When I travel, one of the things that I like to do is check for slight detours on my route that might be interesting. While on my recent county trip through mostly Idaho (but a little bit of Oregon, Washington and Montana), I noticed that I would be traveling very close to the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site. In September 1974, famous American stuntman, entertainer and entrepreneur Evel Knievel attempted to jump the 1600 foot span of the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho. On a steam-powered X2 “skycycle” he took off in front of thousands of spectators live and millions more watching on TV. Traveling at speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour, he soared above the Snake River far below.
How to Get to the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site
The Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site is near Twin Falls, Idaho. Twin Falls is a bit south of Interstate 84 in south-central Idaho. It’s fairly easy to get to the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site. From Interstate I-84, you can either take Exit 173 (US 93, if coming from the west) or exit 182 (Idaho Route 50, if coming from the east). You’ll make your way a bit south of Twin Falls to Falls Avenue. Go to 3200 East and take that north for about a mile. You’ll come to this gated community pictured below.
You can then turn to the left, go around the corner and you’ll get to this unmanned gate / checkpoint
The sign says that the gate is closed from 10pm to 6 am though I have some doubts as to whether or not that actually happens. Then continue down that gravel road for about a half mile.
Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site parking
There is definitely one best place to park to see the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site, and it’s pretty easy to get to. There’s a large parking lot there, and the actual Snake River Canyon jump site is a short walk away.
There is also a hiking trail along the south rim of the Snake River Canyon, so if you are looking for a bit more of a walk, you can park at the Poleline trailhead or over at Shoshone Falls Park. If you just want to see the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site, then the parking I mention above off of 3200 East is definitely the best place to park for the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site.
From the parking lot, you can easily see the remains of the hill and concrete footings where the huge 180 foot structure once sat.
Did Evel Knievel Jump the Snake River Canyon?
Well he certainly tried…
This is the brief informational sign that is there at the jump site itself.
You can see that even though he was going over 300 miles per hour, his parachute deployed too early, and the wind blew him back down into the canyon. For a little bit of perspective, this is the view across the canyon.
Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Video
Here is a brief clip from a Discovery Channel special on the Snake River Canyon Evel Knievel jump. It includes a clip of the actual jump.
If you’re into odd slices of Americana and in the area, I definitely would encourage you to check out the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site.
Have you been to the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump site? Leave your thoughts in the comments
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Yes, I remember them charging to watch that on CCTV at an arena. I think it was $10 p/p. The closest one to where I was, was the Orlando Sports Stadium, may it RIP. I just waited until they replayed it on free tv a few days later.