From Idaho to Utah

I contacted my friend in Utah to ask about coming down to visit earlier than I had planned. I checked out the Hagerman Fossil Beds in Hagerman, Idaho. There is a drive along the fossil beds, along route 30, which follows the Snake River from Buhl to Hagerman, beautiful views of the Snake River and the fossil beds and thousands of springs. The geology of Idaho is stunning. Huge boulders towering over the roadside, the massive gorges the deep color of the rock, and the springs that flow from the rock. I really get into how that all evolved. At the visitor's center the ranger told me about the geology of the area, and seeing how interested I was suggested I visit Balance Rock about 17 miles away. Very impressive.


I followed Rt 30 north from Twin Falls through Buhl to Hagerman. Thousands Springs consists of volcanic rock with springs along the entire stretch of road between Buhl and Hagerman.  I went to the visitor's center in Hagerman. The ranger explained the geology of Hagerman. The area was called Lake Bonneville millions of years ago, which became the Great Salt Lake. The area was excavated to find fossils of life there millions of years ago. The largest concentration of horse fossils have been found in the fossil beds around Hagerman.  According the monument:


 "30 complete horse fossils and portions of 200 individual horses. Internationally significant Monument protects world's richest late Pliocene epoch (3 - 4 mya) fossil deposits: over 220 species of plants and animals! Glimpse life before the last Ice Age and view earliest appearance of modern flora and fauna."


After the fossil beds I drove to Balance Rock. The drive to Balance Rock was through farmland and open landscapes. Beautiful, neat, luscious farms. One farm had a line of cows feeding from a trough that was picture perfect, however with no place to pull over and take a shot of them I continued on. Balance Rock is a 40 ton wind carved rock, 48 feet tall that is balancing on a 3 foot base  by 17 inches of rock according the ranger. It looks like a man with a very bad hair do.  I stood under it looking up at this most impressive phenomena I think I ever saw thinking about it falling..... 

Before Balance Rock there is a park where people were camping and picnicking. A family was having a family reunion. The park is situated in between massive rocks much like the balance rock, although none of the rocks were balancing as precariously as Balance Rock.

Rock boulder towering over Balance Rock Park

I left Balance Rock and headed to Utah.