When in Rome… visit the falls!
Pretty busy and short, but the payoff is good for families or for those seeking a rest stop between points.
There’re some educational placards about how the falls were formed, some history about the coulees, etc, that are also worth reading (much like Dry Falls).
Definitely watch out for rattlesnakes: leash your pet, keep your kids under control, and stay out of the brush. Also, stay away from cliff edges: people have died here, as the signage notes!
There’s a (bootleg?) trail on the northeast portion of the public area by the train tracks. I went down and it was a bit challenging (for the area), but not too bad. Just take your time and you can get up and down. There’s supposedly another bootleg trail that follows the west/south side of the canyon walls by the falls per CalTopo, but I didn’t want to meander over there since it seemed precarious and I was just walking around without my pack and tools (my approach shoes were fine, but I was playing it safe).
I picked up some trash while there, but there’s more down in the canyon to collect. I didn’t want to wander out into the brush without long pants, high top boots, and my trekking poles because of rattlesnakes.
The falls weren’t something I would personally actively seek out (I’ve seen a lot of other falls of similar scale), but it’s a great rest stop 🙂. Others might get more value from the falls than I did, however, so my comment shouldn’t be taken as a suggestion that one shouldn’t go here.
The coulees, plant life, green oases among hills of brown, the movement of the grass in the breeze (like fingers through hair), the proximity to Snake River (my first time seeing it!!), and the overall drive were probably the best part to me about this trip. The awesome things I discover when out looking for lookouts!
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