Eastern Idaho Travel Regions
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Eastern Idaho - Where the
snow-capped peaks of the Grand Tetons feed thundering waterfalls, glistening lakes
and free-running rivers. Where wildflowers, pine and aspen create a kaleidoscope of
autumnal color and light. Where elk and moose graze the grasslands, where swans and eagles
soar on high. Uncrowded, uncompromised and in many ways untouched, eastern Idaho has for
centuries been a beacon to the adventurer.
The Grand Tetons are the youngest
mountains in the Rockies, barely ten million years old. In fact, they're still growing
about an inch every hundred years. Ranging as high as 13,722 feet, they provide a
magnificent backdrop for two distinct landscapes accessed by interconnecting scenic
byways. The Teton Scenic Byway begins at Swan Valley on the Snake River and runs
north through Victor and Driggs, where mountain men and fur trappers held their annual
North American Rendezvous. After passing through spectacular Targhee National Forest, the
Byway connects in Ashton with the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway which takes you to two of the
last undisturbed waterfalls of consequence in the West. Idahoans can be excused for
believing that their side of the Grand Tetons is best. Many credit the view, others the
terrain.
At Lower Mesa Falls, the Snake
River is squeezed into a gorge that drops 65 feet. The best view is from the Grandview
Campground and Overlook. Fishing is superb at this secluded spot along the Henry's Fork.
Upper Mesa Falls can be heard in the distance as you leave Grandview Campground going
north. The glassy waters froth to mist in an even higher 11-story, 114-foot plunge.
North of Mesa Falls is an area
known to fly-fishermen and outdoorsmen throughout the world. Henry's Fork, as the
Snake River is called here, begins at Henry's Lake, just a few miles south of Targhee
Pass. Henry's Lake has seen a lot of history, but it's the wild setting and the wildlife
that sustain its legacy. The cutthroat trout lying deep in Henry's Fork and its
tributaries make this by many accounts the best fly-fishing in the world. Harriman State
Park is also the most important wintering area for trumpeter swans outside their summer
home in Canada.
Henry's Fork empties into what was
in prehistoric times a collapsed volcano now known as Island Park. The former caldera is
18 miles long, 23 miles wide and is marked by a 1,200-foot scarp on the south and west
rims. A highway climbs the scarp at Big Bend Ridge. Covered with pine and wildflowers,
this breathtaking area is ideal for hiking and fishing.
In winter, the Grand Targhee
Resort east of Driggs offers some of the best powder skiing anywhere. And during the
summer and fall, the Teton River provides prime habitat for blue ribbon trout.
A spectacular waterfall provides
the scenic centerpiece for Idaho Falls, a growing city surrounded by gold and green
croplands and rustic barns. Today, a 14-mile Snake River Greenbelt loops around the falls
and river, giving pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists the opportunity to savor nature
without sacrificing urban amenities. This community of 50,000 people is further blessed by
39 parks ranging from small corner parks, where businesspeople stop to chat and eat lunch,
to large parks such as Tautphaus Park which houses a nationally renowned zoo.
North of Idaho Falls on Highway 20
is the historic and charming town of Rexburg, home to several diverse and noteworthy
attractions. But Rexburg is probably best known for Ricks College, a quiet, private
college with tree-lined campus streets and an ambiance going back to 1888 when the school
was inaugurated in a local church meeting house. Today the school is considered one of the
major institutions of higher education in Idaho.
North of St. Anthony is another
unusual site: the St. Anthony Sand Dunes which range over an area 35 miles long and
five miles wide. Composed of quartz sand, the dunes were formed by prevailing winds that
howled across the Snake River plain for millions of years. Many of the dunes surpass in
height those found at Death Valley in California. If you've ever longed to take a wide
open ride in a dune buggy or off-road vehicle, here's the perfect place.
Serenity, serendipity and
spectacular scenery make Eastern Idaho a very special place. A place to look forward to. A
place you'll never forget.
Call our central
reservation service to book your trip:
Toll-free 1-888-84-IDAHO (1-888-844-3246)
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