No portion of the Gem State boasts more desert majesty than southwestern Idaho. The region is home to sand dunes rivaled in height only by ones found in southern Colorado, and right now the conditions are peak for both exploring and sandboarding.

Bruneau Dunes State Park is located 80 miles northwest of Twin Falls, and takes less than 90 minutes to drive there. The park is home to some of the most impressive dunes on Earth. Only Great Sand Dunes Park in Colorado has taller ones in North America.

I've personally had the opportunity to walk the dunes, camp, and kayak at Bruneau's state park, and I found every aspect of the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable. While I've never sandboarded there before, I do know the conditions to do so are currently the best you'll find all year.

When the temperatures reach higher than 80 degrees in the park, the sand gets so hot that you need shoes to walk them. In 2021, we went in the late summer. Unfortunately, I only packed flip-flops for the trip and opted for kayaking over climbing to the top of the 470-foot dune that is the tallest in the region.

May is the ideal month for sandboarding and hiking the dunes, as the temperatures tend to remain on the cooler side making the sand perfect for these types of activities. Boards can be rented at the visitor center, or you can bring your own. I speak from experience when I say if you bring your own sled or board, make sure to avoid the circular, plastic types, as you need a more aerodynamic shape to cut through the sand.

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