City of Rocks National Reserve is located in South Central Idaho and is governed by both the National Park Service and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. The reserve protects a portion of the historic California Trail and its landscape filled with granite pinnacles and monoliths.
City of Rocks is well known for rock climbing and there are over 700 climbing routes developed. Its granite spires range from 30 to 300 feet high and offer moderate to advanced difficulty.
Families can enjoy 22 miles of hiking trails through City of Rocks that range in difficulty from easy to very strenuous. Family-friendly trails include Bath Rock Trail (1800 feet), Creekside Towers Trail (.5 miles), Stripe Rock Trail (3 miles) and Window Arch Trail (300 feet). Camping is available at 64 campsites among the rock formations. Many sites have a tent pad, grill and picnic table and there are toilets and water stations.
Birding is a popular activity and 163 species have been identified within City of Rocks. The National Park service offers a downloadable bird checklist for City of Rocks National Reserve.
