Grab your boots. If you drive down Interstate 15 near McCammon, you might miss the weird basalt towers sticking out of the sage. Big mistake. Indian Rocks gives you a raw look at Idaho's volcanic past without the giant crowds clogging up Craters of the Moon. Local climbers hit these walls to test their grip on sharp black basalt. It bites back. Actually, those razor-sharp edges will shred your hands without chalk and tape. You'll see petroglyphs too. Shoshone and Bannock ancestors left intricate carvings right on the boulders hundreds of years ago.

Red-tailed hawks constantly circle the sky while hunting ground squirrels in the brush below. You can hike down toward the Portneuf River where the muddy water cuts through the valley floor. It's dead quiet out there. Don't expect paved trails or fancy visitor centers. Just dirt, wind, and old wagon ruts left behind by Oregon Trail pioneers.