City of Rocks & Castle Rocks Recon
City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park are in South-Central Idaho, fairly close to the Utah border. There are two access routes that you can take. One is on the western side of the reserve, using Birch Creek Rd south of Oakley, ID. The other is on the eastern side of the reserve, just south of Almo, ID, off Highway 77. Using the Eastern side seems to be the typical route people take and is where you will find the City of Rocks Visitor Center.
The Approach
Castle Rocks State Park
If you’re heading East on I-84, follow I-84 E to ID-77 in Cassia County. Take exit 216 from I-84 E and turn right onto ID-77. Follow ID-77 for 37 miles, then turn right onto E 2800 S/Big Cove Ranch Rd. The road is not descript and comes right at a bend. You've gone too far if you reach Guffee Hot Springs or the City of Rocks Visitor Center. Once you leave ID-77, it is slightly more than 2 miles to the parking area for day hikes.
Note: There is a $7 per vehicle fee for parking. You do not have to pay this fee with an Idaho Parks Pass.
City of Rocks National Reserve
If you’re heading East on I-84, follow I-84 E to ID-77 in Cassia County. Take exit 216 from I-84 E and turn right onto ID-77. Follow ID-77 for 39.5 miles, and you will see the City of Rocks National Reserve Visitor Center on your left. A little further, you will make a right turn onto E 3075 S/E City of Rocks Loop Rd. This road will take you into the reserve. It is all up to you now.
Note: There are no fees unless you plan to camp overnight. Reservations for camping can be made at Reserve America. Be sure to double-check that you reserve a site that fits your needs since only a few allow access using an RV or trailer.
Castle Rocks State Park
You’ll see the defining feature of this state park long before you reach its entrance. As you make your way toward the park on ID-77, you’ll suddenly see white pillars of sandstone rising up from behind the valley between two hills. It is a spectacular view that is difficult to capture in all its glory. A few miles further, you come to a bend. There is a semi-descript sign, but very little to truly identify that this is the turn-off to the park. Rather than bending left, you practically go straight onto the road leading to the state park. You’ll know you missed it if you see Guffee Hot Springs of the City of Rocks Visitor Center. Turn around and try again.
The park itself is pretty simple. A fishing pond and some informative signs are near the park's main entrance. A little further is the main parking lot. From this point, you can set off on a few different hikes. There are a lot of trails branching off of other trails and very little to help you discern which trail goes where. We saw that there were pictographs in this park, so we started following the pictograph trail. At some point, the trail we were on stopped referencing the pictograph trail, so we started wandering and eventually stumbled upon the trail again, or at least a sign identifying the trail. We searched and searched; other folks even joined in since they had the same struggle we were. Finally, we stumbled upon some pictographs. There was a numbered sign near them that read, “5.” We could only assume that numbers 1-4 were somewhere else, and perhaps 6+ were also out there. We enjoyed looking at and reading about the ones we found but soon began looking for the others. We never did find any sign of any other pictographs in that area. Perhaps next time, we will have better information to work from.
We saw some families climbing rock formations as we returned to our vehicle. We also noticed a yurt settled back in some trees near the parking lot. Further research later revealed that this yurt is gorgeous and available for reservations. There are also several campsites available in this park. All are available for reservation through the Reserve America website. Our next visit will include more hikes, and I am determined to find the rest of those pictographs.
The fishing pond is a stocked pond identified for family fishing. An Idaho fishing license is required for anyone 14 years or older. It looked like fishing poles are available for rent or to borrow at the City of Rocks Visitor Center. Talk to a ranger to find out for sure. There is also a 3D archery range filled with life-sized animals for you to target. With target distances from 20-60 yards, there is a challenge to each one. Get the scorecard to see who the best truly is. If you have kids and need an activity, this is the place for you.
City of Rocks National Reserve
The Visitor Center is awesome. It has a few informational posters, a few maps of the area, a movie is available for viewing, and there are a few items you can purchase, however, what made it truly awesome was our conversation with the ranger. If you want to know all the ins and outs of the City of Rocks, talk to the ranger at the visitor center. He had been serving there for several years. He raised his family in the national reserve, and his knowledge was incredible. He could tell you about all the various formations, the history, and why it was a national reserve and not a national park. After driving through it, I was baffled that it wasn’t a national park. He could tell you every detail about the hiking trails. Which ones were the best, what time of day to hike them, and which direction to go, all based on what your preference might be. There are even plans for growing the trails he shared that were very exciting. Stop at the visitor center. In 30-60 minutes, you will be armed with all the best information to make your visit to the area a huge success. If you can’t use all the knowledge on this trip, you will be better equipped for your next one. If you only plan to be able to make the one trip, you might want to call their office to get off on the right foot before heading out. This should be done months in advance if you are looking for the best camping spot. Reservations can be made nine months in advance, and the best spots are gone almost immediately in the peak seasons. For reservations, go to the Reserve America website.
Inside the City of Rocks, you’ll be underwhelmed initially, thinking something must be wrong since you don’t see anything interesting. The sense of anticipation can make you start thinking some far-off formations in the hills might be all there is. Then you come over the crest of a hill, and now you understand. Huge boulders and massive sandstone formations protrude from the ground in every direction. The further you drive, the more spectacular the formations become. You begin to see rock climbers everywhere, on the rock walls, at the bases, and off in the distance like small specs moving against the enormous rock cliffs they are about to climb. Sign boards along the way identify the names of the larger formations and the various climbing paths that people use to summit them.
You pass by campsite after campsite. These sites are all basic sites, with no electricity or services. Many are tent-only, while some allow for various-sized RVs not more than 26 feet long. It can be hard sometimes to keep your eyes on the road, so find the nearest pull-out and take a break to enjoy the views. Be mindful of fences; since this is a national reserve, the land is shared with the local community of ranchers.
There are so many things to do in this area. Check out the National Park Service website if you want a complete list. There are tons of hikes in this area; many are short, while a few are several miles long. We did not do any on this trip but will do them all when we return. If you are a rock climber, this looks like an absolute paradise. Dozens, maybe even a hundred, different climbs you can try. If you are a birder, there is a checklist and many opportunities to see a multitude of feathered fowl. If you are a photographer, check in with the ranger at the visitor center and get all the info needed to get the best shots at the best times of the day. You can also experience the City of Rocks on horseback, by mountain bike, or by car, as we did this time. There is so much to do, not just camping.
This is not my preference, but if you’re a winter camper, there is a whole list of options for you in this area too.
The City of Rocks National Reserve is a designated “dark sky” area. This means there are protections surrounding this area about the amount and sometimes the kinds of lights that can be used. Here are the basic guidelines to keep the area dark, the stars most visible, and the sky its most spectacular.
Help Keep Our Skies Dark
In order to help preserve our exceptional starry skies and nocturnal habitat, City of Rocks doesn't use any artificial lighting in the Reserve. Our administrative buildings and overnight facilities are equipped with dark sky friendly light fixtures. To reduce light pollution these fixtures follow 5 principals for responsible outdoor lighting that you can also implement at home.
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Light is useful for finding your way or performing specific tasks. Only light areas when and where you need it.
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Avoid pointing lights up toward the sky. Direct them down, use shields to reduce glare, and shine light only where it is needed.
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Light levels are measured in lumens, check your light source and use the lowest lumens needed for your objective.
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Outdoor lighting should be controlled using switches, timers, and/or motion sensors so that they are only on when needed.
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Light temperature is rated using the kelvin scale. Low ratings (below 3000) are considered warm and generally emit less harmful blue light.
These 5 principles also apply when camping in order to maintain the precious natural darkness for everyone to enjoy. Be mindful and limit the light you use camping, especially excessively bright light that points up toward the sky or affects other people around you. All unnecessary lighting should be extinguished no later than 10 pm to promote Dark Hours.
Summary
We were blown away by the scenery and the possibilities that awaited us at both locations. We think we could get in most of the stuff we want to see in four days. With 5 days or even a full week, we know we will experience everything we desire. We are already planning the trip; you will see the entire experience here when we complete it. If you have the opportunity or the desire to check out these incredible landmarks of our natural world for yourself, call the visitor center and talk to a ranger at (208) 824-5901, get online to reserve your spot at one of the available camping spots in either location and start planning your trip.
