A Quartz Hotspot And Ghost Town Await North Of Twin Falls ID

If you're looking for a southern Idaho road trip that offers history, a bit of ghostly charm, and the opportunity to unearth some gorgeous stones, you need not travel any further than 190 miles north of Twin Falls.

I've put a lot of miles on the old odometer throughout southern and central Idaho in my years as a Twin Falls resident, but I've never checked an old, abandoned mining town off my list of explored Gem State sites. Custer County was a bustling, dog-eat-dog region of the state back in the 1800s when mines were operating at full capacity.

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The county is also home to Bayhorse. An old, deserted mining town awaits travelers in the heart of the region. The town was founded in 1877, and following years of failed attempts to unearth gold, silver was soon discovered in the area, which brought thousands of prospectors to the central Idaho site.

Bayhorse is also a top spot in the state for quartz, according to an Idaho mining and minerals website. Rockhounding is a popular hobby in Bayhorse and attracts enthusiasts from across the state annually.

There are numerous types of quartz, and the majority of them can be found in Idaho. Just be sure you're not digging in restricted areas, such as spots known to house Native American artifacts, or private or government land such as a state park.

Bayhorse will take Twin Falls residents about three-and-a-half hours to get to, but the drive is one of the most beautiful in all of Idaho.