Advice from one outdoor mom to another:
“Pack snacks, sunscreen and binoculars. Start driving at naptime so the kids are well rested and ready to explore when you arrive.”
-Kris Millgate, East Idaho Outdoors editor
You skipped the weekend camping trip because you heard it might snow, as it is known to happen in the summer in Idaho Falls. You wake up Saturday morning and it still looks like summer outside, but now you don’t have the camp trailer packed. All is not lost. Skip the packing scramble and just make a quick-trip day of it. Pack a family picnic and head in any direction. One of these day hikes are bound to keep your family on their feet.
Hell’s Half Acre
This black rock walk is west of Idaho Falls. Take Broadway out of town and watch for the turn on the left after you leave farm country. The hike is an easy wander for most kids and adults, but toddlers may struggle. The lava rock is rough and sharp on baby parts that are still a bit wobbly on walks. Backpack the babies or wait until your kids are steady on their feet before trying this family adventure.
Cress Creek Nature Trail
This wheelchair accessible day hike is northeast of Idaho Falls. Take Highway 26 to Heise, cross the Heise Bridge over the South Fork of the Snake River then turn left. Take the dirt road along the river until you see a parking lot on your right. That’s where the trailhead is. Hike the 1.25-mile loop for great views of the river and farmland. Interpretive signs along the way narrate the trail and also warn of rattlesnakes, so keep the family dog on a leash.
Menan Butte
Head north on Highway 20 to access the big butte you see west of Rexburg. Navigation to the trailhead is tricky so just keep working your way west until you reach the base of the butte. The official trailhead is clearly marked and well established on the west side of the butte. This is a steep, short climb with a loose, pebble surface so wear shoes with grip. Keep the kids engaged by looking for Gollum in the many lava rock hidey-holes along the way.
Edson Fichter Nature Area
Head south to Pocatello for this day trip. Navigate to Indian Hills Elementary then take the road running right along the school’s playground perimeter fence. Park in the paved lot and hike up a small berm to enter the nature area. Explore the easy and short trail system by bike or on foot. Pack along a fishing rod. This is an urban fishery with the Portneuf River weaving through the area willows.
Millgate is a freelance journalist based in Idaho Falls, Idaho. See her work at www.tightlinemedia.com