We are lucky enough to have a family cabin in Idaho close to Yellowstone National Park, and try to spend some time there each summer, so this section should grow over time. We often will drive north from Salt Lake City, and this list matches the south (starting at the bottom of the page) to north journey that we usually drive, up Interstate 15.
I'm not a fisherman nor a kayaker... SE Idaho has world-class rivers for enthusiasts of both of those. I'll update this with information as I learn it. Here are some of the pleasures that I do know.
Island Park
- Harriman State Park - hike, horseback ride, wander around the lake. Gorgeous.
- Sawtelle Peak - drive up before sunset for incredible views of 3 states (ID, MT, WY), Yellowstone Park, the Tetons in the distance, and the FM/FAA stations on top as well
- Take the old railroad bed north (by 4-wheeler) to Montana
- Mesa Falls on the scenic byway. Make sure to visit the backroom of the lodge for the pelts, skulls and insects
- Yellowstone Rodeo - Thursday-Saturday nights most weeks, held just over the Montana border from Island Park. You probably won't see any famous cowboys competing, but it's very family-friendly, kids can participate in a calf-scramble and you can meet the cowboys after the last bull has bucked its ride.
- horseback riding... many places to go. Sometime we'll try one of the places that advertises rides + rodeo.
The area is not known for fine dining or ethnic cuisine, but you can get world-class potatoes (!) and great beef or bison steaks & burgers. Ironically we're still looking for a place to get great fish. Some of the places we've tried and recommend:
- Island Park Lodge
- The Lodgepole Grill, at The Pines (the former Phillips Lodge)
- Wild West Pizzeria, in West Yellowstone
Ashton For me, the big question in Ashton is: Frostop or Big Jud's? I think it breaks down like this:
- Big Jud's: better food and service. Closed on Sundays. Known for: one-pound hamburgers (serves 3-4!)
- Frostop: more character=better pix for your Instagram/Facebook updates. More variety on menu options (burgers, chicken OR fish with your fries). Known for: rootbeer floats, served with soft-serve ice cream. Under new management in 2013 means no more t-shirts for sale.
Sand dunes near St. Anthony
Rexburg...
ride the Idaho Centennial carousel in Porter Park.
Play foosball and air hockey at the Manwaring Center on the
Visit the merchants at Hemming Village.
Burton
More of a farming community than a real town, this is the ancestral home of my maternal grandmother's family, the Jensens. Look for the Burton Cemetery outlined by a square stand of trees just outside of Rexburg if you take the frontage road at the southern-most Rexburg exit.
Reed's Dairy. Get your huckleberry ice cream!
Stockman's Restaurant - my cousin, Jenifer Law, introduced us to their really great steaks, and great value
and the falls that give the city their name on the Snake River
Craters of the Moon
Lava Hot Springs
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