16 Day Trips From Idaho Falls, Idaho
Eastern Idaho is most known for its varied terrain, potato fields, lava rock, and wind… It’s true, the upper Snake River Plain is one of the windiest areas in southern Idaho! Idaho Falls, Idaho, is a fun home base for your trip to eastern Idaho and a quick drive to/from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. There are so many places to see and things to do within a few hours of Idaho Falls! They all make great day trips if you’re there for fun or for business.
If you’re planning to do a day trip or two from Idaho Falls, here are 16 easy and fun day trip ideas broken up into day trips at most a 1 hour drive (one-way), day trips over 1 and up to 2 hours from town, and day trips that are over 2 and up to 3 hours from town if you’re feeling really ambitious. I also included two long (6+ hour) scenic drives if you want to hit as many stops as possible and enjoy the Idaho scenery. Find an interactive Google map of all of the day trip ideas at the end of this post to help you plan where to go!
16 Day Trips from Idaho Falls, Idaho
Day Trips Within 1 Hour of Idaho Falls
1. Idaho Potato Museum
If you’re looking for a quick visit at a quirky roadside attraction, don’t miss the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, about 30 minutes south of Idaho Falls. I visited for the first time on my birthday in 2020, and it was the best decision ever. I’m probably one of the biggest potato fans you’ll ever meet, so I had a blast here! This museum highlights the extensive history of potatoes in Idaho. Be sure to grab your free “taters for out of staters” before you leave!
2. Pocatello
Pocatello is just under an hour south of Idaho Falls. (You can swing by the Idaho Potato Museum on the way there or back!) While there, swing by the Museum of Clean and the Idaho Museum of Natural History on the Idaho State University campus. Grab a bite to eat at Buddy’s Italian and visit historic downtown Pocatello.
The Museum of Clean goes beyond clean homes and wants to expand your mind to think about clean beyond the typical. Plan for up to an hour for a tour, and save time afterward to explore the many interactive exhibits at your own pace. The Idaho Museum of Natural History features rotating exhibits and highlights the natural history of Idaho and the local region.
3. St. Anthony Sand Dunes
St. Anthony Sand Dunes, located less than an hour north of Idaho Falls, is home to over 10,000 acres of white quartz sand dunes that you can hike and play on. Fun fact: This was a Napoleon Dynamite film location! While this is a super popular spot for ATV and other off-road vehicle enthusiasts, others like to explore the dunes on horseback or on foot. Camping is available at the dunes; keep in mind that some campgrounds require reservations and others are first-come, first-served. Be sure to check ahead of time for seasonal dune closures.
Day Trips 1-2 Hours from Idaho Falls
4. Driggs, Idaho / Grand Targhee, Wyoming
Spend a day on the west side of the Teton Mountains! Driggs is a super cute town (and where Korri and I like to stay when we visit the Tetons because it’s less expensive than Jackson). There are local coffee shops and fun breweries and restaurants to enjoy in Driggs and a bit farther south in Victor. Cross into Wyoming near Driggs to explore Grand Targhee. It’s a ski resort, so pack your ski or snowboard gear in the winter or head up to take in the fresh mountain air on a scenic ski lift ride!
5. Alpine, Wyoming / Palisades Reservoir
Head east on Highway 26 to drive through scenic Swan Valley, pass by Palisades Reservoir, and end just over the border in Alpine, Wyoming. There are tons of hikes you can do just off of the highway or take part in water activities (boating, fishing, etc.) on the reservoir that features a hydroelectric dam.
6. Lava Hot Springs
If you’re looking to relax in a hot springs or just somewhere fun to take the kiddos, head south to Lava Hot Springs! You’ll pass through Pocatello on the way. Take a dip at the world famous natural hot springs (where there are multiple pools with different temperature options) or swim at the Lava Hot Spring Olympic Swimming Complex that features diving platforms and water slides.
7. Soda Springs
Soda Springs is a small town just east of Lava Hot Springs. You drive through both towns on your way to Bear Lake (more on that below). In Soda Springs, check out the man-made geyser eruption that occurs every hour on the hour. Fun fact: The geyser was “formed” about 90 years ago when a drill struck a carbon dioxide chamber deep underground, and the Secretary of the Interior asked them to shut it off because it was throwing Old Faithful in Yellowstone off schedule (it wasn’t—they are too far away and are in no way connected 🤣).
Check out the history of Soda Springs while you’re in the area, and if you want to see something kind of unusual, drive over to the Bayer/Monsanto plant and watch them dump molten slag on the hillside…
8. Craters of the Moon
Craters of the Moon is about an hour and a half west of Idaho Falls. The closest town to the entrance of Craters (and one you’ll drive through on the way) is Arco, Idaho—the first town in the world to be powered entirely by nuclear energy! (The Idaho National Laboratory is in their backyard.) Check out out-of-this-world volcanic features (including caves!), do a bunch of hikes, and drive the scenic loop before heading back.
9. Mesa Falls
Along Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in the Caribou—Targhee National Forest northeast of Idaho Falls, you’ll find Mesa Falls, which consists of two powerful waterfalls tumbling over volcanic rock (a prior Yellowstone hot spot eruption—some ash and lava rock layers in this area exceed a million years old!).
Of the two falls, the Upper Mesa Falls is visited most often because the overlook is a quick 20-minute stroll that ends quite close to the falls, and the falls itself are impressive at 10 stories tall! Both the upper and lower falls are worth the quick visit. If you’re feeling ambitious, hike the Mesa Falls Nature Trail from the Upper Mesa Falls to the Lower Mesa Falls overlook.
10. Island Park
If you enjoy outdoor activities, Island Park (and Harriman State Park) is your oasis! Island Park is the closest Idaho town to West Yellowstone, Montana. Come for a few hours to enjoy all of the water-related fun on the Island Park Reservoir as well as hike, bike, fish, horseback ride, bird watch, and more! In the winter, the area is open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
If you love panoramic views, drive to the top of nearby Bishop Mountain to check out Island Park and surrounding area from above and see the old wildfire lookout tower (now on the National Register of Historic Places).
11. West Yellowstone, Montana
It’s next to impossible to do a day trip into Yellowstone National Park from Idaho Falls, but you can definitely day trip to West Yellowstone, the small tourist town located just outside of the west entrance of Yellowstone in Montana. Things to do in West Yellowstone include the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, Museum of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Zipline Adventure Park, golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, and eating all the huckleberry-flavored goodies you can find.
Day Trips 2-3 Hours from Idaho Falls
If you want to venture out a little farther from Idaho Falls but still have some time to do activities at your destination, here are a few places that are within a 3-hour drive of Idaho Falls (a 3-hour drive one way is what I would consider max for a day trip). It’s a long day, but it’s doable if you’re feeling ambitious!
12. JAckson, Wyoming / Grand Tetons
This area of the country deserves more than a day trip from Idaho Falls, but you could make it happen if you only have a day to squeeze it all in. It would be difficult to do any activities in the Tetons, though; it would be best as a drive-by tour with maybe a few stops at scenic overlooks.
You’ll drive through Driggs (look for potato cellars on your way!) and over the Teton Pass into Jackson, Wyoming. Stop at the top of the pass for gorgeous views! Jackson is almost always busy along the main thoroughfare, but you will drive by the iconic antler arches. You’ll come into Jackson from the west, and to visit the Tetons, you’ll drive north on Highway 191 out of town. No park entry fee is needed if you stay on the highway, but you will need to pay the entry fee if you detour to drive on the roads closer to the mountains. Stop in Moose to pick up food at Dornan’s!
13. Bear Lake (North Beach)
Bear Lake is a stunning, bright blue lake that is half in Idaho and half in Utah. Bear Lake State Park on the north shore of the lake is just under three hours one-way from Idaho Falls. Chill on the beach and swim in the cool water of the Caribbean of the Rockies. It’s a great spot to relax and enjoy a picnic under the sun.
14. Minidoka National Historic Site
For a somber yet important reminder of Idaho history, head south on the interstate to check out the Minidoka National Historic Site located near Jerome. You’ll learn about one of the Minidoka Japanese Internment Camps (unfortunately) and see the historic buildings; limited tours are available.
15. Shoshone Falls
Shoshone Falls, known as the Niagara of the West, is located northeast of Twin Falls near Kimberly, Idaho. It’s a bit of a drive from Idaho Falls but doable if you’re feeling ambitious! Shoshone Falls is actually taller than Niagara Falls at 212 feet. The Snake River runs through the falls, and the best time of year to visit is in the late spring when snowmelt runoff is peaking. Caldron Linn is a narrow and rocky part of the Snake River located upstream of Shoshone Falls near Murtaugh and is another place worth stopping if you have the time.
16. Ketchum / Sun Valley
Arguably one of the most well-known areas in Idaho is Sun Valley and the Ketchum area in general. It’s another ambitious day trip from Idaho Falls at just under 3 hours one-way. It is a pretty drive through the Wood River Valley, though! You’ll pass by Arco and Craters of the Moon on the way. Enjoy the fresh mountain air, eat good food, and check out the ski resort at Sun Valley.
Scenic 6+ Hour Drives from Idaho Falls
If you enjoy driving and want to see as much of the landscape as possible and hit as many of the stops in this list as you can in one day, drive a scenic loop!
Southeast Idaho / Western Wyoming
Highlights: Lava Hot Springs, Soda Springs, Bear Lake, Star Valley, Alpine, Jackson, Victor, Palisades Reservoir/Swan Valley
Directions: Leave Idaho Falls and take I-15 south through Pocatello. Take the exit in McCammon for Highway 30 towards Lava Hot Springs. In Montpelier, turn west on Highway 89 then east on Beach Road to stop on the north shore of Bear Lake. Head back towards Montpelier and stay on Highway 89, which goes through Star Valley to Alpine, Wyoming, and then to Jackson, Wyoming. (Head west on Highway 26 in Alpine to skip the Jackson/Victor route.) In Jackson, head west on Highway 22 over the Teton Pass back to Idaho. In Victor, head west on Highway 30 to Swan Valley. Continue west on Highway 26 to return to Idaho Falls.
Travel Time: Just over 7 hours, not including any stops. (Remove the detour to Jackson and Victor to save 1 hour 15 minutes of driving time.) This drive can also be done in reverse order.
East-Central Mountains
Highlights: Arco, Lost River Range/Mt. Borah, Challis, Salmon River, Salmon, Lemhi Range/Valley, Mud Lake
Directions: Leave Idaho Falls and head west on Highway 20 towards Arco. Continue west on Highway 26. In Arco, continue north on Highway 93 (if you opt to detour to Craters, head west on Highway 26 and then backtrack.) In Challis, continue north on Highway 93. In Salmon, turn right on Highway 28. At the junction with Highway 33, turn left (east). Head south on I-15 at Sage Junction back to Idaho Falls.
Travel Time: Just over 6 hours, not including any stops. (If you add a detour to Craters of the Moon National Monument after Arco, this will add just over 1 hour to your drive time.) This drive can also be done in reverse order.