Food: NA/5 Service: NA/5…read moreAmbiance: 5/5 Parking: 4/5 Family friendly: 5/5 Stroller friendly: 3/5 ADA accessible: 3/5 My family and I came here strictly for the sand dunes and observatory, late on a Sunday evening around 845-9pm. (Apparently the observatory is closed on Sunday?). Entrance fee is $7 cash or check when the gate is closed. You have to be in some type of shape as ascending the 60 deg incline hill of sand takes a bit of muscle and cardio endurance to make it up. Once at the top though, it's a serene and calming experience. On the backside of the first sand dune, the Snake River runs through. Similar to an Oasis in the desert. However, as some people may know or experience, wherever there is water, comes the bugs. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the bugs (mosquitoes) attacked. Not just one or two, swarms of mosquitoes. If you're like me and have allergic itching reactions to pest bites, be warned and have full body covering along with repellent. By the time we escaped to the car my son had been bit on the head and face. Just a forewarning. Bruneau Dunes State Park seems like a cool place to be. There were 3-4 individual camping locations that's were RV friendly and vast spaces for kids to run around. Sand Dunes themselves are not WC friendly unless you invent some type of sled to push/pull the WC up the hill. Also, make sure when dusk arrives, COVER UP!

I'm always on the hunt for an adventure so when I saw this was only 30 mins from my hotel, I knew I…read morehad to make a morning out of it! The entry fee was $7 and the drive to the dunes was quiet and peaceful. I went by myself and felt safe enough exploring the area alone. The views were gorgeous! This is truly a hidden gem tucked away in the farm lands. If you're in the mountain home area, check this place out!

Fleece the campers???…read more I went through the procedure to reserve one of the smaller sites for our 21' trailer. The price of $40 was prominently displayed. OK, a bit high for a one-night stay in a state park with no sewer or water connection. But, I'll pay for the convenience. Big surprise upon checking out. The total cost was shown to be $58.71, nearly 50% higher than the $40 advertised price. Here is what the additional charges were for: $7 Motor Vehicle Fee. My vehicle is registered in AZ. How is this justified? And since everyone get there with a vehicle of some sort, why is this not included in the displayed price? $10 transaction fee. I did all the work that the person who used to take the reservation over the phone would have done. The ID State Parks have replaced that service with a computer program. And apparently I have to pay for their computer system as well. Go figure. 3% Service fee. Who knows how they justify this? It is fortunate that the West has an abundance of Federal lands on which one can camp for a small fraction of the cost of this state park.

We happened on this nice park and visitors center while driving across country in our RV. It…read moreincludes cabins and RV sites, but we were stopping to make a picnic lunch. We enjoyed the visitors center a lot, and had a delightful lunch near the Snake River. History, shade, friendly people, and serenity - what more could we ask for?

We love Discovery Park! And, if we had young kids, we would definitely take them here!…read more We do have dogs though, and they are currently expanding their dog parks. Yes, there are two - one for large dogs and one for smaller dogs. Not only that, but we also walk them around the full park until they've had enough exercise. Discovery is a HUGE park with baseball fields, dog parks, a skate and biking park, plus a well-built and fun play area for kids. I'm pretty sure we walked by a huge sand pit for kids to plain too! It's loaded with things to do, and we highly recommend it!! It's clean, beautiful, and offers a huge variety of things to do!!

This is such an awesome park! It is located pretty far south in Meridian, but if you are one of the…read morepoor people that live in this restaurant and entertainment desert, then hurray for you! Discovery park mixes all the fabulous things of a traditional park with educational pieces about Idaho. The play structure is great. It has usual bits like slides and nets to climb, but it also has funky bridges, musical components and a variety of ladders. There are two very long zip lines with the attached seat, making it perfect for all ages. (Yes even my 32 year old husband thought it was amazing) There are these super fun roller slides that are fun for older kids to try and climb, but also littles who don't like to go too fast on a slide. I love that this is the rubberized surface. When you have an early walker, this is the best type of park to go to. Behind the play structure is the best part of this park. They have a water feature to help kids learn about Idaho rivers! Kids can play in the sand, dig ditches and levies and divert water streams. There is also a traditional splash pad around the side. There are three covered picnic areas, large bathrooms and plenty of parking. This is a wonderful new park addition to our community!

So awesome sight seeing. The water was so clear. Could see the fish swimming with such carefree…read moremovements. Seen a guy up to his knees in that snow run-off water fly fishing. Hope he caught something.

I am really confused. How is this possible??? I thought Idaho was known as..."the potato state"…read more But I am wrong. I admit it and I take responsibility. Idaho is really known for its WATERFALLS!!! Yes, waterfalls! I am from Florida and now I know going forward, if you're interested in exploring around some of the USA's most beautiful waterfalls...then come visit Idaho! And so with that dramatic introduction, lol...I'd like to present, well...it's not really Ritter Island State Park...it's more like...LEMMON FALLS located inside Ritter Island. Lemmon Falls is absolutely jaw dropping fantastic! It was the highlight of my visit here. I don't know the height of Lemmon Falls and I tried searching for it online and couldn't find the exact number. But, regardless...it splashes down the cliffside in front of your eyes. You don't have to work hard to be rewarded. Let me explain... You can plug Lemmon Falls into Google Maps and be guided into the park just fine. Once you find a parking spot, you'll notice Lemmon Falls as the focal point of the surrounding backdrop off to the left hand side of the main entrance. Simply walk over to the falls. It's a 5 - 10 minute stroll. From the pathway, you have access to Lemmon Falls and opportunities for magical picture moments. Some visitors climbed on the rocks for closer perspectives, but I didn't find that necessary. From the pedestrian path, photos were very impressive. Lemmon Falls, alongside Perrine Coulee Falls and Fall Creek Falls have been some of my favorite waterfalls exploring around Southern Idaho. Now...there's more to see and do here at Ritter Island SP... One thing, I know this may sound confusing...Ritter Island is really a subsection unit of Thousand Springs State Park. Regardless of this info, there's another waterfall here on Ritter Island I'd like to mention, and that's...Minnie Miller Springs. To gain access to Minnie Miller Springs waterfall, you cross a footbridge to arrive at an overlook viewpoint. This footbridge isn't always open. Specific hours are...Memorial Day through Labor Day, Thursday - Monday 10am - 3pm. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There's a bridge volunteer attendant who is there to answer questions. The pathway is easy to Minnie Miller Springs. It's only half a mile. Along the way you'll pass by old fashioned Guernsey Barn which you can walk inside if interested. It's like taking a stroll down memory lane of what life was like back in the day here at Ritter Island. Next, make sure to veer to the right beside the Snake River when leaving the barn area. You'll pass underneath some trees offering shade from the summer sun. Then you'll approach a picnic table and this the lookout point, and in my opinion, the best glance at viewing Minnie Miller Springs. Minnie Miller Springs is a cascading waterfall hung in the background like an art painting. The setting is quaint and charming and if you visit in the afternoon time, the sun will be at your back which creates scenic photo opps. Only problem is the waterfall is located far in the distance. It's not accessible like Lemmon Falls. So basically, you can grab a few pictures of the lush surroundings before returning back towards the footbridge. If you decide you're enjoying the walking path, you can complete the 1.8 mile roundtrip loop around the farm. If not, it's half a mile back to where you started. While here on Ritter Island, people had their canoes, kayaks and paddle boards enjoying the waters. Folks barbecued under trees while lounging around. It was extremely crowded on a Sunday during early August. Granted, it was 105 degrees outside. For me, I had to go swimming and cool off. I just found a little spot beside the banks of the river and hopped in. Surprisingly, Snake River waters were frigid. I couldn't believe how hot it was and you'd assume that'd translate into relaxing swimming conditions, yet that wasn't the case. I think I had a brain freeze from the chilly waters. Still, you adjust to the cold and eventually it's refreshing hanging out in the river on a lazy Sunday. Last extra notes... - It's a $7 fee for day use. You can fill out a slip with payment and drop it into a lockbox. They accept checks. - Ritter Island is located in Wendell, Idaho which is a small town. But, it's 35 miles northwest of Twin Falls, ID, a great city to explore. - I'd suggest arriving sooner than later as there's only so many parking spaces during prime summer visitation season. Overall, coming here to Ritter Island and getting to experience Lemmon Falls was breathtaking. Imo, it's the standout highlight. Minnie Miller Springs is decent and a quiet hike to arrive at. And lastly, taking time to lounge on the grass and have access to the Snake River to cool off on hot summer days is why families make frequent visits. Btw, for those waterfall enthusiasts out there, check out Box Canyon Springs next, 5.5 miles away.

The stairs may look a bit intimidating at first, but the hike was actually short and pretty easy…read more There was a little boy, maybe 3 or 4 years old, climbing beside me with his dad and despite all the whining, he made it to the top too! The sunset view at the top was absolutely stunning, we came on a clear day and could see the entire city blanketed in trees. Such a breathtaking sight and definitely a must-see when visiting Boise. The parking lot was easy to find with plenty of space, making the whole experience even better.

This is one of the MOST EPIC parks I've ever been to. It was filled to brim with life, adventure…read moreand just wholesome fun. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and there were kids soccer games, folks playing tennis, families working out, and all ages hiking the hills. Behind the park is even tons of winding trails for both hiking and biking. While the climb up to the top of the main hill wasn't all that long, it was definitely steep. With the sun beaming down, it felt rather invigorating and provided a nice feeling of accomplishment making it to the top. This park definitely is a special part of town and it's clear that local residents definitely cherish and appreciate it!

My wife and I discovered this park on a whim while looking at possible wedding locations back in…read more2021. On first glance, it wasn't what we were looking for as a potential wedding venue, but we still enjoyed an afternoon outing, walking in the park, getting some sunlight, and seeing the rest of the location. Just shortly passed the park was Indian Creek so we got to watch it flowing by like a raging river. It was truly spectacular. Well, not necessarily part of the park itself. It's definitely a nice charm. Just a stone. Throw away the park and plenty of space for kids, a picnic area, and a very large porta potty.

Pulled in here for a quick workout Paddle and was blown away by this great park. It's a perfect 5K…read more(3.12 Miles) workout from the park down to the The secondary water control area. The water was moving pretty good, if I had to guess somewhere around 1.75 to 2.5 mph, but I was still able to get a workout and my best Mile split time was returning in the current, I took a lot of pictures along the way. I paddle all over the country, and in many other countries, I like to record my Paddle, especially first time, and transfer it from my Garmin watch to the relive app. This app creates a video of the trail and any pictures taken along the way or Geos stamped on the trail while you watch the video. It's really amazing. This park was clean, self service for Park entry if the booth is closed. Nice restrooms. Apple parking and it was mowed later in the week so it really looked nice. Saturday morning 5/3/25. https://www.relive.com/view/vdvm44P3Nxq

Growing up here, some of my best memories were spent either by the water or on the water at Lucky…read morePeak. Just a short 20-minute drive from Downtown Boise, Lucky Peak is a man-made lake offering everything from sandy beach spots to camping, boating, swimming, and plenty of space for outdoor activities. Whether you're in the mood to relax by the shore or enjoy a day on the water, Lucky Peak is the perfect local getaway!

Since moving to Boise I've heard people talk about Robie Creek in the context of the half…read moremarathon...what I didn't know was that it's also a dreamy little treasure where you can sunbathe and cool off! Just past Lucky Peak Reservoir about 15 minutes, you'll find a little turn out on the left hand side of the road that leads to Robie Creek. Head down that road for about 5 minutes and then you'll arrive! The nitty-gritty: This park has a humble little beach, buoys set in place that mark off where it is safe to swim, a small parking lot, restrooms and covered patios with picnic tables underneath. The fun stuff: What I love about this spot is that it is SO peaceful (at least, that's always been my experience here!). Its far enough out of town that you feel like you can disconnect from the busyness of life, but close enough that your car's gas tank won't hurt too bad from driving to it. My suggestion? Bring a paddle board with you and paddle out to the middle of the water, lay down on your board, and look up! The mix of the refreshing water, clear blue skies, cliffs surrounding the water, and lack of cell phone service out here on a hot summer day are like a little slice of heaven. Looking to get out in the sun and play in the water? Give this place a go- it's wonderful!

We spent two afternoons here fishing and playing! The highlight was sitting at the edge of the dock…read moretrying to catch some fish! It is absolutely beautiful out on the lake, and the views can't be beat. Here are some thoughts/recommendations for your visit: -The dock is NOT the place to fish with young children. It sways back and forth and kids are likely to fall in if they aren't watched carefully! Also be careful- there is lots of bird and deer poop on the dock! -It's hard to guess what might make the fish bite. Salmon eggs seemed to attract the most fish, but we still only caught one. We tried worms and fishing cheese as well. -The playground is really fun for kids, but the grassy area is filled with poop that make it hard to walk safely -The parking is so close to the lake, which was awesome!! Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here, and would recommend a visit! It's not a terribly far drive from Boise, either.

Free parking, access to three large ponds, walking and biking paths, and paddle board/kayak…read morerentals. Two very large ponds connected together with a third separate (Quinn pond) across a small street.

BEAUTIFUL PARK!!!!! There's water, yummy little spots to find a snack or eat a meal, rental…read morescooters all around, ducks and geese and a fun little play area for the kiddos!! The Boise river runs right through the middle of the park as well as a little lake off to the side where you can fish or float on your SUP board! Beautiful landscaping and even a short boardwalk through some wet lands where you can bird watch! One of my favorite places to go when we visit Boise!

Wonderful Boise Parks & Recs playground! Clean, and very cool playground. Lots of climbing for kids…read more4-15. Splash pad, picnic tables and shade. Great gem in a neighborhood. Quiet and safe. Great find!