Black Magic Canyon is a small canyon located north of Shoshone, Idaho along Idaho State Highway 75.[1] It was created by the Big Wood River over the last 10,000 years.[2] The river carved this canyon through 800,000-year-old basalt lava flows leaving sculpted black rock reminiscent of Utah's slot canyons.[3] Because of irrigation use during the summer and snowfall in winter, the canyon is best explored in spring or fall.[4]
References
edit- ^ Bureau of Land Management. "Directions to Black Magic Canyon Lava Flow" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
Route to Black Magic Canyon. Bureau of Land Management.
- ^ Yellowstone Business Partnership (2010). "BLACK MAGIC CANYON - IDAHO BLM AREA OF INTEREST". Archived from the original on 2013-06-13. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
Over the last 10,000 years, the Big Wood River - along the Salmon River-Sawtooth Scenic Byways - has carved a narrow canyon of exquisite, swirling rock sculptures into surrounding black basalt.
{{cite news}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Virginia Hutchins (7 February 2012). "Channel Conceals Natural Sculpture Garden". Twin Falls Times-News.
The Big Wood River channel cuts through 800,000-year-old basalt, in places eroding through to a depth of more than 50 feet and exposing at least three lava flows.
- ^ Stephen Hill (11 November 2014). "Black Magic Canyon: A TOUR THROUGH EBONY WONDERS". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
There can be water flowing through the canyon in the summer and it fills with snow and ice in the winter, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly.