Auger & Perrine-Coulee Falls
Auger and Perrine Coulee Falls are located in the Canyon below Perrine Bridge on the edge of Twin Falls, ID. The I.B. Perrine Bridge is world-famous among base jumpers and is a popular destination for these thrill seekers. On the Northern side of the bridge, you are in Jerome, ID, but crossing the bridge will plant you almost immediately in Twin Falls. The entrance to this hike is on the Twin Falls side, South West of the bridge. It uses the same access road as the Mogensen Trail hike we did a few weeks earlier.
This hike was really one hike and one site seeing jaunt. Seeing Auger Falls requires the hike, while the Perrine Coulee Falls simply required parking about 100 yards (91.44 m) away and walking to the location. There are challenges to both, however, if you’re up for it, they are both worth the visit. (See notes below about the challenges).
Challenges:
Auger Falls requires you to travel some distance to see on a very narrow sandy trail that has mostly gradual grades to the elevation gains and drops. Depending on water level, you may be able to explore areas typically underwater but requires a little more effort.
Perrine Coulee Falls has a much more rapid descent and ascent, but only about 75 feet (22.86 m) of elevation. Some trouble may arise depending on the amount of water flowing. The wet areas are flat though, but the descent is narrow and uneven.
WORD of WARNING: There is limited/no cell phone reception down in the canyon. Plan accordingly.
Google Maps Note: Ours kept telling us to turn on Blue Lakes Rd. off of highway 93 as you just enter Twin Falls, but it really should tell you to turn onto Canyon Springs Rd.
To reach the entrance to the trailhead, travel part way down into the canyon on Canyon Springs Rd. You will pass the Perrine Coulee Waterfall (if you have the time, stop and take a look at this natural beauty). A little further down the road you will see your road split into two with a few parking spaces. This is the parking area for Mogensen Trail. If you follow the road to the right, you’ll reach the Centennial Waterfront Park and the Centennial Boat Launch.
Take the left road, and you will take Canyon Springs Rd towards the golf course and the trailhead for this hike. As you reach and make your way down the dirt road, you may see a nice waterfall above you. Feel free to stop and take in this one now or on your way out, but it is harder to see as you’re leaving. The trailhead for Auger Falls is where the dirt road ends. There is an information station and a good-sized area for parking.
From the trailhead, you’ll get a great photo op since there is a waterfall directly above the parking area. Read over the information on the area and take in the landscape, then you can begin your hike.
You’ll follow the Snake River for the first half of this hike, so it will make things easy. Along the trail you’ll find an old stone house, and probably a fair bit of rusted metal.
CAUTION: We did see a few tangles of barbed wire near the trail, so if you have dogs off leash be mindful of this as they might encounter these tangles and get hurt.
Take your time and scamper up on a few rocks or take a small side trail closer to the river. The canyon views and river views are great opportunities for photos and just to admire the beauty of our natural world.
About 1.9 miles (3.06 km) in, we came to the top portion of Auger Falls. There are several small cascades in this portion of the river. The section above was fascinating, since the water level was still low. We were able to walk out onto some now dry stone cascades and get some very interesting pictures and look at some very interesting rock formations. The canyon/river views from this level were unique and wonderful.
Back on the trail, you quickly reach Auger Falls and get some really beautiful views of the falls, river, and canyon all at once. It makes for some truly breathtaking panoramic views. Drink it in and let the natural world soak into your soul.
From Auger Falls, you continue to follow the river for another mile before you reach a fork in the trail and begin your return journey to the parking lot. This fork offers a couple options for return trails to follow. We elected to follow the Porcupine Trail in hopes of seeing a porcupine.
CAUTION: There are porcupines in this area. Keep your dogs close or come prepared by putting them through the snake and porcupine avoidance training.
Porcupine trail will lead you past a couple small ponds, and you’ll always have a view of the Waterfall above the parking area and of one of the falls on the North side of the canyon. Take your time on your way out and enjoy the landscape and keep your eyes peeled for porcupines. They can climb trees, so don’t just look for them on the ground. Unfortunately, no porcupines were seen on this hike.
I hear the ponds have fish in them, so if you want to pack along a pole, you can spend a little time at the ponds and see what you can hook into.
As you reach the parking lot, take a moment to capture a selfie or group shot with the waterfall above the lot in the background. Spend as much time here as you like, since the view is quite pleasant.
Take the time to reflect on the hike and the feelings you felt as you enjoyed the natural world and all its wonderful glory.
From the parking area, you can return the way you came. You can stop along the way and hike Mogensen Trail if you’re up for another waterfall adventure. You can also drive up a little further and take in Perrine Coulee Falls, like we did this time, or you can call it a day and head home.
I highly recommend stopping at Perrine Coulee Falls. You can quickly hike down to the waterfall and walk directly behind it. You can even hike around to the other side for a different viewing angle. It is really incredible.
If it is a windy day, which it is usually in this area, be careful about walking around the falls itself as a gust of wind can hit, and you will instantly be soaked with water. I mean soaked. It is like having a massive bucket of water dumped on you. So if you want to stay dry, you might want to exercise a little caution. If you don’t mind getting very wet, then let the adventure begin and explore to your heart’s content.
This is truly a remarkable experience. To be able to see and even walk behind and around waterfalls in the dessert is a magnificent wonder to behold. Idaho has so many unbelievable landscapes and natural diversity. I can’t wait for our next adventure.
