Hidden Gems to Visit in the Magic Valley

The freedom to roam and explore in Idaho is intoxicating. There are awesome finds everywhere in the Gem State, but some of them are unknown to all but a select few.

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There are plenty of beautiful well-known sights throughout the Magic Valley for a quick tourist visit. Hitting the popular spots isn’t a terrible idea. Watching BASE jumpers from the river under the Perrine Bridge, or going to the Evel Knievel Jump site is a good way to start. Everyone should go to Shoshone Falls Park and take a selfie, and taking in local hot springs is a must.

Some spots don’t seem to make the mainstream list. There are neat things to see that may be farther back along a forgotten road, and if someone doesn’t show you, you will miss it. Like a super-secret club, there are things that if you have to ask, you’ll never know and if you know, you’ll never need to ask.

Find These Cool Tucked Away Places in the Magic Valley

Going to the hummingbird feeders in the South Hills is a treat every summer for our family. If visitors come to visit at the right time of year, it’s a great picnic afternoon with the hummingbirds and splashing around in the nearby stream.

There’s an area in Wendell I’ve heard about, but have yet to visit. It is on my list of things to do this year. ‘The Eagle Tree’ in Wendell near West Point Cafe is an awesome sight in pictures, but it must be witnessed in person. How has it been 14 years and I haven’t gone here yet?

A trip to the Hagerman Fossil Beds is awesome, but seeing the wagon tracks that are still there from pioneers gouging out their place in history is quite the sight. While looking at the fossils of natural history, there is a piece of recent North American history too.

Quietly sitting nestled in a neighborhood lies the Orton Botanical Garden. During Christmastime, the garden is sparkling with lights, but the summer flowers and cacti are beautiful as well. If you don’t know about the garden, you won’t see it. People can mistake it as just someone’s house, but the public is welcome to visit.

Sandboarding at Bruneau Dunes is great, but there is an awesome lake there as well. With all that sand, the bottom of the lake never feels grimy. There’s an observatory there with a huge telescope open to the public.

Lots of visitors go to Centennial Waterfront Park and see the Perrine Coulee Falls, but not everyone takes the hike to get there. A photo album will be lacking if you get to Twin Falls, but don’t have a picture of yourself behind the Perrine Coulee Falls included.

Make sure you as a resident of the Magic Valley are well versed in all the great tucked-away spots to impress your relatives and friends with the next time they visit.

What's faster, hot or cold? Hot, because you can catch a cold.