City of Rocks

The City of Rocks (managed by the National Park Service) gets its name from the grotesque, eroded granite formations of sheer cliffs and pinnacles towering up as much as 60 stories above the valley floor. Many settlers along the California Trail wrote their names in axle grease on these rocks. The dominant vegetation is an extensive stand of pinyon pine, juniper and mountain mahogany, with occasional aspen and whitebark pine.

Songbirds are the predominant wildlife attraction here, featuring the pinyon and scrub jay, green-tailed towhee, Virginia's warbler, mountain bluebird, Clark's nutcracker, and Townsend's solitaire. Also found here are turkeys, prairie falcon, burrowing owl, poor-will, Say's phoebe, white-throated swift, black-chinned hummingbird, house, canyon, and rock wrens, common bushtit, gray flycatcher, plain titmouse, and red-naped sapsucker.

This site is world famous for its challenging rock climbing. Reserve roads are typically closed due to snow from December 1 through March.

Directions: From Interstate 84 east of Burley, exit onto Idaho 77 south and go about 20 miles to Conner. Turn right at the main intersection and go 16 miles to Almo. Go one mile past Almo, turn right, and drive four miles. Or, take Idaho 27 to Oakley, turn east for one mile, then turn south on Birch Creek Road for 14 miles (graveled roads). Turn east up Emery Canyon Road for two miles to the City of Rocks. Dispersed camping is allowed but specific sites are not designated.