Malad Gorge, a Unique Stop In Thousand Springs State Park

Malad Gorge is one of the units of Thousand Springs State Park, located in Hagerman, ID, only about 30 miles from the popular Shoshone Falls. Most people drive past this beautiful park without realizing the spectacular views of the canyon hidden below. The canyon has been carved out by the Malad River. The Malad River winds through a series of stairsteps falls and into Devil’s Washbowl. It then cuts through the 250ft gorge as it makes its way to the Snake River. Because of this, Malad Gorge is a wonderful shortstop to go for a hike and take in the dramatic views of the tall canyon walls rising against the clear, teal water.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Malad Gorge Unit
2314 S Ritchie Rd, Hagerman, ID 83332
Coords: 42°51’47.7″N 114°51’06.4″W

Parking

There are paved lots throughout the area

Restroom

There are restrooms at the picnic area, close to the entrance.

Fee

$7 that is good for the entire day to visit all the units of Thousand Springs, including Malad Gorge.

Hour:

Malad Gorge gate is open from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Level

Easy. Perfect for kids and families

Time:

1-3 hours

Pet-friendly

You can bring your pet, but they have to be on leashed.

Ideal Time

March through November.

Weather

Video

Getting to Malad Gorge

Malad Gorge is a quick exit off the I-84. You should be able to use the address above to map your way there.
From Bliss, follow I-84 E to E 2350 S. If you’re coming from Twin Falls, take I-84 W to E 2350 S.
Take exit 147 for E 2350 S
Then, make a right onto E 2350 S. Then, turn right at the 1st cross street onto Ritchie Rd.
Follow signs for Malad Gorge. There is a guard kiosk here where you can pay the entrance fee. Don’t forget, your entrance fee here covers all the other units of Thousand Springs State Park. Also, make sure to get the self-guided tour brochure. It has tons of info about the park.

The Adventure

Devil’s Washbowl

The best part about Malad Gorge is Devil’s Washbowl, also stop #1 on the self-guided brochure. To get there, after the guard kiosk, go right at the fork. There is small parking right before the trailhead. In case you’re not sure if you’re at the right place, worry not, there is a small wooden sign next to the paved trail.

This paved trail leads to the narrow metal bridge that crosses over the gorge. This metal bridge is about 175ft above the river below. From the top of this bridge, you can look down at the Devil’s Washbowl underneath. This spot also has one of the best views of the gorge. Just in case you’re wondering, you CAN NOT access the river from Malad Gorge State Park. However, you can use the Idaho Power Service road off of Highway 30 to access the lower river.

After crossing the bridge, we recommend walking further down the dirt trail, along the gorge. When you get to a small lookout, you can look back and see the waterfall cascading down into the Devil’s Washbowl. If you keep going, the trail gets trickier. However, you’ll get completely different views of the canyon below. The river water becomes clearer and more teal, sprinkles in with interesting-looking vegetation. There is another taller waterfall flowing down from the top of the canyon. After taking tons of photos here, we headed back toward the parking lot to continue exploring the park.

Malad Gorge Overlook

Our second stop is stop #2, the Malad Gorge Overlook. To get here, from the parking lot for Devil’s Washbowl, follow the road toward the park entrance, however, instead of turning left to exit, keep going straight. All of the other viewpoints are also along this road.

The Malad Gorge Overlook gives you a different view of the gorge. It was interesting to see it from the opposite side. From the overlook, there is a small trail that will take you to the top of the big waterfalls that you saw on the other side of the gorge. It was quite beautiful. At this angle, you can also see the Idaho Power Co. diversion structure behind the waterfalls.

It was interesting to learn that “Malad” is a French word for “sick water.” Apparently, in the 19th century, some trappers became ill after eating the beavers they caught from the river. They blamed their illness on the water, even though it wasn’t the cause. Either way, the name stuck till now.

Other Stops in Malad Gorge

There are 4 more other stops that you can stop along the way. Stop #3 has two features. The left side has a small gravel trail that leads to a small man-made pond. It was a bit overgrowth and buggy when we went so we didn’t go too far. On the right-hand side, there is an overlook that gives you a closer view of the Idaho Power Co. diversion structure. This structure diverts water from the upper Malad River to the first of two Idaho Power Co. generators on the river.

Stop #4 showcases the native plant restoration effort while stop #5 highlights the step-like block faulting of the canyon and a rare species of native plant, the Cow-Pie Buckwheat. The last stop is Woody’s Cover and Hagerman Valley. It is a short walk to a cove. There is a small waterfall flowing from the top of the cliff wall down to the valley floor. The canyon wall of Woody’s Cove is a nesting haven for many bird species. The wooded canyon floor below is home to coyotes, mule deer, and red foxes.

Malad Gorge is such an interesting, off-the-beaten-path place to visit. You won’t need tons of time here. A few hours would be sufficient. If you’re in this part of Idaho, go check out Shoshone Falls. You can kayak or paddleboard to the bottom of these gorgeous falls. If you have extra time, go visit Crater of the Moon. You won’t regret it!

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.