Southern Idaho Could Have A National Park Without Angering Locals

While Idaho has many incredible national monuments, state parks, and historic points of interest, there is no expanse of territory within the Gem State that is designated a United States national park. Southern Idaho has so many fascinating and incredibly beautiful sites that such a park could easily exist without upsetting locals who don't want to see hundreds of thousands of tourists a year.

Having lived in the Magic Valley for years and done my share of exploring in the region, I've traveled throughout land as beautiful as any in the country that people would pay to see if they were aware of it. Many of my favorite attractions in southern Idaho are well outside of the lines of cities like Twin Falls and Boise, and a boundary that connects the sites would make for a stunning national park.

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The topic of how on Earth Idaho has no national parks in the southern Sawtooth Mountains has been raised before. This region offers waterfalls, majestic peaks, picturesque lakes, and natural hot springs. Money raised from visitors could be used to improve life for Idahoans living in the region.

One of the first sites I visited after moving to southern Idaho was Cauldron Linn, which is southeast of Twin Falls. It's a spectacular section of river that converges upon massive rock formations that create some of the most powerful currents in the state. It's the home of Star Falls.

The City of Rocks National Reserve, Bruneau Dunes State Park, and Balanced Rock are all well worth a price of admission. Twin Falls residents wouldn't have to put up with a barrage of "tourons" taking selfies with area critters or waving selfie sticks in their faces either.