Five Places from Our Idaho Falls Trip

Our Idaho Falls trip brought together some very different places: lava landscapes, a cave, forest views, waterfalls, and a walk beside the river.

Sponsored by Best Western. I may earn a commission from bookings made through the hotel link in this post.

These are the five places I shared in the video, in the order they appear. They are spread across the region, not all inside Idaho Falls, so treat this as a look at our trip rather than a one-day driving route. The Caribou-Targhee and Mesa Falls parts came from the same outing, with the forest and waterfalls offering different sides of the experience.

1. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve

We did not have much time at Craters of the Moon, but it was unlike anywhere else I had been. Even driving the Loop Road through the dark volcanic landscape was beautiful, and getting out for a walk made the stop feel more complete.

We drove toward Inferno Cone, stopped at the Spatter Cones and walked part of North Crater Trail. A lot of our photographs came from around the Spatter Cones. I liked being able to experience the landscape while learning a little about what shaped it, without trying to fit every trail into one visit.

For a shorter visit, the Spatter Cones offer a close look at small volcanic formations along the Loop Road. Stay on the designated paths: off-trail travel is not permitted in the Spatter Cones and Big Craters areas. National Park Service Spatter Cones information.

The visitor center was closed when we arrived, but there were pre-stamped slips outside for late visitors collecting passport stamps. That was a thoughtful little detail from our visit, not something I would count on being available every time. Check visitor center hours if a passport stamp or a conversation with a ranger matters to your stop. Current visitor services and conditions.

It is officially Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Choose your stops around the time you have, and check current road and trail information before heading out. Official Craters of the Moon visit information.

2. Caribou-Targhee National Forest

The next part trades lava rock for trees and moving water. We walked through the forest, learned a little about the area's history and enjoyed a beautiful day outdoors. That forest walk was part of our Mesa Falls outing, rather than a separate trip to another corner of Caribou-Targhee.

I liked having time to enjoy the woods as well as the waterfalls. The forest setting was part of what made the outing memorable, not only something to pass through on the way to a lookout.

The forest covers a large area, so its name alone is not directions to our exact walking route. Use the Forest Service's recreation information to plan a specific destination, rather than treating the whole forest as one map pin. Official Caribou-Targhee recreation information.

3. Idaho's Mammoth Cave and Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History

Idaho's Mammoth Cave and the Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History made for a really unique stop. They supplied little LED lanterns, and we explored the otherwise unlit cave by their glow. The walk felt manageable for our kids, and experiencing the cave that way was a big part of what made it memorable.

We arrived late after calling ahead and happened to be the only visitors there. That gave us a chance to talk with the people there about how the museum was created and look through its unusual finds. Peacocks were walking around as we came in from the parking lot, and the kids were given peacock feathers when we left. Those were lovely details from our visit, rather than things every visitor should expect.

We spent about an hour and a half there, much of it down in the cave. I definitely could have used more time in the museum, so my takeaway is to leave room for both parts rather than treating it only as a cave stop.

The operator offers self-guided visits near Shoshone. Check its current seasonal schedule and last-admission information before going; our late arrival does not mean admission outside those hours is available. This is Idaho's Mammoth Cave, not Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. Official cave and museum visitor information.

4. Upper and Lower Mesa Falls

Upper and Lower Mesa Falls are grouped together as one destination in my video. This is the waterfall side of the forest outing above: we visited the falls, took in the views and spent time photographing the water and surrounding landscape.

We enjoyed the beautiful weather and came away with photographs I was happy with before a rainstorm moved in. That change in weather is part of my memory of the day, rather than a promise of the light or conditions you will find on your own visit.

Keep both names in mind when you plan a visit rather than assuming there is only one viewpoint. The Forest Service's visitor guide includes the Mesa Falls area and its scenic byway. Official forest visitor guide.

5. Idaho Falls River Walk Greenbelt Trail

The last of the five is back in Idaho Falls: the River Walk Greenbelt Trail. Our hotel was across the street, so this was an easy place to return to instead of a single scheduled stop. We could open the window in our room and see the falls at night, then walk across the street to spend time along the river.

It was beautiful, and I enjoyed learning more about the falls and how the river shaped the city. The video shows the falls, riverfront and water tower, bringing the story back to the city the trip was centered around.

The city's pathway information is a useful starting point for maps and planning your own walk beside the Snake River. Official Idaho Falls pathway information.

We also found good food nearby. We walked from the River Walk area to Lucy's Pizza, officially Lucy's New York Style Pizzeria, because it was right off the riverfront route. Official Lucy's Pizza information.

Our favorite stay: Best Western Driftwood Inn

I included Best Western Driftwood Inn as our favorite stay at the end of the video. It belongs beside the five places, rather than taking the place of one of them.

The hotel is along the Idaho Falls Greenbelt, connecting this part of the trip with time by the river. Being able to see the falls from our room and walk across the street to the River Walk made the location one of the best parts of the stay. Official Best Western property information.

Check availability at Best Western Driftwood Inn.

Which of these five places would you want to explore first?