Permanent residents include Pinyon Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Juniper Titmouse, and Bushtit. During the summer, keep your eyes open for Willow Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Violet-green Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Virginia, MacGillivray’s, and Black-throated Gray Warbler, as well as Rock Wren. White-throated Swift, Turkey Vulture, and Violet-green Swallow common during the summer. Look for Juniper Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Green-tailed Towhee.

With hundreds of routes to explore, the challenging landscape of Castle Rocks State Park attracts rock climbers from around the world and provides superb hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding in the midst of a dramatic backdrop that dates back 2.5 million years. Remnants of Native American pictographs, historic trail crossings, and 20th century ranching are visible in the park today.

Evidence suggests that folks have been coming to Castle Rocks for nearly 9,000 years. Campsites are nestled among Idaho’s largest pinyon pine forest on the east slope of the 7,500-foot Smoky Mountain.

DIRECTIONS: Driving from Boise: I-84 E to Exit #216 (Declo); S on ID 77 to Conner Creek Junction (stop sign); R (W) on ID 77 Spur to Almo; visitor center is S of the post office and businesses. Driving from Pocatello: I-86 W to I-84 W Exit #216 and proceed as above. Ranch Unit is located 4 mi NW of visitor center; the Administrative Unit is where the visitor center is located.