SOUTHERN IDAHO: GOODING CITY OF ROCKS WEST

APRIL 2020 & APRIL 2023

GOODING CITY OF ROCKS WEST

MOOSE

After several visits to the eastern portion of the Gooding City of Rocks, I decided to see what the canyons on the western side looked like. To get there, I decided to try going through Bliss and taking Hill City Road north. I turned right on a dirt road heading east just before Clover Creek and parked after about a quarter mile once the road became too rough for my vehicle. I was hoping to drive about two miles down this road before parking, so I was a little let down when I realized how much longer I would be hiking.

After two miles the road narrows and drops steeply down to Clover Creek. After wading across Clover Creek, I continued to follow a dirt road east about a mile-and-a-half up over a hill and down to a confluence of several canyons. I decided to follow the first canyon on the left, which was slow going at first due to it being choked with vegetation. I tried the first side canyon to the left, and turned back after about a half-mile since it didn't look too interesting. I continued up the main canyon and tried the second side canyon on the left, and found a nice arch located about a half-mile up.

I then continued up the main canyon for about two miles and found some really nice rock formations. There were a lot of hoodoos, several small arches and a pretty healthy stream running down the center of the canyon. The stream was interesting in that it kept disappearing underground. I'm sure this canyon doesn't see too many visitors. I didn't see anyone else on my hike, which made me a little nervous as I know there are bears and coyotes here, and there were a lot of elk bones scattered along the stream. However, the only life I saw were a couple marmot-type animals and a big pack of ravens that tracked me almost the entire time I was there.

I returned in April 2023 to explore this area some more. This time Hill City Road was closed (it appears to be closed until it dries out in mid-to-late May), so I continued down Clover Creek Road a bit further, parked my car and rode my bike a about eight miles along a dirt road to the confluence of canyons I had made it to previously. This time I went up the larger canyon to the right. The first couple miles were slow-going, with some fairly average scenery, but it slowly became a bit more interesting and easier to walk the further up I went. I kept turning right at every split in the canyon, until I had made it up about three-and-a-half miles and turned around.

I stumbled onto a moose after about one or two miles that scared me a bit, and didn't look very happy to see me. I immediately crossed the stream to the other side of the canyon to show it I wasn't a threat, but it kept staring at me, unmoving, until I eventually made it out of site. On the way back down, I took a side canyon to the right that looked pleasant, and hoping to avoid all the brush at the start of the canyon. I ended up finding a really nice waterfall after not too long and eventually climbed out of the canyon and found a dirt road leading back to my bike.

If you go hiking here, be sure to visit in April or May when the canyons are green and the water is running high. This area is not nearly as pretty in the summer of fall. Also be prepared to scratch your legs up on all the vegetation along the canyons if you're wearing shorts.