My name is Claire Lim from the Instagram profile: @truthorclaire. Thanks for taking the time to read my article on Bruneau Dunes State Park. I was born and raised in San Francisco and am happy to call the Bay Area home.
My passion for travel really ignited after I graduated from college and my now-fiance and I went on our first trip together to Mexico. I loved the freedom I had in planning the trip, and as an adult I better appreciated the new experiences and different culture. I now work full-time as a nurse, but I love any chance I can get to travel and find new adventures.
My Experience at Bruneau Dunes State Park
Like most people, my fiance and I had to adjust our travel plans during the pandemic. We felt most comfortable going on road trips and exploring places outdoors where we felt we could safely socially distance ourselves. One of our longer trips took us through six states, which included Idaho. We had two days to explore Idaho and I found Bruneau Dunes State Park during my research. The location was in the right spot for our itinerary.
We spent a few hours at Bruneau Dunes State Park in the early afternoon. We rented a sandboard, found a giant sand dune and went for it! The dune was so big that we got multiple slides down out of it. We ended our day with a small picnic overlooking the lake. This park is an awesome place to visit with many things to do. I highly recommend going for a day or two.
At Bruneau Dunes, you can go hiking, get a workout climbing the dunes, sandboard, go out to the lake and stargaze if the observatory is open. The park has the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America, so it’s definitely a unique place! Hiking up the dunes is a great workout. The sand provides resistance when you climb so you exert more energy.
You can rent two different kinds of sandboards at the visitor center: sit down or stand up. The different boards and the variety of dunes makes it perfect for all ages to enjoy. The park is also a great place to find a spot overlooking the dunes and the lake where you can have a picnic.
Best Memory from Bruneau Dunes State Park
My best memory was our first attempt at sandboarding. My fiance and I rented the last sit down board, so we decided to share it. We found a dune and huffed and puffed our way up to its peak. By the time we got there, more people were heading up and we were afraid that if we slid down we wouldn’t be able to control the board and would knock them over.
We found an opening and went for it. Somehow we lost control of the board. But instead of knocking down other people, we knocked ourselves off and tumbled down! We were both uninjured yet sand was everywhere. We wore face masks but still ended up with mouths full of sand!
We recorded the whole experience, so watching that video and seeing our sandy smiles always makes me laugh – especially when I think of how ridiculous we must have looked to the other people watching us.
Where to Stay near the State Park
We stayed at the Red Lion Inn & Suites. Our stay here was great because the staff were friendly and followed COVID precautions, they provided a bagged breakfast and toiletries that smelled amazing, and they had ADA accessible rooms. Jerome is close to Twin Falls, which has great restaurants and is also where you can find another attraction in Idaho: Shoshone Falls.
Need to Know Before you Go
Check the website for fees, restrictions and closures. Keep an eye on the forecast before you go. The sand can get hot when the air temperature is high. There is even a risk of burns! Go early if you want to rent a sandboard. We went in the early afternoon and rented the last sit down board. It’s best to start with smaller dunes if you have never sandboarded before. Lastly, make sure you bring plenty of water and enjoy this epic place!
