Half-Day Magic Valley Scenic Tour: Five Hidden Stops

Walk short trails and peer into canyons carved by water and time

A half-day guided tour of Magic Valley, Idaho, visiting five carefully chosen sites off the main tourist route, with short easy walks at each stop and hotel pickup included. The tour spans four hours and covers Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs, the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, Malad Gorge State Park, Hagerman Fossilbed National Monument exhibits, and Balanced Rock, ending at viewpoints of the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge and Evel Knievel's jump site. Suitable for all fitness levels. Bring binoculars and a camera.

Step-by-step itinerary

Scenic tour of Magic Valley attractions

• Begin at Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs
• Walk to overlook natural springs
• Drive Thousand Springs Scenic Byway
• View Snake River and hot springs
• Stop at panoramic Oregon Trail viewpoint
• Visit Malad Gorge State Park
• Take in views of Malad Gorge
• Explore Thousand Springs State Park Visitor Center
• See fossils and exhibits
• Drive through Castleford countryside
• Stop at Balanced Rock formation
• Visit Balanced Rock County Park slot canyon

The experience

Five stops across four hours means you move at a pace that lets you actually look. The tour opens at Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve, where a short walk takes you to an overlook hundreds of feet above natural springs flowing year-round through a canyon carved into the Great Basin Desert. From there, the drive along the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway itself becomes the experience: the Snake River, roadside hot springs, creeks and waterfalls appear as you travel, and the road climbs to views that stretch across three miles of the Oregon Trail's original wagon ruts.

Malad Gorge State Park shows you a 250-foot-deep canyon and Devil's Washbowl, a 60-foot receding cataract that once plunged into the Snake River before the river's course shifted. At Hagerman Fossilbed National Monument Visitor Center, exhibits hold fossils from 3.5 million years ago: the Hagerman horse, mastodon, ground sloth and more from the largest Pliocene Epoch find. Balanced Rock, standing 48 feet tall and weighing 40 tons on a base under four feet long, is the kind of geological oddity that stops you mid-sentence. Just beyond it, a slot canyon carved by Little Salmon Creek through massive rhyolite formations offers a chance to spot beaver and yellow-belly marmots on the canyon walls.

The final stretch takes in the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge, 486 feet above the Snake River Canyon, and the visible jump ramp from Evel Knievel's 1976 attempt, accessible by a paved walking path along the rim. An air-conditioned vehicle carries you between stops. Bottled water is provided. This is the only tour of its kind offered in Twin Falls.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• live English-speaking guide.
• entry to all five sites and visitor center exhibits.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Mar 2027

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (under 1)

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 19 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Big Green Adventure Tours

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't need a car to reach these sites, and the four-hour window fits easily into a morning or afternoon without eating the whole day. If you're staying in Twin Falls without a vehicle, this is the only way to see this corner of Magic Valley.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (under 1).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs and why is it worth the walk?

Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon Springs Nature Preserve sits in the Great Basin Desert where natural springs flow year-round through a canyon hundreds of feet deep, creating lush vegetation and habitat for desert animals in an otherwise arid landscape. The overlook walk is short and rewards you with views straight down into the canyon itself.

What do you see at Hagerman Fossilbed National Monument?

The visitor center holds exhibits and fossils from the largest Pliocene Epoch find, dating back 3.5 million years, including the Hagerman horse, mastodon and ground sloth. The center's windows also frame views of the Snake River Canyon and the Perrine Bridge.

How does Balanced Rock stay standing?

Balanced Rock is a 48-foot-tall formation weighing 40 tons, carved by wind into a shape that balances on a base just under four feet long. It sits in Balanced Rock County Park, and a slot canyon nearby carved by Little Salmon Creek through volcanic rhyolite formations offers close views of the geological forces at work.

Can you actually see Evel Knievel's jump site from the tour?

Yes. The jump ramp from Evel Knievel's 1976 Snake River Canyon jump attempt is visible from the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge and accessible via a paved walking path along the canyon rim, so you can walk right up to it as part of the tour.

What's included in the four-hour tour?

The tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, all fees and taxes, and a live English-speaking guide. You'll visit five sites with short, easy walks at each one. Bring binoculars and a camera for the scenic and historic stops.