this popular site; as of this writing, access remains free with no fee in place. Some visitors wade or swim at the base of the falls, though this isn't an official, managed swimming area. Full trail and fee-proposal details are on the dedicated Jump Creek Falls page.

Lady Face Falls

A 4.8-mile round-trip hike from the Stanley Lake Inlet trailhead reaches this falls in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, with only about 270 feet of elevation gain spread across the distance. The falls aren't a developed viewpoint: the final approach leaves the main trail on an unmarked spur, and the ground above them is granite slab covered in loose dirt and rock with no guardrails, so this is a look-don't-lean situation rather than a spot to picnic at the edge.

This guide was compiled from public land-manager sources (the City of Twin Falls, Idaho State Parks, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the Sawtooth National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management) and published trail reports. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Fees and access rules change; verify current requirements with the land manager before you go. Last checked August 2026.