Recreation in East Idaho

Eastern Idaho is an outdoor lover’s paradise, with four seasons of adventure, world-famous national parks next door, and rivers, lakes and mountains just minutes from home.

National parks next door

  • Yellowstone National Park is about 2 hours from Idaho Falls. We’re the gateway!
  • Grand Teton National Park & Jackson Hole are about 2 hours east over the Pine Creek or Teton Pass routes.

Rivers, lakes & fishing

  • South Fork of the Snake River offers blue-ribbon trout fishing, floating and scenic canyon views.
  • Henry’s Fork in Island Park is a world-renowned fly fishing river.
  • Palisades Reservoir and Ririe Reservoir are great for boating, paddleboarding, camping and ice fishing.
  • Snake River Greenbelt in Idaho Falls has miles of paved walking and biking paths along the river and falls.

Scenic spots

  • Upper & Lower Mesa Falls near Ashton are among the most beautiful waterfalls in the West.
  • St. Anthony Sand Dunes are perfect for ATVs, dune buggies and sandboarding.
  • Menan Buttes and Heise have great hiking close to Rigby.

Winter sports

  • Kelly Canyon Ski Resort is about 30 minutes from Idaho Falls.
  • Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are known for deep powder.
  • Island Park has some of the best snowmobiling in the country.
  • Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing are found throughout the region.

Golf, hunting & more

The area has several public golf courses, abundant hunting for elk, deer and upland birds, and endless backroads for ATV and horseback riding.

My favorite hiking trails in East Idaho

Cress Creek Trail – Heise area
Cress Creek trail is a 1.1 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Ririe, Idaho that features a river and is good for all skill levels.
Why I love it? It’s close to home, easy to drive to and it’s short and sweet.

Menan Butte Trail – North Butte
The Menan Buttes are extinct volcanoes formed by violent eruptions 10,000 years ago. These are unusual formations because they erupted through the cold waters of the Snake River which flowed where the Buttes stand today. When molten magma met the cold river water it cooled so quickly crystals were unable to form, and the lava solidified into glass called tachylite. The heat of the magma flashed the river water to steam, shattering the glass into tiny fragments that welded together as the hot ash settled to the ground. The Menan Buttes are unique because these are the only volcanic eruptions that occurred in freshwater in the United States, which is why North Menan Butte is designated a National Natural Landmark.Facilities: Vault toilet, interpretive signsLength: 3.1 mile trail from parking area to the top, around the rim and back down (0.6 miles cutting through the bowl of the butte)

Looking for a home close to the outdoors?

I’ve lived in East Idaho for more than 25 years and I’m happy to answer questions about any town, neighborhood or school in the area. Call or text me at 208-520-6363 or email andreahjardine@gmail.com.

Andrea Jardine, Realtor® · BOSS Real Estate · 396 Park Ave., Suite 100, Idaho Falls, Idaho