Marc, Bev and our Australian Kelpie

TWIN FALLS, IDAHO

Twin Falls is known as the gateway to the Snake River Canyon in southern Idaho which lies just to the north. Trails along the canyon rim lead to the towering Perrine Bridge which is in this photo and is a popular launching point for BASE jumpers.

The Perrine Bridge is 1,500 feet long and 486 feet above the Snake River. BASE jumping here is a site known world wide. It is the only structure in the US that BASE jumping is allowed year-round without a permit.

We were fortunate to watch some BASE jumpers as we stopped at the Visitor's Centre which is right next to the bridge.

A Leap of Faith

Where's the ground?

Ready - set - go ......

🎶. Free Fallin' 🎶

Walking on air

Hypnotic Pose

TWIN FALLS

Twin Falls is the seventh-largest city in Idaho with a population of close to 50,000. It is known as the gateway to Snake River Canyon and is known as one of the most scenic canyon cities in the U.S.

Photo from website

Twin Falls is named for a nearby waterfall on the Snake River which used to have two side-by-side 200 foot plunges at a split in the Snake River. Today, due to the construction of the Twin Falls Dam, built in the 1930s and used for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, there is currently one waterfall.

September 8, 1974

Evel Knieval launched himself into a steam-powered rocket and attempted to blast across Idaho's Snake River Canyon.

Halfway across the canyon, something went wrong. Knieval's parachute system deployed too early, bringing his rocket to a halt in mid-air. It looked as though he was going to land in the rushing Snake River but strong winds pushed him back to the rocks and he survived with only a broken nose.

The distance he was to jump was 1,600 feet.

The site where the launching structure once was is now a tourist attraction and only a couple miles east of Twin Falls.

Perrine Coulee Falls

This waterfall is nearly 200 feet in length and flows year-round.

from: World of Waterfalls website

At the base of the waterfall and along the Canyon Spring Road, is this beautiful setting for the Canyon Springs-Twin Falls Golf course and a park along the river.

Another beautiful waterfall near the golf course

SHOSHONE FALLS

Just ten miles northeast of Twin Falls is this major tourist attraction. Tourists have been known to visit these falls as early as the mid-19th Century when travellers along the Oregon Trail would detour to visit the falls.

Formed during the Pleistocene ice age (about 14,000 years ago) the fall make the historical upper limit of fish migration in the Snake River. It was an important fishing and trading place for Native Americans. Documentation by Europeans indicate tourism began in the early 1860s.

Once referred to as the Niagara of the West. At 2112 feet tall and 900 feet wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the U.S. and surpasses the height of Niagara Falls.

In a typical year, the spring flows will peak between 10,000 an 12,000 cubic feet per second. On years when there are heavy snowfalls, flow can be as high as 20,000 CFS.

Twenty miles upstream, the water is diverted to irrigate 500,000 acres of farmlands.

These two paddle boarders look very small in this canyon along the Snake River.

ROCK CREEK RV CAMPGROUND

We are staying one week within the city of Twin Falls at Rock Creek (a spring fed creek), at the south end of the city.

It is a park, operated by the City, at the bottom of a steep grade with 25 RV sites (not tenting) and next to a park with a couple of gazebos and picnic areas and disc golf that follows the winding creek. Beautiful, quiet and very reasonable (approx $20/nite).

View of 'us' from the other side of the creek.

A deep and fast flowing creek. The left side (across the creek - three bridges cross the creek) is a pathway that goes for 7.1 miles

Alot of wildlife activity. There is a very steep road down to the campground and a large bank of huge rocks to support the cliff. The creek, a small waterfall feeding the creek, the pathway and two ponds makes for the perfect campground for birds and wildlife. There are a few people fishing for trout.

Mamma duck and a few of her ducklings in the pond

Barn swallows have built their nests in safety, under the walking bridges

There is a thriving colony of yellow-bellied marmots living here in the rocky hillside.

Red-winged blackbirds love the willows growing in abundance along the creek.

Boys playing games . . . .

These kids were out to play with their, what appears to be, Gel-ball blasters that look like AK firearms.

Someone was unnerved enough that they called the police and they were shut down from playing in the field across from the RV park.

HAGERMAN

We drive just an hour northwest for sightseeing and go thru Hagerman (population 1,148 in 2020)

We stop at a the Wildlife Management area . . . 880 acres and a fish hatchery

A large brood

Bee on an Arroyo Willow

TWO - IN - ONE

A cedar wax wing and a yellow-breasted chat

A red-winged blackbird with a freshly caught dragonfly

Back at the ranch .... the beautiful trail from our campground, along the disc golf course

Walking with Tazz around 6:30 pm and I took her off leash because we were at a place at the back of the campground, with a short wooden bridge, a small waterfall and a large dirt bank, complete with tons of marmot holes.

I spot what I thought was a marmot and then I notice Tazz is stalking, ever so slowly, this "marmot" .......

I dropped my jaw and whispered to myself "OMG!" I realized what I was witnessing and 'calmly' called Tazz and said "NOW" ..... she, fortunately is trained, and came right beside me.. .... I had dropped the leash and my camera bag (quickly got my camera out, put the lens cap on and checked the settings).

Tazz and I watched this badger come down the hill,