Best Places in Twin Falls to Kayak

Its summer time and everyone wants to get out and do something outside. Me, I've been eager to hit the water in my kayak. I finally did the first weekend in June. There is something about paddling through calm water that is so relaxing to me. So where are the best places to go calm water kayaking in and around Twin Falls? I am no white water type of guy so all the following places are just for calm water paddling. This is a short list of good places to go kayaking near Twin Falls. There may be more but these are the places that I enjoy paddling and hopefully you will too.

Dierkes Lake

Dierkes Lake is probably one of the easiest and friendliest places to go kayaking, especially for beginners. If you don't want to drive far or paddle much this is the place to go. You can go around the lake in about half an hour. The lake is always calm, unless it’s a windy day, and you’ll share the water with smaller fishing boats.

Getting there:

From Twin Falls head east down Falls Avenue until you get to 3200 E. and take a left. That will get you down to Shoshone Falls Park and Dierkes Lake. Remember it cost $3 to get into the park during the summer.

Pillar Falls

This is one of the best places along the Snake River to paddle in Twin Falls. It’s a very popular site on sunny calm days and is easily accessed from the city. You start at Centennial Park and paddle against the flow of the Snake River east towards Pillar and Shoshone Falls. It usually takes me about half an hour or so to get to Pillar Falls depending on how eager I am to get up stream. It’s roughly over a mile to Pillar Falls. This is a great paddle because it offers awesome views of the Perrine Bridge and BASE Jumpers throwing themselves off and landing at the water’s edge. Once you get up to Pillar Falls you can see the river flowing between the massive rock pillars.

Getting there:

From Blue Lakes North turn left onto Canyon Springs Road. That will take you down to Centennial Park.

Shoshone Falls

If you feel up to it you can continue your paddle from Pillar Falls and head up to the base of Shoshone Falls. It offers a whole different perspective of the Niagara of the West. Keep in mind that you will have to pull your kayak out of the water and carry it across the rocks and put it back in the water at Pillar Falls. However, when the river is running high this may be difficult and nearly impossible to get to the other side of Pillar Falls. But if the bed rock is exposed you can get across pretty easy. From Pillar Falls it’s about another mile and a half to the base of Shoshone Falls. Once again you’ll have a whole different perspective of the falls. When I’m looking up at them they seem to be much bigger than if you look down at them.

Getting there:

From Blue Lakes North turn left onto Canyon Springs Road. That will take you down to Centennial Park.

Twin Falls

The paddle from Shoshone Falls to the Twin Falls is another great trip east on the Snake River and is pretty calm..  This paddle starts above the Shoshone Falls and run up to the Twin Falls. You can’t get right up to the Twin Falls, but you get close enough to see them. About two thirds of the way up the river you might hit some turbulent water. No rapids, but you can tell the water is moving faster. But until then, it’s a nice calm kayak trip. This one is about a mile and a half. It offers some neat rock formations along the canyon.

Getting there:

If you head out east on Falls Avenue from Twin Falls you get to 3200 E and take a left. That will get you down into Shoshone Falls Park, a Twin Falls City park. Remember you’ll have to pay $3 to get in. Use the Snake River Boat ramps to put in.

Vineyard Lake

You can’t actually kayak at Vineyard Lake, but you can paddle up its outlet fairly easily when the Snake River is running high. On this trip you will be able to kayak and hike if you so choose. You can put in at the boat ramp above Idaho Power’s Twin Falls dam and park. From there you paddle about half a mile to a little creek that runs off the spring feed Vineyard Lake. When river levels are high the creek is easy to paddle up. Plus the water gets clear because of the spring water. You can get out of your kayak and hike up to the little lake. You can also paddle farther east up the river where the canyon gets narrower. Eventually you’ll hit rapids and can’t get any farther in a calm water kayak.

Getting there:

From Twin Falls head out on Falls Avenue going east and take a left on 3500 E. that takes you down to the Twin Falls and Idaho Power dam.