Three-Pool Boulders

Quick Facts

MANAGED BY:

Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

The first of the boulders reached contains three giant panholes, one of which holds water most of the year.

Panholes begin as tiny depressions or cracks where water remains for long periods of time. The longer water remains on the granite surface, the greater the dissolution of minerals by acidic water. One way that rainwater becomes acidic is when it mixes with decaying vegetation. Another way is when minerals in the rock leach into the water. 

Panholes are sometimes incorrectly called potholes. Actually, a pothole is formed in the rocky bed of a stream by the grinding action of stones. There are no known potholes within the Reserve. One of the nearby locations to easily find potholes is in the basaltic bedrock of the Snake River, 50 miles north of here.