In this post, I’m sharing my experience kayaking on the Snake River to Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho.
I had never heard of Shoshone Falls until a photo of it popped up on my Instagram feed. It showed someone paddle-boarding at the base of a massive waterfall, and I instantly knew I had to plan a trip to Idaho! Read on for more on the experience.
Please enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Always practice the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Located on the Snake River in Twin Falls, Idaho, Shoshone Falls is known as "The Niagara of the West”. At 212 feet tall and 900 feet wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the United States.
We were in Twin Falls for two days. On the first day, we checked out Shoshone Falls Park and Perrine Coulee Falls (more on that below). On the second day, we did a guided kayak tour with Awol Adventure Sports. I chose to do a guided tour as I was unfamiliar with the waterfall, but if tours aren't your thing, they offer kayak and SUP rentals.
The kayak tour is only available from June through August due to high water levels and accessibility. We did the tour at the end of June.
We arrived at Centennial Waterfront Park at 9 am and checked in at Awol Adventure Sports (conveniently located right in the park!). We were suited up with life vests and oars, and then we boarded a pontoon boat. We cruised along Snake River Canyon for 2-miles towards Pillar Falls, where we would be launching our kayaks.
While on the pontoon boat, we passed under the Perrine Bridge, a 500 ft high bridge that is a popular spot for base jumping. Unfortunately, I did not see any base jumpers that day 😞.
After about 2-miles on the Snake River, we arrived at Pillar Falls, where our kayaks were waiting for us! We hopped in the kayaks and began the 4-mile round trip paddle to Shoshone Falls.
* Note: I didn't notice a waterfall at Pillar Falls. It was more an area with large rock structures, light rapids, and small water pools.
The weather was in our favor as there was very little wind, making it easy to kayak along the river. Kayaking through the Snake Canyon was an adventure in itself, but obviously, the most exciting part was reaching the spectacular Shoshone Falls!
We couldn't get too close to the falls for safety reasons. However, if you rent a kayak on your own, you might be able to get closer but do so at your own risk. We were still able to get amazing photos of Shoshone Falls from the distance we were.
I did not bring a dry bag or have waterproof camera gear but, I felt very comfortable taking my camera out to capture photos. We were not close enough to the falls to catch mist, and the kayaks felt very stable.
We beached our kayaks twice on each side of the river to enjoy two perspectives of the Shoshone Falls. Once out of our kayaks, we went in the water (which was pleasantly warm), ate some snacks, and took lots of photos from the shore.
After a little while, we hopped back into our kayaks and paddled 2-miles upstream back to Pillar Falls, where we were to be picked up by the pontoon boat and brought back to Centennial Waterfront Park. The paddle back was a bit harder than the paddle to the falls, as the wind wasn't on our side, but it was great exercise!
All in all, we loved this tour! I would highly recommend it for a first-time visit to Shoshone Falls.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:
Be sure to check out the Shoshone Falls Park and definitely don't miss Perrine Coulee Falls! You can visit these attractions on the same day as your kayaking trip.
SHOSHONE FALLS PARK
While not exciting as kayaking to Shoshone Falls (in my humble opinion), it's still absolutely worth a stop at Shoshone Falls Park. There are several scenic overlooks in the park that have stunning views of the falls. The day we went, it was super hot out, and there's very little shade in the park, so make sure to wear sunscreen.
PERRINE COULEE FALLS
I LOVED Perrine Coulee Falls. The waterfall is around 200 ft high and very easy to access. Just park your car along Canyon Springs Road and walk right up to it. The coolest part about Perrine Coulee Falls is being able to walk behind it. It very much reminded me of South Falls in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what some of your favorite Idaho adventures are in the comments!
By the way, if you're into kayaking, be sure to check out my post on clear kayaking in Lake Tahoe! Also, make sure to subscribe to the blog so that you don’t miss the latest blog posts, videos, and announcements!
