Description:
Palisades Creek is a 12 mile out and back trail located near Victor, Idaho and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, but is also good for mountain biking and horseback riding; and is accessible from June until October.
A beautiful, cliff-lined, easy-access canyon with a large stream as wildlife, due to no livestock grazing. Walk past the Forest Service information sign and into the narrow mouth of the canyon. Palisades Creek splashes beside the trail (earlier in the season, it thunders). The creek never gets very low because much of its flow comes from year-round springs emerging far up the canyon and up its tributaries. Fortunately, the creek is bridged all the way (except for the remote upper canyon, which is not described in this hike). You cross six bridges. Despite the rugged, steep walls of the canyon, its bottom is forested, shaded by both conifers and deciduous trees. From its beginning at the campground, Palisades Canyon is 2,000 feet deep. Farther upstream, it’s well over 3,000 feet deep.
Directions:
From Idaho Falls drive southeast from Swan Valley on U.S. Highway 26 to Irwin. Turn left on the Palisades Creek Road at the sign for Palisades Creek Campground. Follow this road for 1.5 miles. Just before the campground and the bridge that crosses the creek is a parking area. On the other side of the creek to the right is a horse staging area. The new trailhead is at the horse staging area. If you are coming from the Wyoming side, Palisades Creek Road is about 2 miles north of Palisades reservoir dam on the right.
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