Jump Creek Falls is one of our favorite waterfalls near Boise. The waterfall is near Marsing, Idaho, and is an easy day trip from Boise. Here are our tips on how to get to Jump Creek Idaho and what to do once you get there.
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History of Jump Creek FallsCan You Camp at Jump Creek Falls?
Hiking Jump Creek Falls
Is Jump Creek Falls Dog Friendly?
Jump Creek Falls Hours
Directions to Jump Creek Falls
Where Not To Go
Does Jump Creek Falls Get Busy?
History of Jump Creek Falls
Jump Creek Falls is a 60-foot waterfall near Boise. The water comes from Sands Basin and an area canyon.
Jump Creek Falls is a rhyolite lava-flow field, one of many lava fields in Owyhee County in Idaho. Rhyolite is a type of igneous rock, and the area consists of a number of a number of lava flows. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the area was formed by eruptions from a series of vents located south of the western Snake River Plain.
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If you want to read more about the geology of the area, visit this USGS study.
Hiking Jump Creek Falls
There are a number of hikes at Jump Creek Falls in Idaho, for all intensity levels. If you are not interested in a strenuous hike, the walk to the waterfall from the parking lot is only 0.6 miles and there is no elevation change. It really is just a walk on a path, although there is some tree cover and creeks to walk through on the way.
If you are interested in a more intense hike, there are plenty of trails in the area, including above and behind Jump Creek Falls. The one we went on was just above the parking lot. It was also less than a mile, but gave us a great view of the top of Jump Creek Falls.
However, if you take that hike and think it will eventually bring you down to the waterfall, you’d be wrong. There is a dead end for this trail and you will have to turn around and go the other way.
Can You Camp at Jump Creek Falls?
No. The Jump Creek Falls recreation area is day-use only, so there is no camping on-site. It is a great place for a picnic or a day out in the wilderness though, and is great for even the youngest of children.
Beware the Poison Ivy, there is plenty of it growing along the trails.
Is Jump Creek Falls Dog Friendly?
Jump Creek Falls is dog-friendly and you will see plenty of dogs on the trails in the area. Although you will see many dogs unleashed, it is recommended to keep your dog on a leash while in the area.
Jump Creek Falls Hours
According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages Jump Creek Falls, the area is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Directions to Jump Creek Falls
To get to Jump Creek Falls from Boise, you will:
Head west on I-84 past Meridian
Take exit 33 for ID-55 North toward Nampa/Marsing
Follow signs for Karcher Bypass and merge onto ID-55/W Karcher Road
You will be on this road for about 17 miles
Turn left onto US-95 S
Continue on Poison Creek Rd. Drive, which turns into to S. Jump Creek
The trip takes around an hour, depending on how busy the roads are. It will take you through Marsing, Idaho, which can get a little congested because of their one-lane roads.
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It will also take you through wine country, which is a beautiful scenic byway. Feel free to stop, either on the way to Jump Creek Falls or on your way back to Boise.
Where Not To Go:
This guy’s road. You will find it right before the turn to Jump Creek Falls.
Does Jump Creek Falls Get Busy?
We went on Memorial Day Weekend, and it was fairly miserable. Because Jump Creek is so close to Boise and not a tough hike, there are plenty of people who visit on a regular basis. If you are looking to get away from people in nature, Jump Creek Idaho is not the place to go.
