City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho

Although City of Rocks National Reserve, is not that far from Interstate 84, just about 50 miles, it feels quite remote.

The main entrance is in Almo, ID, where the small Visitor’s Center is located. After Almo, and all the way through the park, the roads are all gravel. We were driving from Great Basin NP in Nevada, and drove through a small corner of Utah, before entering Idaho. Beware the “scenic route” through Grouse Creek, UT. We missed a turn, because the signage was unreadable and ended up a bit north of the park in Oakley, ID. It was definitely scenic, but it was also getting dark.

Since it’s a pretty remote place, camping is the best lodging option. It’s one of the coolest campgrounds I’ve been to recently and I had a hard time envisioning the layout from the online map, but it is spread throughout the park road. Best for tent camping, as there are few sites that allow rv’s or trailers. Some sites are better than other, but many have excellent views and rocks to climb around on.

There are a variety of hiking trails throughout or you can just pick a rock and start climbing.

There’s also a little history. The California Trail went right through the area where the park is now and there are a some rocks with historic graffiti.