Home Other Hikes Leave Feedback  Wildcat Canyon
Wildcat Canyon   I found this canyon quite by accident while trying to figure out a back route into Squaw Creek canyon. I was bouncing from Squaw Creek and Jump Creek and saw Wildcat Canyon in-between the two on the topographical map.

     I took a quick trip in 2003 just to make sure there was a way to get there and that it was worth a visit. While there is no well worn trail there is some very interesting rock formations and water dynamics (assuming you go in the early spring). This is a bit more of a rugged hike with lots of rocks and the occasional large boulder to get around. I would not advise bringing younger children as some of the larger boulders are going to prevent their pass. The rest of you need to get out there and check this place out!
 

Directions:

I am assuming you know how to get to Marsing. If not here are some simple directions to Marsing starting on I-84 at the Eagle entrance heading towards Nampa:

   Drive West on I-84 for 10.7 Miles to exit 35 (third Nampa exit)
   On exit 35 turn North (towards the processing plant) on Northside Blvd
   On Karcher Road (just before the processing plant) turn West (left)
   Follow this road through its twist and turns to Marsing (14-15 miles)
  
From Marsing It is fairly simple to get to Wildcat Canyon. The map to the left shows the route from Marsing and step by step instructions are below.
  
   Continue driving through Marsing on Highway 55 for two miles
   Turn south (left) on Highway 95. Follow this road for 5-6 miles
  Just past the weigh station (JUST past it) there is a turnoff on the
      right (drivers) side of the road. This is NON PAVED and there
      is a gate that you need to open and close to get through.
      GPS: N 43 27.518 W 116 51.926 (the red X in the maps). There
      is a sign saying "Chains Beyond this point when snow or ice present"
  Follow this dirt road (SUV/Trucks only, don't do it in a car) until
      you get to another gate that you also have to go open and
      close to get through. There is under two miles to the mouth
      of wildcat canyon (GPS: N 43 26.851 W 116 52.846)
 

 

 The Trail

     I should really label this "the trail" because there really isn't a trail. Every time you think you have one it just ends in a few dozen feet. The ground is rocky enough that there are dozens of false looking trails everywhere. The best bet is to just follow the creek (or creek bed if it is summer and no water is flowing). You will probably notice that there appear to be two canyons right next to each other. Wildcat is the one to the left (east). I have not followed the one next to it though it does not appear to go anywhere on my maps. The three hundred foot walls going into it seem to say otherwise. Maybe next time!

     My first trip to this canyon was in the summer of 2003. As stated above my goal was to simply do a prelim on this place and get Tyler to come back with me. I actually would have explored much further but under the Apache Chief I ran into one of the local residents. This was my first sighting of rattlesnake while hiking. Being that I was in the middle of nowhere, I had not told anyone where I was going, and having a good mile walk back to my truck, I decided this was a good place to turn around and head back. It is amazing after seeing a rattle snake how much more you notice all the spaces under the rocks that you have no choice but to put your foot near... How much longer the walk seemed on the way back... Why was I wearing sneakers and shorts? Hey, my phone IS out of service up here... I'm not too smart sometimes.

    A few things I did notice from that trip: The creek looked like the water dynamics would be interesting when it was flowing (late winter and spring), the rock formations were VERY cool and very different than the nearby Jump Creek and Squaw Creek canyons, and it seemed to be a place very few people hike. I decided to return early in 2004 and explore this place further.

    I have since returned and am very glad that I did. My first bit of advice: If you like to bring walking sticks DON'T bring them on this hike. You will need your hands and the stick just gets in the way. My sister gave me a couple of walking sticks for Christmas. Very cool ones with adjustable shock absorbers, comfy handles, etc. Great for hikes where you mostly walk but just one more thing to hold when you are doing little scrambles like this one. I of course did not heed this advice and this is why I can tell you it is such a bad idea. Good griping shoes and long pants are the two other important things you need.

    Hopefully there is water flowing when you go. While the water dynamics are not as pretty as nearby Jump Creek or Squaw Creek (so far anyway, I have yet to make it all the way to the back) It is still a much more interesting, though somewhat more challenging, if water is present. Be careful if it is very early in the season, as you go further up the canyon the rocks take on a shine... a.k.a. ice!

  

     The real star of the Wildcat canyon hike are the rock formations. There are TONS of large unique rock shapes here. Your camera will be going click click click once you get into the canyon a ways. I think this is why I fell so many times, I was busy staring up and finding so many rocks with my feet. Here are A few of my favorite rock formations and the names I bestowed upon them
    Apache Chief! - I have a lot of bad Karma with this particular rock. A good portion of my incidents seem to occur when I am either passing on the way up or on the way back by it... A if he is the guardian who flings bad luck to all those who pass by.

    This picture was actually taken in the summer of 2003 during my first visit to Wildcat canyon. If you look at the bottom of the picture the dry creek bed that I was following is there. The strange thing was that right at Apache Chief! I was seeing trickles of water. I thought to myself "Hey, its not dry all the way down to the bottom! Maybe there is actual flow further up!" I had a sudden burst of excitement to move on ahead.

   Right at the foot of the rock was the snake in the previous picture. At the time I could not find an easy way around and it was stretched the entire length of the creek bed no doubt enjoying the creatures coming in for some water. This ended my first visit to Wildcat canyon. Apache Chief! was now the marker between the known and the unknown.

    Trip number two took place in January of 2004. This time plenty of water flowing and no snakes! I made it past the rock with no problems! The return trip was another story... There are plenty of cool rocks around Apache Chief! so I was busy letting the mind wander as to the shapes I was seeing when I stepped on a rock that had gathered a nice sheet of ice from splashes of the creek. It wasn't a bad fall except I tried to save my walking stick and almost tore off my entire thumb nail (its even more painful when its 25 degrees outside). Cursed rock!

 

    Trojan Horse - This is a 40 foot rock but its way up high on a 250 foot cliff so you will have to look up to find it. It looks like a person on the back of a big Trojan horse. I remember this rock because I (once again) lost my Olympus 400 camera during the January 2004 hike. I was able to find it when I traced my foot steps back and recalled taking the picture of this rock. Luckily the camera was only lost for about 20 minutes. Stainless steel shows up pretty well against the snow.
    Beer Bear - So let me state for the record that it was really difficult to get pictures of shaded rocks against a sun filled sky. I can't tell you how many didn't turn out.

     Tell me that doesn't look like a bunny rabbit and a bear sitting at a little table. The bear is chugging a beer. Admittedly I didn't think about this until I was looking at the pictures later. You will find these two right after entering the canyon. No doubt they are spies for Apache Chief! letting him know I am on my way. That way he has more time to mess up my hike.

    This rock is smaller than most (about 25 feet high) but is located way up on a cliff similar to the Trojan Hoarse above.
    To the right are a few more. Hopefully you have a good imagination and can think of good names for these. There are many more that are not pictured.

     I think just looking at these now I would name the first one The mole. Though it looks like he is at a podium and about to give a speech so there must be a better name.

   The second one I would call Crappy Christmas Tree. My sister was the talking Christmas tree at the ZCMI store in Salt Lake when she was a teenager. It looked something like this rock though a bit less mutated. The lips even moved on it! The Tree could spin too. It freighted kids more than let them give their toy list. Kinda like this rock would do to your kids if they knew of the talking Christmas tree.
    In case you are curious my January hike ended at the first small water fall pictured above on the right (GPS: N 43 26.403 W 116 53.002). It showed a 400 ft elevation gain. The water fall pictured below that fall was actually farther up the canyon and was taken at a distance (hence the poor quality of the picture). I hope to get farther next time and share what is around that corner!

    I leave you with a few pictures that hopefully will inspire a few visits to the place. Just remember if you go you are required to send me the name of at least ONE rock not pictured on this page. Be creative!

Home Other Hikes Leave Feedback Wildcat Canyon