Spring 2026 - Idaho, Utah, Arizona, 5.2.26 - 5.27.26, Part 1: City of Rocks National Reserve, ID
Bridgit and I just got home from another epic trip to the southwest. We typically take at least two major trips each year. but life got in the way so we missed doing a trip last fall. A year is a long time to wait and we were chomping at the bit to get back on the road. This was one of the most ambitious itineraries I’ve ever put together. It combined going to some places where there was very little information to draw from, many miles of hiking, camping with the Jeep, a backpack trip and wild, remote Jeep excursions. We met up with several friends along the way and also had some quality time for just the two of us. We drove about 2,900 miles in the Navibahn and along the way we put an additional 1,255 miles on the Jeep.
Route map of our Spring 2026 trip
Our first destination was City of Rocks National Reserve near Almo, Idaho. This was a key stop along the California Trail. Over 200,000 people came through the City of Rocks between 1843 and 1882. We had driven along I-84 through Idaho many times and I always saw the sign for City of Rocks and wanted to see what it was all about. I didn’t know anyone who had been there but I figured with the word “rocks” in the title it must be worth investigating.
Just a bit east of Twin Falls we turned onto route 77 and drove south past Albion to Almo where there was a visitor center. I talked to an older guy who had grown up in the area and he was very helpful. He gave me suggestions on short hikes for the afternoon. I told him we planned to hike something called the City of Rocks Loop the next day and that from what I had read, we would do it as a clockwise loop. He recommended doing it counter-clockwise to avoid a steeper climb at the end of the hike which turned out to be great advice. I wasn’t sure how rough the dirt roads in the park would be so we stayed just outside the park at City of Rocks RV Campground. Other than the host, we were the only ones there, although a couple of other rigs came the next day.
After setting up shop in the campground, we grabbed our day packs and drove the Jeep up into the reserve. What a cool place! City of Rocks is internationally known as a rock climber’s mecca. The mountains around this area are around 7,000’ yet the desert ecosystems collide with the alpine here so we found sage, pinyon pine and junipers, yet we also saw lots of aspen and pine. The hills are covered with granite domes, spires, pinnacles and even some arches. Driving up the dirt road, we saw lots of great campsites on both sides of the road. We parked at Bath Rock to hike a short trail the guy at the visitor center had suggested called the Creekside Towers Trail. It was only a 2.5 mile out and back which was a perfect starter hike for our trip.
In just a few minutes we came to a short side trail that led to a tremendous panorama of what this place had to offer. Sprawled across the landscape, granite spires stuck up everywhere. Off in the distance a snow-capped peak rose above it all. It was easy to see why climbers and scramblers love this terrain. It is a total playground!
City of Rocks National Reserve
Back on the Creekside Trail, we gently descended and crossed South Creek. Now ascending out of the creek, we passed by numerous rock spires with names like Anteater, Morning Glory Spire, Parking Lot Rock and Real Rabbit Rock. Due to the easy access, we saw climbers on several of these spires.
Along the Creekside Towers Trail
Creekside Towers Trail
Creekside Towers Trail
Spot the climber
A climber nears the top
Working our way around the east side of Window Rock we stopped just beyond a rock called Animal Cracker. To come back we looped around the west side of Window Rock and followed a slightly different route back to the trailhead.
On our way back to camp we stopped off by a very short path to Window Rock. This small hole in the rock was well positioned and provided more great views of the granite-covered hillsides.
Window Rock
View from Window Rock
The following day there was a 30% chance for showers after noon so we got an early start for a much longer hike. By 6:30AM we were at the Emery Creek Picnic Area and the trailhead for the City of Rocks Loop. From what I could gather in my research, this is the premiere hiking trail to see an excellent sampling of what City of Rocks is all about. It is a 6.8 mile lollipop loop with 1,800’ of elevation gain. As the sun broke the horizon we started up the stem of the lollipop on the North Fork Circle Creek Trail. This was mostly open sage. Turning right at the junction, we followed the trail down and soon came to the spot we had stopped the previous day from the other direction. The sun was now lighting up the tops of several tall spires. Anteater looked particularly nice in the morning glow.
City of Rocks Loop Trailhead
City of Rocks Loop
Beautiful morning on the City of Rocks Loop
For a very brief stretch we followed the same trail we had been on the previous day but very quickly veered off onto new ground. Now we were on the South Fork Circle Creek Trail. Once again, we repeated a very short bit of our route from the day before but after we passed Real Rabbit Rock and Morning Glory Spire we hit new trail and that would be the case for the rest of the hike.
So far we had mostly descended gradually. As we passed by a feature called Slabbage Patch, we began to curve around to the east and then to the north. We passed by another arch here but I don’t think it had a name. The early start had been fairly cool temperatures but by the time we reached a gate it had warmed up enough for shorts and a light hiking shirt.
Unnamed arch near Slabbage Patch
What goes down must come up. The entire first part of our hike was downhill and after Slabbage Patch the trail ascended all the way to the northernmost point of the hike. That said, the guy in the visitor center gave good advice and the climb was very gradual as opposed to what we would have experienced if we had hiked the loop clockwise. I also thought the views improved as we went doing it counter-clockwise.
Beyond the gate the terrain changed a bit. Past Lost Arrow Spire we entered an open sage meadow with lots of spires sticking up all over the place. We followed a really nice wall of rock. I thought this meadowy area was one of the most scenic parts of the hike. There were also lots of birds and they made for a very nice soundtrack to our hike!
Moving up past Stripe Rock, we took a lunch break beyond The Great Wall. From here, we headed up the steepest part of the trail through a series of about seven switchbacks but even these were pretty mild. The trail was well designed and never got too tough. Climbing up the switchbacks, we went by Beef Jello and Beef Jello Crag (these names!). Then we began to curve to the west, through another gate and past Indian Grove, the highest point of the trail at 7,300’. All we had left was downhill so we took another nice break in the open sage. The desert environment was coming alive and we saw lots of flowers and color in the meadows.
Views opening up beyond Slabbage Patch
Open meadows near Stripe Rock
Spires everywhere
Really enjoyable hiking
Even the cactus were beginning to bloom
It was hard to believe, but after covering almost seven miles, we had never seen another person. Such a great hike and the distance and elevation gain were big confidence boosters for all the hiking we were looking forward to in the coming weeks.
City of Rocks is really off the beaten path but well worth the side trip. It has a very laid back vibe (at least at the time we were there) and the scenery is fantastic.