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Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedApr 10, 2023
How long is the drive from Butte to Ogden?
The direct drive from Butte to Ogden is 383 mi (617 km), and should have a drive time of 4 hrs 56 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Butte to Ogden, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with top places to visit like Elkhorn Hot Springs and FishTales Outfitting, or the ever-popular Crystal Park.
The top stops along the way from Butte to Ogden (with short detours) are Lava Hot Springs Foundation World Famous Hot Springs, Yellowstone Bear World, and Idaho Falls River Walk - Greenbelt Trail. Other popular stops include Bannack, Golden Spike National Historical Park, and Idaho Potato Museum & Potato Station Cafe.
1
Crystal Park
Elevated
Nature & Parks
Parks
What's not to love about this place?! We found a lot of crystal points, some smokey quarts and took some great photos. There are holes everywhere, big and small, so just be careful where you walk. There are a lot of fell trees in the area so it makes it a little harder to find a new dig space, the hike isn't bad at all. Plenty of parking. $10 parking fee. Picnic tables with charcoal grill. Fun and family friendly. Good things to bring, shovel, rock hammer, something to put your crystals in (bucket maybe) The clay is abundant so be prepared for that. All in all it's a great place. If you see trash, even if it isn't yours, help pick it up. We went there and found water bottles and stuff but decided to pick them up. A must go to stop here in MT.
Séy Séy — Google review
Had a great time and found a lot of amazing crystals!
Jesse (JP) — Google review
Don’t even think about going unless the first thing on your list to pack is bug spray! I think I need a blood transfusion after the 2 days I spent there! The mosquitoes are horrendous! Other than that it was a great time and I can’t wait to go back!
Sydney Criddle — Google review
I come from Canada once a year to dig for crystals, and I love it. I’ve found a quite a few small treasure — hoping to find a big one some day!
Anastasia Feschuk — Google review
It was pretty cool! Lots of places to stop and dig. There were quite a few closer to the parking lot so my grandma didn't have to walk as far. Saw people with wagons and that is probably the best idea. Going after it rains is great too because all the quartz on top sparkles after it is cleaned off
Elizabeth Greable — Google review
Maybe the most fun thing our kids did in Montana. Just turn out of your car and dig…anywhere! You’re sure to find crystals (they’re everywhere) but you need to bring equipment: shovel, hand shovel, sifter, etc. Free, but please leave a donation. The park was very clean and well kept. We went from here to Elkhorn Hot Springs for a dip afterwards and it was a perfect finish to the day.
Tyler O'Connor — Google review
We have been several times. It is a blast. My kids feel like they are digging for real buried treasure. You can stay for hours. PACK MOSQUITO SPRAY you will need it!!
Mikayla Reid — Google review
Always have a great time here. I've seen people recently get some huge crystals from here. Personally, havnt been that lucky but I always leave with some good ones.
I recommend to bring your own water to wash off crystals at your dig spot.
Hannah Franklin — Google review
Great place to look for crystals. Beautiful scenery. Need to get there early. Lot fills up quickly.. haven't found super big ones but the fun of searching is exciting.
Rick Griffith — Google review
The drive from Dillon to the park had beautiful scenery the whole way. We only saw a handful of cars on the road. However, once we got to the park, the parking lots were almost full. We were worried that it was going to be crowded, but we found a spot and were pretty much alone the whole day. We found lots of crystals. Everyone had a great time.
dave church — Google review
Great place to visit! I have 2 boys 9yrs & 7yrs old they absolutly love Crystal Park my youngest didn't even have to dig he could just walk around & find small crystals "shiny treasures" laying on the ground around already dug areas. We found lots of crystals nothing to big but we went knowing we wouldn't be digging to deep. We have boys who love to collect rocks & dig in the dirt so we went to do something we knew the kids would really enjoy, take a trip as a family & do something fun even during this crazy time of Covid. There are areas to dig that aren't as far up for those who can't hike very far & plenty of areas that are shaded by trees to dig as well. There is a vault bathroom at the entrance & another at the very top along with several benches along the walk path to the top. Bring bug spray there was a decent amount of mosquitos, and other bugs that bite.
Krystal Robinson — Google review
seriously one of the coolest places I've ever been. it's worth the long, beautiful trip out. for one, you are almost guaranteed to find something, with the chance of something big, too - what better feeling than digging in the dirt and finding a beautiful gem? - and beyond that, whenever you stop and take a breather, you're surrounded by the most beautiful country imaginable. the ghost town nearby is absolutely worth a stop, too. can't recommend enough.
Mindy Dottellis — Google review
Great experience, found lots of crystals with only moderate effort.
I did find the find of a lifetime here, 5 inch by 2 inch double terminated smokey with phantoms and chevrons.
It is a little hard to swallow how dug up this place was and how much garbage was left behind.
Also under digging live trees is truly terrible, don't do it, there are plenty of other areas to dig.
Bring a pick, shovel and a 1/4 inch strainer and you will find lots of sparkles. 1/8 inch strainer will get you hundreds of crystals if you don't mind smaller.
There are a lot of people here, so don't expect a quiet wilderness experience.
All around, very much fun and very rewarding.
Chris Brussow — Google review
What a wonderful place to get back to nature & spend some quality time with family & friends. The beautiful drive & $5.00 parking fee are well worth the trip alone. Finding crystal "treasures" is a bonus! More than likely, you will find one or more just lying on the ground as you walk to/through the digging area. Be sure to take water, sunscreen, & digging tools... and pack a lunch. Always such a fun day trip! We want to go back when we can camp or stay overnight at Elkhorn Hot Springs. A summer trek to Crystal Park is definitely becoming a fun family tradition!
Lori Myers — Google review
4.8
(195)
•
4.5
(48)
Montana 59746, USA
2
Elkhorn Hot Springs
Spa
Nature & Parks
Spartan rooms & log cabins, plus 2 outdoor hot springs pools, an eatery & complimentary breakfast.
If you want fancy, go somewhere else. But if you want a relaxed, rustic atmosphere with very soothing hot springs, this is your place. The food is also really good. The lodge rooms aren't fancy, and you share a bathroom down the hall. The sound travels up from the dining room/ bar. If this bothers you, get a cabin.
DS A — Google review
My Family and I just had a weekend get away to Elkhorn springs. So at first I was upset about the lodge and bathroom situation, you share bathrooms with other guests in the Lodge. The Lodge also has very thin walls. But once being in the pools, you forget about the those situations. The staff were great people and helpful. My only complaints is you can hear everything in the Lodge, beds we're cramped in rooms and the building can use some upgrades. Remember visiting here have an open mind, it was a great weekend and we're already planning to go back. The kids enjoyed it! The next time we go we're booking a Cabin though. In the lodge the food was amazing, a real home cooked meal. For our first time experiencing a hot spring, it sure was a great get away. Real Rustic feel but with great wifi!
Brittney Stearns — Google review
We had a great time at Elkhorn Hot Springs! The springs were fantastic, the cabin is very rustic but exactly what you'd expect. They are a bit short staffed, so the cabins weren't ready right away and there were limited food options. However, the staff that was there were jumping in to do everything including cleaning, cooking and serving. Service was still quick and everyone was very friendly. Definitely excited to make another trip back.
Bailey Wyman — Google review
We didn't stay at lodge or anything. We just visited the hot springs pool area. The place was dark and damp inside, used towels all over the place, laundry right by the entry and was very messy. I knocked two stars off for that reason. The bathrooms were okay but no place to change that wasn't out in the open and little kids were going in and out. There's no privacy for changing which is a bummer. I had to change in my car which sucked. The pool was nice and hot and felt great though. I'm not sure if we'd go back... It's fun but there are other hot springs that are closer and nicer. We stayed about half hour before leaving because there were people drinking their beer in the pool and we have a kid that doesn't need to be around that.
Sey Sey — Google review
This is the first review I have ever left for a company in my life, so let that speak for itself. I rented a cabin that was labeled as one of their two "modern" cabins. I have lived a rugged and rustic life but wanted a nice option for the weekend I proposed to my fiance. Instead, we checked in after already paying over twice what a nice hotel room would cost. We then went to our cabin to find a cabin that had not been cleaned, dirty sheets, and had none of the amenities listed on the website. I then went to the check in lady, who was really nice, and said their website was garbage and that I should have called instead because they booked me for the wrong cabin. I was then told that if I wanted the "modern" cabin I had already booked, it would cost me an extra $100 a night. I now spent about $300 a night. We were also told that, since they messed up the booking, our cabin wouldn't be clean either. So we get to the cabin to find someone else's underwear on the floor and dirty sheets and a couch that looked like it would give you the black plague. There was a cold water faucet which didn't work and instead there was only very hot water. We were also told to absolutely not drink the water and instead they sell individual water bottles. I could go on and on but it just got worse from here. DO NOT spend your money here until they actually take the money and put it into the business you pay for.
Crippled Calibers — Google review
The Hot Springs themselves were AMAZING. The food at the Lodge in the other hand was not so much. Basically tasted like frozen food heat up.
Also, the fryer was "broken" so they said basically we can make burgers and pizza.
Kind of a bummer because I love me some french fries!
The best thing we ate was actually the side salad that was in lew of the fries.
Wood — Google review
Pros: the lodge has amazing food! The staff is friendly and very accommodating. The pools were perfect. Very relaxing and down-to-earth environment. Quiet and very scenic. Pet friendly too, which is always a plus. The cabins are exactly what we hoped for - rustic!
Cons: accessibility is a huge issue. I have a Jeep Compass and was not able to make it up the road to the lodge (the only road in). It had been plowed, but not sanded. A few people got stuck on the road and one guy even slid into the ditch. The only other gripe that I have was the bed...the mattress was horrible. It was a single mattress on a metal frame which didn't fit the mattress so it slipped down to the floor when we laid down. Two of us couldn't sleep on the mattress so my boyfriend slept on the couch which was equally uncomfortable. Beds definitely need to be upgraded!
All in all, it was a fun stay and we will stay again but probably in the summer.
Dee Brewster — Google review
The rates in the lodge doubled and you can hear everything, even if your talking normally. Air blows in windows one bathroom for nine rooms and the bar bathroom was out of order so the bar restaurant patrons had to use it too.
The cabins should have gone up and the food, but in lodge room rates are NOT worth that.
Food great, nice workers no complaints on that.
Brianna Wilson — Google review
The most wonderful rustic hot spring destination. People who have never camped or used a pit toilet before will have their horizons expanded. Cabins have electricity and heat but most have no running water or ensuite bathrooms (the showers in the hot spring locker rooms are really all you need). Have never stayed in lodge rooms so can't speak to them. There is a small restaurant with a tasty, if limited, menu; if you have special dietary needs, you may be eating your food that I would hope you _always_ bring with you when you travel _anywhere_.
Carol Chappell — Google review
A fun experience to check off your list if looking for a quick weekend adventure. Staff was warm and welcoming. Two pools: larger pool was like a luke warm bath, smaller pool was hot and enjoyable. Food was good, limited selection of drinks.
Lodge accommodations above the restaurant were very affordable, but you could hear everyone in the building (including the guy snoring next door 🤭) - so bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper. Quiet hours 10pm - 6 am help with the noise level. One shared bathroom upstairs. Bring an extra pillow and maybe an extra blanket, only 2 pillows per room.
Damara King — Google review
We arrived early not realizing the website hours had not been updated to reflect later opening time, but we were very grateful they let us in anyway! The water itself was very clean but the surrounding area was littered with beer cans, a dirty diaper, etc. And the locker room floors were not clean even though the cleaning lady was leaving as we arrived. But the surrounding area was beautiful and we enjoyed our soak. We will be back.
Shannon Scheffel — Google review
Not for any city slicker but if you want a true Montana rugged and traditional get away this place is it! One thing tho because your so far out the foot is made and grown locally so the food was beyond delicious
Jared Huff — Google review
I like these hotsprings, but it isn't more than 3 stars. It needs cleaned more often. I've been coming here for many years, and it's never changed how clean it is. It feels great, and the price is reasonable!
Mandy Cunningham — Google review
Love this place, not a 5 star hotel and hot spring, but was perfect for us. Enjoy that it is rustic and love the new heaters in the cabin (since the last time I was there) beds were clean and comfortable, and the fridge was a nice extra. Lodge Restaurant was a little disappointing, but service was great and everyone there was very helpful!! Defiantly a great place if you want to get away and don't expect your experience to be 5 Star Fancy!
Sandra McCann — Google review
We have stayed numerous times here. With that being said I am so disappointed in the service at our last stay. We rented a cabin for a night with plans to soak and have a nice dinner. When we got checked in our cabin was not cleaned. The service help came in and "made the bed" never ONCE saying that it was broken. We went to dinner ordering the prime rib smaller portion where we waited 20 min before they came out and said they did not have the smaller one available. We paid 45.00 each for the bigger prime to be served literally cold. When we finally went to bed and realized it was so broken that it was impossible to sleep in, it was too late to contact anyone as they were not available. The next morning when we went to breakfast I let the front desk lady know. Her comment, and I quote! "Yeah they told me last night about that. " However no one not only said anything to us no one came to fix it either!!! The "cabin" was the backside of another and literally had holes in the wall where you could see into the other cabin attached. We waited 70min for our breakfast after ordering. Total visit was over 300.00 for the worst experience ever. I emailed them upon arriving home in hopes to get a response ans as of today, 3 weeks later have not even received any acknowledgment. We have been going to elkhorn for years and our next visit will be down the road! Worst experience ever!!!
Wendy Hagen — Google review
Rustic perfection. 1st time here and can't wait to make this place a tradition for our anniversary. The timing is perfect bc it's slow season so it's not crowded. Had the pool to ourselves for a solid hour after we checked in last night. Enjoyed the free breakfast and dipped in one last time before departure. Friendly staff. Great service. Thank you Elkhorn!!
K C — Google review
The pools were awesome to soak in and the perfect temperatures! However, don’t waste your time trying to eat at the restaurant. They took our order fairly promptly and brought us our drinks (which were very flat and gross). Then we waited almost 40 minutes to get our appetizer and another 20 for the main meals to come out. The food was so over cooked we couldn’t even choke down 1/4 of it… so disappointing!
Emily Miller — Google review
Elkhorn Hot Springs is in an amazing location and we love the hot springs. We've stayed there 3 other times and although the cabins are rustic they have always been clean and rodent free. This last time, the prices increased considerable for the night and it was the worst night of sleep in my life. There was a rodent couple staying in the ceiling above us and below my children in the loft who made noises all night long And the smell in the cabin was definitely of animal. Was disgusted and exhausted the next day. Have written to the manager but have heard no response. Very disappointed. My husband vowed that it was the last time we'll stay at Elkhorn Horn Hot Springs.
Nancy Rendl — Google review
The cabins are bare minimum l. The beds are terrible. I didn't sleep 1 minute. The breakfast was disgusting. My friends dog wouldn't even eat it. Place is falling apart. Needs a lot of TLC.
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When
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Rooms, guests
2
Rooms and guests
Rooms
1
Adults
2
Children
0
3
FishTales Outfitting
Fishing charter
Tours
Fishing store
Fishing Charters & Tours
Fishing with Fish Tales Outfitting well be one of the best experiences you can have. He'll put on fish all day. Last time I fished with Mike it was fish on all day....
Rocky O — Google review
My husband & I had the fishing experience of a lifetime! We had never been fly fishing before. Our captain patiently showed us the tricks, expertly navigated the boat, and helped each step of the way. The views were incredible and fly fishing was awesome!
We found it easy to catch fish & loved the entire process. Lunch was great & we felt well taken care of. This was trip was our "splurge" for ourselves and was worth every penny. We will absolutely do it again next year!
Sonya Thelen Meldahl — Google review
My father and I had a wonderful 1/2 day float on the Madison with FishTales outfitting last week. He is one of the top guides I have fished with in any situation.
Mike did a great job of instruction for my 73 year old father who had never fly fished before and was only able to sit (not stand) in the boat. He was excellent at positioning the drift boat to give dad the best opportunity resulting in multiple hookups and several trout landed - dad's first fly rod fish of any kind!
Mike's patience, knowledge, sense of humor, and kindness were on display throughout the day - he even laughed at dad's stories!
While doing all of that Mike also managed to keep a slightly more experienced angler busy and productive by pointing out runs and pockets to cast to, honing my technique and teaching me how to fish streamers on the Madison. Mike's knowledge of the river allowed us to be prepared for the upcoming pockets of fish holding water in time to make the appropriate casts and his expertise in the drift boat was evidenced by his positioning the boat to allow the most productive drifts, including long drifts of the fly near undercut banks.
All of this with a friendly, easy-going guide and beautiful scenery made for an outstanding trip. I hope to fish with Mike Stack and FishTales Outfitting again if I get back to the area. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great fishing experience.
Jim Hoffmann — Google review
My wife and I spent two wonderful days floating the river with Lamont. Floated both the Madison and the beaver head and thoroughly enjoyed both days. Lamont is a true professional. Can’t wait to come back again next year.
Len Guldman — Google review
In March of 2013, I floated the Big Hole River on two seperate occasions with Mike Stack of FishTales Outfitting. Both trips were excellent! Mike is a very experienced guide. He reads a river and positions the boat for success after success. Mike is patient, attentive, and calm. He even takes the time to make personalized videos of the adventure for his clients...super cool with underwater releases! If you want to catch respectable fish (20" trout or larger) and have a great day on the river with an experienced guide....FishTales Outfitting!
Angela Welles — Google review
“Great Guide - Great Fishing – None Better”
My cousin and I visited Montana last summer and I can't say enough about Mike Stack and FishTales Outfitting. He was easy to contact and went well beyond just accommodating us when booking our trip. On the various rivers he was very friendly and knowledgeable. He put us on fish after fish... Above all we had a lot of fun. Mike is the best guide I have ever fished with and I can't wait to go back.
Leonard Cederholm — Google review
I had two incredible days on the Big Hole with LaMont Carter, couldn't ask for a better guide! Lots of fish to the boat both days, including several over 19 inches. If you're thinking about fishing the Big Hole, think FishTales and LaMont. You won't be disappointed.
The Beaverhead is beautiful country with rugged mountains, wide river valleys, an abundance of wildlife and good fishing. It joins the Bighole River to form the Jefferson River which in turn meets up with the Gallatin and Madison River near Three Forks, MT, to form the Missouri River.
Karla Mazel — Google review
Awesome place to go kayaking. Beautiful little area to pull off to for a nice picnic. We lunched here a lot while hiking the area.
Erin Christoff — Google review
Superb spot ...less busy than expected
jon mandel — Google review
First time seeing the Pacific and was impressed with the views along with picnic tables to set and relax.
VanCampin Woody (VanCampinWoody) — Google review
Beautiful little place to pull over and relax, eat lunch, take the fam.
Nick Koropatny — Google review
Nice area. Lewis and Clark expedition went through here. Peaceful and historic.
Lynn Olpin — Google review
Beautiful river
Kelly Abelmann — Google review
One of my all time favorite rivers to fish.
Bryan — Google review
4.3
(40)
•
4.5
(33)
Montana, USA
5
Bookstore
Book store
Shopping
Gift & Specialty Shops
Oh my goodness, we're traveling through the area and brought my kids in here to look for some new books. There were so many to choose from and so many were brought home! The lady that owns this store is amazing, kind, and super helpful. I'm pretty sure we'll be making a trip back before we leave town.
K “Wanderin_lonneman” Lonneman — Google review
We wee looking for Lewis and Clarke literature ;the have a whole shelve! Not only that but expert knowledge of the boojs
Real good advise
chris vroom — Google review
A must-see in Dillon. A quaint and magical bookstore located downtown. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. The store offers everything from sheet music, puzzles, kids books, maps and more. I love coming here.
MK Yoder — Google review
Great shop. If they do not have it in then they can order it. Good selection of uses books too.
Shay Kidd — Google review
What a great bookstore. Truly a lovely selection of books and gifts. Helpful staff as well. We don't live in Dillon, but visit on a regular basis and will definitely add this bookstore to our list of must do's in Dillon.
Amy Carlson — Google review
We absolutely adore this small town treasure and make a point to visit it as often as possible.
Emily — Google review
Had a great time poking around and found some fun things. Both new and used offerings.
Gena Lott — Google review
I’m not sure if I have ever mentioned a title that Debbie has not read. More than once she has answered my request for a book with “let me check the shelf“ and she comes back with a copy. If it’s not on the shelf, Debbie will search. Often’r’n not, she will find it. It’s a good store.
Thomas Satterly — Google review
Such a great place! So many books in one place it's hard to chose! Debbie is so polite ans wonderful. Will definitely go back
Lynnsi Van Dyck — Google review
Debbie and crew are so awesome and very community minded! They have a great selection of books and kids activities. There is something for everyone!
Bannack is a ghost town in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States, located on Grasshopper Creek, approximately 11 miles upstream from where Grasshopper Creek joins with the Beaverhead River south of Dillon. Wikipedia.
5.0
(412)
Montana 59725, USA
7
Clark Canyon Dam
Dam
Nature & Parks
4.0
(18)
Dillon, MT 59725, USA
8
Spencer Opal Mine
Jewelry store
Sights & Landmarks
Gem showroom & gift shop with a cafe & seasonal mini-mine for digging your own opals.
Must Stop Place!!! Also a great Destination Experience!!!
We were greeted by the door being held open for us to enter, by the owner/staff of the Spencer Opal Mine Cafe. The locals seated at the counter were friendly, chatting with us as we walked by. The gift shop/cafe was clean and beautifully displayed. Our waiter appeared as we sat down at a table with menus, place settings an a genuine smile. The food was delicious and the knowledge shared by the opal owner intriguing and easily understood. Unfortunately his opal rock pile is not open at this time due to the astronomical price increase for the insurance to allow people to dig around for themselves. There is though an ample variety of rocks to dirt, to purchase to fullfil just about any rockhound's desire. Also a vast selection of beautiful handmade jewelry and other wonderful souvenirs to choose from.
"Great Coffee", says my dad.
Cyndi Adams — Google review
Not really a place for the “whole” family. Got there at 3pm and where told that it’s not “worth” it to go dig our own rocks since they close at 5pm and where advised to just buy a box of pre dug rocks. I appreciated the information but wish they would have posted more details online so we could have prepared to go earlier. Also went to order food from their little dinner at 3:45pm and where told that we would have to get our food to go since they close at 5pm and like to have the last hour of the work day to clean up. Again it’s Their business but seems odd to push customers out the door long before you actually close. Should change the hours to close at 4pm if they want customers to be gone by then. Nice family but very unorganized. Was not worth the 2 hour drive. But we did find other great places up that way sooooo plan ahead to make the mine just a quick stop early in the day.
Sam — Google review
I had to post two pictures of each because they're so beautiful! Amethyst in 14k gold and Opal in 14k gold.Thank you so much for these beautiful pieces. I'm 110% satisfied. The extra gifts were very thoughtful and appreciated too.
"There's opal in them jars"
Nothing like looking at beautiful colors under a bright light 🤣
I plan on getting a mans ring someday. Silver with a large opal. I'd like to visit, find a beautiful Opal and have you all set it for me. People can dream.
Thank you so much for everything and I really appreciate the time and effort.
Delivery was fast.
Thanks for the postcards too
Alabama USA — Google review
I stopped by today literally because I was just driving past on I-15, and the reputation of this place deserves the stop. The shop was immaculate, but currently a little limited in its offerings. They have some food--all takeaway, no dine-in--so we tried their big cookies. (The opal mine staff actually encouraged us to also check out their competitor across the freeway, Spencer Grill, if we wanted a full sit-down meal. I thought that was cool of them to do.) Apparently COVID has jacked up their insurance rates so you can't actually hammer your own opals out on their rock pile. But they have any variety you could want inside the shop, so if you're looking for the pick-you-own experience you can still approximate that using the opal mine's packages. (Ask them to show you.) Anyway, super-nice staff and Spencer long-timers who I hope have a wildly successful next year after such a constrained previous year. Go visit 'em.
Todd Beck — Google review
This is an absolute hidden gem! We stopped during one of our road trips and the owners were incredibly helpful. They helped my kids and happily answered any and all questions we had. They also went above and beyond and helped look for a lost item that my son had misplaced. I have nothing but positive things to say about this establishment, its owners, and the people we encountered there.
Morgan Hoyt — Google review
About 15-miles after the Idaho/Montana border, is the town of Spencer, featuring the Spencer’s Opal Mine, the Opal Capital of America. I was expecting maybe a tour of a working opal mine and a gift shop. I thought this might be a fun roadside attraction and an interesting tour. I was wrong. It is a working opal mine, but one mines the dug raw ore themselves. Rockhounds pay for a bucket of raw earth, not knowing what they will find. They bring their own tools and eye protection, sit on the pile and pick through the dirt and ore, saving out whatever chunks they suspect might contain a stone. They keep whatever raw stone they find. It’s an all-day job for those who love the process. Opal jewelry is sold inside. We decided this attraction was not for us. I didn’t know there were opal mines in the US, but this area has several mine stores offering them.
Celeste Ruppelt — Google review
This place has a variety of rocks and is a very nice place to visit. You can even mine for your own rock outside the building around the back. However, you have to bring your own ear and eye protection. No opened toed shoes, and no pets are allowed for the mining ground. However, you can bring pets into the building itself.
Naniko Nalinko — Google review
It's a mine, rock shop with raw stones and the professionally finished gems, killer restaurant and gas station (probably forgetting a few things to boot) all rolled into one!! Super courteous staff, mostly all family members, and nice and clean facility. The food was top notch delicious fare for a remote mountain stop. If you need gas and are in the area it's the place to stop because the next closest gas is a long way off!
matthew hitchcock — Google review
Loved looking for beautiful opals from the mine and shopping for cool gifts and eating delicious food in the store! You gotta check it out!
Lisa Dalton — Google review
Not only does this place have delicious food and great assortment of opal rock’s & jewelry! They are the absolute best people! So sweet and caring! This place is an absolute must!
Jenna Golie — Google review
I went to this place roughly 20 years ago, loved every moment there. I really wished I could have stayed longer but, alas I was only able to stay1.5 hrs. If I could go back there again I would. The staff were wonderful and treated my curiosity with enthusiasm. I still have two large stones I bought there and, I think it's time I cracked those puppies open.
carmen ramirez — Google review
My husband and I spent my birthday here mining for opal. It was amazing!! There are excellent specimens available throughout the mini mine and they dump loads of rubble a few times throughout the summer. We sat on the pile with a college class and several families and had plenty of room to dig and find new spots to explore. The staff was so very lovely!! They were so helpful and really made us feel welcome. The cafe is quaint and you feel as though you've stepped back in time, as though you're a miner coming in for some hot grub after a long days work. The prices were excellent for everything, including the fossils and stones in the gift shop. Definitely worth the drive and hard work. Shown is only one rock from our collection we acquired during our trip.
Ashleigh Denise Argyle — Google review
This was a great place to visit with the whole family, the owner was super friendly, and the staff helped to find some nice opals at the pit, be prepared to spend some quality time looking for opals, if you put an effort you will be rewarded with some nice findings as we did, the food is good, beware that you need to be at least 16 years old to have a chance at it but is understandable due to posible liability issues as it is a bit physical. We have a great time and found nice pieces of opal, thank you.
othoniel Lopez — Google review
After an enjoyable visit last year, we decided to try our hand again this year. It takes work, and you may get a little sunburnt, but we found some beautiful stones. If you don’t want to work for it, you can purchase a range of sorted packages of rough materials, or pick up some of the beautiful finished pieces they have. I recommend supportive shoes, a pad or something to sit on, and sunscreen. The cheeseburger and fries are outstanding!
DClass Videos D — Google review
My wife and I had a terrible very disappointing experience at Spencer Opal Mine and we drove 6 hours to do this.
If you take the time to call ask very detailed questions and get a name of who you are talking to.
The older larger lady at the Spencer Opal Mine give very vague misinformation. Here are some examples.
She says come to her shop and mine for opals yourself for $75 a bucket. Sounds exciting and fun.
It's not mining or even close to it. They dump a couple truck loads of the waste rock that has already had close to all the opal removed from it in a part of the parking lot and you get to look through it.
It gets better. On the phone she tells you $75 a bucket. When you get there she'll tell you $75 a person and they give you a bucket. These are the $1 store buckets they give you. If you ask why you were told $75 a bucket over the phone instead of the truth. She side steps the question and suggest one of you pay and the other person go check the town out. By the way there's nothing to check out unless you are into looking a private homes of a dying town.
I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. You can literally go to free public lands where opal is located for less the the $150 we spent to find a couple specks of opal smaller than a grain of rice.
If you do go bring shovels, sifting screens, rock hammers, gloves and pad to kneel on and spend from open to close there and maybe you'll find a speck of opal. This place won't suggest you need or bring anything until your already there and they don't provide anything more than a $1 store bucket. It's a rip-off for $75 a person.
Rockland Japhet — Google review
The people here were very rude! The younger guy working the front seemed like he just wanted to shuffle us off as quick as possible so he could get back to his phone. I've been through a lot of small towns, but never have I encountered one with so many rude people
Family water park offering kiddie slides, a lazy river, splash pools & concessions.
Clean place. I am not big on "public pools" but the atmosphere is always top notch! We love it here and we make the commute often from Ammon.
P.S. The clear floaties are free and you are pretty much guaranteed to get one while there.
Monica Gonzalez — Google review
So much fun even for toddlers! We had a blast with my one year old. Good pricing and even when there is a lot of people there, it doesn’t feel super crowded
McKenzie Williams — Google review
It’s ok. It’s a pretty small water park. It is definitely built for families and not college students. The water was pretty gross though. There was definitely a film on parts of it that weren’t getting as much traffic. I walked out feeling pretty gross. The slides are good but old. I feel it could use a major update.
Nikolas Steele — Google review
We paid for 3 people and got to swim all of about 2 hours. I understand that you can't help the weather...but what really REALLY makes me so upset is that they don't do anything. It wasn't their fault..but it wasn't ours either. I don't want a refund...maybe just another pass to come another day. Even just a pass or two would have been very much appreciated! Gas is expensive and even just from Idaho Falls gets to be a lot. You guys need to change your policies. We have been good customers since you opened. I don't know if we will be back! We will just stick with Heise.
Brandi Onken — Google review
I love this place! They have a lazy river, water slides, and a lap pool! It can be pretty busy, but there are a lot of lifeguards to keep you safe! It's a really great place for families, date nights, or birthday parties! I highly recommend this place!
Natalie B. — Google review
We had to pay $5.50 to go sit on the grass. The sign posted the cost for non-swimmers at $5.00. I asked about the discrepancy in cost and let them know the sign says $5. The guy at the window said "it's $5.50, is that ok?" . I said not really because of the sign. He said the sign is wrong and it's $5.50. Then he said "well...do you want to go or not?". Customer service was awful and not customer friendly. We won't return.
Susan Robertson — Google review
Great water park in Rexburg! The kids loved it. It has water slides, a lazy river that is not so lazy, a rock climbing wall, smaller water slides for the Littles, and all at a great price!
Mary Rios — Google review
Rexburg Rapids is always a great getaway. It's great for kids and is something just for fun. The lazy river is my favorite. The slides are also super fun!!
kevin — Google review
Rexburg Rapids is what it is, the only public pool for the community. The summers are very short in Rexburg, and while they say they heat the water, it's not warm enough to go here until at least July.
It's a small park, but has a kiddie area, lazy river, and a couple of slides. Unfortunately, the height limit for the slides is like 48"and they won't allow kids to go down them with floaties on.
The price isn't really high, but it seems like local residents should get more of a discount because it's supported by our taxes. It's also unfortunate that it isn't indoors or at least has a hot tub because as soon as there's cloud cover, it's too cold to swim
Chris Logan — Google review
Fun if you’re one of the lucky 15 people to get a tube for the lazy river.
I don’t normally leave negative reviews, but this one I felt was worth writing. We have a couple of disabled kids we thought would love to float on the lazy river. We checked the reviews, and headed out. We arrived 5 before they opened and were quite a ways back in the line. Upon entering we found out that there are only maybe 15-20 tubes total. You can’t rent them or reserve them. AND PEOPLE NEVER GET OFF THEM. My kids are too big for the splash pad and can’t swim for the water slide. Complete waste of money for our family. We spent the whole four hours waiting for someone to give up a tube. They never did.
C Smith — Google review
This is a great place for little kids and older. They have a small playground for little ones and larger slides for children over 48". There is shade available but it packs in quick so if you don't get there right when it opens bring your own shade tent for a grassy spot. You can bring in your own coolers and food. We enjoyed the lazy river but it's not really "lazy". It's very hectic and packed. The tubes for the lazy river are fcfs so grab one if you can. Watch your little ones closely in there because the teens get wild and don't look out for kiddos. All in all it's a fun family friendly experience.
Nichole — Google review
The place is fun, but can get crowded at times. Swim lessons here seem to be hit or miss. We've had some good teachers, and some not so good teachers for our kids.
They have a splash pad in the pool for smaller kids which is nice, and adults can relax in some more shallow waters. And for older kids they have a small rock wall in the deep end and two large water slides. And adults might find more fun in the lazy river, but it's honestly popular with people of all ages.
All in all, not a bad place for a family outing. Definitely worth visiting a few times each summer.
Bear World is a wildlife park in Rexburg, Idaho, with opportunities to see bears in their natural habitat. The park features a drive-thru facility as well as petting zoo and kid's rides.
It's a neat place, most of the bears here are former actor/performance animals, or descendants of said bears, so they cannot be in the wild. Place offers a few different ways to see them as well. (Drive thru the park in your own vehicle, or use their truck to toss them food, as well as a small petting zoo for the kids.)
Jeremy Statz — Google review
Wow! Was this place cool or what. We went during the middle of the week and experienced great joy. It was not crowded and they allow you to go through unlimited times. We went through roughly eight times watching all of the bears and different animals. To be precise there are buffalo, whitetail deer, albino elk, elk, swan, grizzly bears, black bears, and moose. And that's just for the section of where you're driving. During our visit there were a lot of bears playing around. They also have a little section that you can go to and actually pet some animals. The animals that you're able to pet are goats, dear, different kinds of birds, and pigs. You can also feed bears during the season. They have an amazing little enclosure for Cubs. Overall the experience was incredible. I'm definitely going here again.
Brayden Workman — Google review
I personally like Bear World better than Yellowstone. I love to ride around and see the animals. The bears are so cute, but the cubs are the cutest!!! You can pay to.feed them.
You pay right as you arrive and then you can choose to drive your own car or you can pay to ride in their truck and you're also able to.feed the bears. We did that the first time.
The gift shop and kid park area are fun too. And then you can also choose to go to the back part and see more animals. You can also feed the ducks and fish. It is guaranteed fun time for everyone!
Tatiana Grant — Google review
Outstanding well kept secret we've told everybody about! 👏 For the most part, the staff is friendly! All around are clean facilities, structures, and habitats for the various animals! All the animals appeared to be well fed and cared for! Feeding the "baby bears" was definitely the highlight of the trip for us! BUT YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE! Very seldom can you show up and expect to feed the bears! The food was decent, and as you would expect, overpriced beyond belief! The "merchandise shop," on the other hand, was reasonably priced and quite affordable!
RedBullKC — Google review
Wow! We went during Cubpalooza last week.
The kids loved it and want to go back again. They have amusement rides that are included with admission. The bears were very active and the cubs were 100% adorable.
Scott Woodbury — Google review
The cost of the adventure was $25. It was worth every penny. It is especially wonderful for children I cannot imagine they must think when they see all these wild animals. I bet I saw 50 bears. The gift shop was well staffed and had a great assortment. The workers were delightful. I love the little petting zoo area and the rides. I also want to mention these animals are cared for very well!
Jill Sauls — Google review
Wow. The drive through the park with elk, deer, bison, and bears is fun for the whole family. Lots of photo opportunities with animals everywhere.
The main area gift shop was affordable with a nice selection. The dinosaur area had a couple of "rideable" dinosaurs and was a unique experience for kids. Free amusement park rides for the kids were also available with a decent selection and short lines. The petting zoo had deer, goats, birds, and a pig.
My family paid for the bear bottle feeding and it was well worth the time and the money. Six bears under a year old who like nooking with their feeders and have large personalities for the tiny size of their bodies were amazing to feed and to pet. As with any babies, they had their opinions and different personalities from messy eaters, to inhalers. Such an incredible experience. Highly recommended.
Alison Wright — Google review
We had a great time driving through to see the bears and other animals. We were honestly surprised how many there were and how close to the car they got. Our hard to please teenagers really enjoyed it as well.
Jaimie Draper — Google review
I've gone a few times in different seasons, but it's still the same. The bathrooms are a mess and super dirty. The staff is pretty rude, and their merchandise barely ever is updated. but it was cool to look around at the cubs and drive through the wildlife. The dinosaur park in it has quite a few dinosaurs with some movement and sounds. We liked the chubby bears 🐻
Valerie Ellis — Google review
At first glance, the price seems really steep being $24 an adult but once you realize just how many animals are actually offered either to see (bison, elk, bears, moose etc.) or to pet at the petting zoo (deer, goats, pigs etc.) I soon understood why! This place was so cool driving in with all of the big bears, elk and bison! Not to mention the adorable petting zoo and amusement park which is also built into the admission price!
Also, their fudge in the giftshop? Delicious!!
Absolutely worth a visit at least once! My family had a wonderful trip and we will be back! Thanks guys! Very impressed.
Heather Sharp — Google review
Lots of bears and other animals common to Yellowstone National Park. Plenty for kids to do too with a petting zoo, and amusement rides all included with admission. You drive through the elk, bison, and bears. You can renter as much as you like but no stopping and no rolling down your windows. A great place to spend 2-3 hours. Food is available to purchase or bring your own—plenty of picnic tables. Good value!
Ty Lagerberg — Google review
Driving portion to see roaming animals takes about 30 minutes. So a variety of brown bears, black bears, deer, and bison. Entrance to the park also includes entrance to the dinosaur world, small theme park rides, and petting zoo. We spent about 1.5 hrs total in the park, but could have spent double that if your kids are big on doing the rides. Overall a good experience with the family.
Tristan Rodeback — Google review
The new dinosaur area is really fun. My kids liked the Dino rides. 2 of the 5 rides were broken when we visited, so it was a little disappointing. But the rides are nice for a wide range of ages. I wanted to ask why the petting zoo is so sparce on animals but didn't see an employee near there to ask. The info center on the different animals is great. The deer look so thin and mangey. The way the road winds through the park gives visitors plenty of angles to see the animals.
Heidi Leigh — Google review
We attended as a homeschool field trip. The drive through to see the bears was exciting for my girls (10&3). The petting area was fun with little piglets and momma, deer and goats. The girls had fun feeding them and also the fish and ducks in the river. We got there at feeding time and it was so cute to watch the baby bear cubs drinking their bottles. You can pay extra to feed the bear cubs, but we didn't do this. The new dinosaur exhibit was neat with life-sized animatronic dinos to see and even a few of the little coin ride kind. The small carnival rides we did last were fun and the girls left happy for the day out.
Chalyse Padigimus — Google review
Amazing place. Great opportunity to see some majestic wildlife up close! You can take as many laps in your car as you want, that will take you right by bison, dear and a TON of bears. There is also a petting zoo with deer, goats, ducks etc. A few rides for the kids and a dinosaur place under construction for 2024.
IF YOU'RE GOING ALL THE WAY OUT HERE -- spoil yourself and cough up the extra $75 to feed the baby bears. You'll remember that for the rest of your life!!!
This place actually made my mum-in-law cry out of sheer joy over all the beautiful animals and getting to bottle feed the cubs.
Nate C W — Google review
We went here on a whim because we were headed in this direction and had an extra hour to do something. Was a great way to see the wildlife up close! Bears, white elk, deer, and bison. The bear cubs were playful and fun to watch. The new dinosaur exhibit was much better than I expected for such a remote place. Fun rides here for little kids (6 and under).
M. B. — Google review
Bear World is always a fun place to visit. I went with my husband and four children. We all enjoyed the animals, petting zoo, rides, and especially Jurassic Creek. My 5-year old froze for a minute when he saw the T-Rex and wasn't so sure about it, it looked so real to him. It was fun to see the dinosaurs and learn more about them.
Adrianne Elliott — Google review
It was a great visit. Animals were all around and petting zoo was a hit with the kids. Animals loved the attention from the kids. Rides was in great condition and the new Dinosaur exhibit was brilliant. Loved every minute of it.
Jp Meek — Google review
Super cool experience!!! The drive through, bottle feeding, little roller coaster rides they have, and the dinosaur land are all super cool! Definitely would recommend visiting here if you're nearby!
Expansive green space on the banks of the river, offering benches, sculptures & views of the falls.
So nice!!! Glad we stopped by on this beautiful spot on their city while on our way to Yellowstone..it was gloomy tho and the pic taken late Sept 2021, lots of restaurant and hotel around nice bike path too..
Rv Life Road Travel Minimalist — Google review
Beautiful scenic river walk. It was nice and breezy. There are electric scooters to rent but just be careful because you don't know how much you are really charged until you're done. Otherwise it is an amazing experience.
Ashley V. — Google review
Wow!! What an amazing area. It is really something to see. How they have the Snake River spilling over into a variety of waterfalls. Just one of the neatest things I've seen on my travels. Great area to walk, eat, shop or just come to read a book. I even saw someone fishing. Just beautiful. I would say it's a must see.
Roberta Peek — Google review
Enjoyed the river walk immensely. Saw both at night and in the morning. Trails are well maintained with plenty of seating and unique benches.
Jeanette Weiser — Google review
Beautiful park along Snake River in Idaho Falls not far from the airport with hotels nearby. You can stroll along the river with very beautiful of not only the river but the natural and artificial falls on it. In the background you see the towering The Latter Days Saints Temple (Mormon temple).
Talal Zraik — Google review
What a lovely park and a well designed waterfall/dam. Came through for lunch because we were on a waterfall siteseeing trip. So glad we stopped. The flowers, the river walk. Just a well designed and peaceful park.
Jeffrey River Niles — Google review
I had a great opportunity to go visit Idaho Falls. Check out some of my pictures of the beautiful Falls in Idaho.
Robert Dieterle — Google review
The green belt is wonderful. It’s very peaceful. I only wish it were longer and that people would do a better job cleaning up after their dogs.
Benny K — Google review
Fantastic trail to explore the town, watch the birds, and listen to the sound of raging water. There are several hidden gems along the way such as Friendship Garden. Be sure to check it out on your next trip to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park.
Tom Allen — Google review
Made a quick stop as we were driving through Idaho Falls on a road trip. It was nice to get out and stretch our legs, with the added benefit of it being very scenic.
Matt Lang — Google review
Very nice park along Snake River and the water falls, that gave the town its current name. Prior to 1891, the town's name was Eagle Rock.
Parking is possible anywhere along the road parallel to the river. The park gives pedestrians the chance to walk a few steps, to look at and to listen to the roar of the water falls. Along the walkway are different benches in interesting and funny shapes.
My family and I really enjoyed the visit there.
Dietrich Starkmann — Google review
A lovely place for a walk or run in Idaho Falls. The River a Walk provides just enough of a taste of the outdoors while still having quick access to food trucks, fine dining, bars, and coffee shops in the downtown area.
You can stop at one of the many fun artistic benches scattered along the walk as well as the War Memorial or some of the sculptures.
It’s also a love place to visit on Saturdays from May through October beginning at 9 am for the local farmers’ market.
Kristin KW — Google review
We went to this place on the weekend morning and it wasn't crowded at all. Parking is easily available along the road. There is also one information center near that.
We saw the artificial waterfall and it's beautiful however there was some foam or something floating in the corner.
Overall a very nice park with some interesting statues
Dhvanil Patel — Google review
Best place to go for a walk though it does get dangerous at night though so make sure you either have a whistle or your SOS turned on to make sure emergency people and cops are alerted. I ended up meeting a man that got attacked near the green belt. He had cuts and bruises all over his body. It's not dangerous but just watch out for big groups of people or even in 2s or 3s. Stay safe if walking at night in the winter which is right now there is black ice on the side walk and on the walking strip even though Rick salt does get put down it can only do so much. To help. It can help just enough but with how cold it is its kinda useless. But still makes sense if they didn't put it down it probably be worse than what it is as of right now. In the summer it's gorgeous and in the falls it is extremely beautiful with the leaves falling and everything
Laina Thomson — Google review
We love walking the greenbelt! The landscaping is well done, the sidewalks are nice and wide to accommodate all and the river views are always amazing
Tanya Cox — Google review
I wish we could have stayed longer to really enjoy it. Regardless if you can stay or not, it's definitely worth a stop. Looks like a great place to have a picnic.
Expansive green space on the banks of the river, offering benches, sculptures & views of the falls.
So nice!!! Glad we stopped by on this beautiful spot on their city while on our way to Yellowstone..it was gloomy tho and the pic taken late Sept 2021, lots of restaurant and hotel around nice bike path too..
Rv Life Road Travel Minimalist — Google review
Beautiful scenic river walk. It was nice and breezy. There are electric scooters to rent but just be careful because you don't know how much you are really charged until you're done. Otherwise it is an amazing experience.
Ashley V. — Google review
Wow!! What an amazing area. It is really something to see. How they have the Snake River spilling over into a variety of waterfalls. Just one of the neatest things I've seen on my travels. Great area to walk, eat, shop or just come to read a book. I even saw someone fishing. Just beautiful. I would say it's a must see.
Roberta Peek — Google review
Enjoyed the river walk immensely. Saw both at night and in the morning. Trails are well maintained with plenty of seating and unique benches.
Jeanette Weiser — Google review
Beautiful park along Snake River in Idaho Falls not far from the airport with hotels nearby. You can stroll along the river with very beautiful of not only the river but the natural and artificial falls on it. In the background you see the towering The Latter Days Saints Temple (Mormon temple).
Talal Zraik — Google review
What a lovely park and a well designed waterfall/dam. Came through for lunch because we were on a waterfall siteseeing trip. So glad we stopped. The flowers, the river walk. Just a well designed and peaceful park.
Jeffrey River Niles — Google review
I had a great opportunity to go visit Idaho Falls. Check out some of my pictures of the beautiful Falls in Idaho.
Robert Dieterle — Google review
The green belt is wonderful. It’s very peaceful. I only wish it were longer and that people would do a better job cleaning up after their dogs.
Benny K — Google review
Fantastic trail to explore the town, watch the birds, and listen to the sound of raging water. There are several hidden gems along the way such as Friendship Garden. Be sure to check it out on your next trip to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park.
Tom Allen — Google review
Made a quick stop as we were driving through Idaho Falls on a road trip. It was nice to get out and stretch our legs, with the added benefit of it being very scenic.
Matt Lang — Google review
Very nice park along Snake River and the water falls, that gave the town its current name. Prior to 1891, the town's name was Eagle Rock.
Parking is possible anywhere along the road parallel to the river. The park gives pedestrians the chance to walk a few steps, to look at and to listen to the roar of the water falls. Along the walkway are different benches in interesting and funny shapes.
My family and I really enjoyed the visit there.
Dietrich Starkmann — Google review
A lovely place for a walk or run in Idaho Falls. The River a Walk provides just enough of a taste of the outdoors while still having quick access to food trucks, fine dining, bars, and coffee shops in the downtown area.
You can stop at one of the many fun artistic benches scattered along the walk as well as the War Memorial or some of the sculptures.
It’s also a love place to visit on Saturdays from May through October beginning at 9 am for the local farmers’ market.
Kristin KW — Google review
We went to this place on the weekend morning and it wasn't crowded at all. Parking is easily available along the road. There is also one information center near that.
We saw the artificial waterfall and it's beautiful however there was some foam or something floating in the corner.
Overall a very nice park with some interesting statues
Dhvanil Patel — Google review
Best place to go for a walk though it does get dangerous at night though so make sure you either have a whistle or your SOS turned on to make sure emergency people and cops are alerted. I ended up meeting a man that got attacked near the green belt. He had cuts and bruises all over his body. It's not dangerous but just watch out for big groups of people or even in 2s or 3s. Stay safe if walking at night in the winter which is right now there is black ice on the side walk and on the walking strip even though Rick salt does get put down it can only do so much. To help. It can help just enough but with how cold it is its kinda useless. But still makes sense if they didn't put it down it probably be worse than what it is as of right now. In the summer it's gorgeous and in the falls it is extremely beautiful with the leaves falling and everything
Laina Thomson — Google review
We love walking the greenbelt! The landscaping is well done, the sidewalks are nice and wide to accommodate all and the river views are always amazing
Tanya Cox — Google review
I wish we could have stayed longer to really enjoy it. Regardless if you can stay or not, it's definitely worth a stop. Looks like a great place to have a picnic.
Established in 2003, this museum features exhibits on science & regional history, plus archives.
Went for the last day of the BodyWorlds: Animal Inside Out exhibit. It was way cool. After going through that exhibit, my boyfriend and I walked through the rest of the museum. I enjoyed it. I would definitely go back for future exhibits.
Stacy Filipek — Google review
Amazingly detailed exhibits! I attended the Genghis Khan exhibit, and I was very impressed. The infographics contained a lot of information, but they were easy to read as well. The highlight of my visit was the live music exhibit. It was amazing to see the musicians perform with the traditional Mongolian instruments!
Anne Marie Frandsen — Google review
The animal encounters are wonderful and engaging for kids and parents. The current exhibit is rainforest themed and we all enjoyed all the animals. There are a lot of other interesting things to see in addition to the rainforest creatures. We will definitely be back to explore more.
KYLER STOWE — Google review
What a true treat stopping at this museum was. I learned so much about the state of Idaho, from the native American Indian tribes to the farming history to the types of gems that can be found in the state, etc. The stuffed animals on display were fascinating, as were the storefront displays with information about certain items. I could tell that whoever contributed to putting the displays together cared a great deal about what he/she was doing. The native American Indian artifacts were incredible! I enjoyed seeing so much handcrafted materials as well as the artifacts of people who lived on the homesteads in the state in the past. Learning about some of the plants that grow in the area peaked my interest, and there was a great description of the sagebrush that I came across. Everything was intriguing at the Museum of Idaho. It was a trip well worth it, in my opinion and I would go back again. There's quite a bit to see.
Reannah Jones — Google review
Great museum to visit. We must have spent 3 hours here looking around and reading the exhibit signs. The special exhibition was Genghis Khan. There was also history about Idaho, the Wild West and prehistoric animals from around the area. Great museum to visit!
Kristina Hensley — Google review
Lack of wheelchair access to certain areas of the museum, otherwise very decent experience. My 11 year old son had a really good time.
Preston — Google review
Well what is to say about this museum, it does change so thus review can be a hard one! Currently on 10-18-2021 the exhibit is "Animals Inside out" and I must say it was super cool! I've never had a bad experience or tour of what's been in the museum ever so,
I suggest the museum to anyone visiting, passing through, looking to kill time, or even just the joy of museums! They have a great section (large) about Idaho falls, filled with so much information, and the staff is always friendly.
Destinee Speas — Google review
We went to see the Ghengis Khan exhibit, it was excellent! So many peices to see! I was awestruck by the beautiful pieces, the music, it was a trip to the times we know so little about. It was very educational as to the history of the family and what he had accomplished. Definitely recommend!
Gena — Google review
I didn't realize how big this museum was. I was very interested in all they had on displayed. It took me a few hourscto go through. Loved the Dinosaur experience.
Robyn Harrington — Google review
We have been here a few times. This time we were there with a school trip to see the "under the canopy" traveling exhibit. My daughter age 10 & 3 had a lot of fun seeing the different reptiles and the sloth! There is even a small live animal show that happens three times a day, we attended the 11am one and my youngest was super excited to get to pet a snake.
Chalyse Padigimus — Google review
So much to see and learn here! We went while the dinosaur exhibits were going on as well. The curators were easy to approach and helped us navigate because this place is misleadingly huge! We enjoyed the interactive stuff they had and found there was a lot of variety in the exhibits. We walked around for an hour and still didn't have time to see everything!
Taylor Hall — Google review
A really nice museum with different sections.
Depends on your pace, checking everything should take about 1-2 hours.
There are some nice spots for kids to play and learn.
Entrance for non-Idaho residents is $14, a bit expensive in comparison with some other similar museum I visited in US, but it's not terrible.
Parking is behind the building and it is quite small, partially shared with church next to the museum, but it's free.
Michał Pomorski — Google review
The museum was very, very well
Laid out. I loved it very nice staff on
Hand to answer any questions.
It is a MUST SEE..Younger children will love the Dinosaur exhibit...(ok and us adults as well)😊
A true professional museum..
There is plenty to study , look at.
Phillip Burns — Google review
Very nice museum with interesting history of the State. They had a special exhibit on dinosaurs of the ocean which was very cool. So many enormous sea creatures from that time that don't get much fanfare but were so impressive!
Don Stevenson — Google review
The Best part of the whole museum was the SLOTH 🦥.. it had a salad for lunch, an crawled across his rope to his den.. it was cute!! They had some real cool spider exhibits,snakes, lizards.. just fun!! ☺️
A broad range of international animals on display, plus a petting zoo & bird aviary, spring to fall.
You can never go wrong with a guick trip to this zoo. My grandson loves it here and enjoys seeing all his "friends". We come here enough that he knows where all his favorites are. The animals are all well cared for and the enclosures are very natural looking. This year there are at least 3 new babies!
Carolyn Neblett — Google review
This is a great zoo! There are lots of animals to see and they are clearly well taken care of. I had a great time at zoo with my friends. It wasn’t too crazy expensive and it wasn’t crowded at all. We felt that we got our moneys worth for sure. It would be a great activity for families. I enjoy animals and so all the signs with the animal information was great. I thought some of the animals they had there were really cool.
Nikolas Steele — Google review
This little zoo is fabulous. I was pleasantly surprised at the assortment of animals that this Zoo has. The way it is set up is perfect. On a hot day you are in the shade which was very nice. The landscaping was beautiful. My little family and I totally enjoyed every aspect of the zoo. The grounds were well maintained. If you haven't been, you should go. You won't be disappointed
Charlene Sherry Kay Seres — Google review
This Zoo is extremely affordable and worth the money. You get to see lots of wildlife, even when some animals aren't in the outside enclosures. This was a good use of my afternoon/a few hours, and I'll likely come again
Ruth Evans — Google review
I really enjoyed our experience at the Idaho falls zoo. I took my family of four and we got there early morning on a weekday. It was very beautiful and well put together. They had a wide assortment of different animals and some that are unique to this specific zoo. Our favorite parts were the African safari and the monkey house. The monkeys were extremely fun to watch, they were very active and funny to watch swing around. My only gripe was the fact that it was a field trip day for local schools. The zoo had booths set up where the kids can learn about different things in the ecosystem. The location of these booths could have been better to minimize the impact on the non-school going patrons. Also I felt like a lot of animals were off exhibit during our visit. They did have a small visitor center with a gift shop. But when I say small I mean small.
Brayden Workman — Google review
It is a pretty small zoo. But the price is very cheap and everyone that works there is very friendly. We are from alabama so it was cool seeing the different types of animal they have there that we don’t have at the zoos around us. I would say it’s definitely worth a trip if you have a couple hours you want to burn.
Jaciene Mann — Google review
Such a well kept and friendly zoo! All of the animals seemed like they were getting enrichment and genuinely seemed happy and healthy! The staff were really nice too. We loved the layout as well and how easy it was to navigate and see everything. Also extremely clean and well kept!
Taylor Hall — Google review
This place was a lot bigger than I expected and it was really well kept. Normally zoo's stink but I didn't smell anything until I hit the zebras! Very impressed with their collection of animals, cleanliness and informative signs! First time my daughter got to see any animals and we both had a blast! From seeing our favorite animals (flamingos and donkeys), learning about new animals and feeding goats- it was the perfect way to spend family time! Thank you so much guys!
Heather Sharp — Google review
This zoo is the perfect size. Cost is reasonable. Cart rental(recommended for toddlers ) was $5. I loved that they give you a token to pick which animal you would like the conservation money to go to. The place was clean and the staff were friendly. It’s a great place for a family to spend the day. My kids loved the penguins, primates, and big cats enclosures.
Santinator — Google review
This is the best zoo I have been to based on how happy and healthy the animals are. They have great exhibits and all seemed to be well fed and cared for. A++ will be back yearly.
Hailey Woodworth — Google review
This is a fun zoo to visit. It's amazing what you'll experience when the animals are actually active and playing. Also, there is a peacock that roams free among us, doing its "call of the wild" as it wanders. If you do visit this zoo, I'm posting my pictures if you ever want to go on a scavenger hunt and find the objects in my pictures.
Malachi Goodman — Google review
The zoo itself was nice and shady. Able to walk around, see animals, the Lion and Lioness were pretty cool. The tamarins are my favorite. I will say the zoo is smaller and enclosures are as well. however the kids zoo was cool. The public bathrooms were pretty gross unfortunately.
Sarah R — Google review
We loved the zoo! It was clean and the animals were healthy and energetic. The staff was helpful and friendly. It's the perfect size for a half day. Prices are very affordable.
Harvey Beacham — Google review
We enjoyed Boo at the Zoo Friday evening. It was chaotic, but still fun. I recommend better signage to navigate the crowd, maybe a policy on strollers because that was a nightmare with the lines.
Tara Marie — Google review
I have been to see several zoos across the country. This one was not a favorite. The penguin enclosure has too many animals for the very small enclosure. The pool was extremely mucky and the stench burned our noses. Very strong ammonia smell.
They have quite a few animals for this small acreage of zoo, including several large cats. Lions, snow leopards, then smaller cats as well. Bored, Many are pacing in their very small enclosures.
The flamingos are also in a small pen and again it smells strongly of ammonia.
Awesome little stop. Excellent walking trails. Doesn’t take long to go the long route and read all the signs. I can dream of what lava flows would look like! So cool. Don’t litter people, I saw the bottles and trash in some cracks out there. Be better.
Justin Marhold — Google review
What a perfect diversion! These “south” trails are located at the rest stop. Clean bathroom, but some barriers to entry for wheelchair users. The path is paved, and provides some benches for those who need a break. A more ambulatory wheelchair user will be ok, but someone that requires help will definitely need it. The sign says the red loop is 45 minutes to transit but it’s not. Took me about 20. There are many nice things to see, and the interpretive signs are helpful. I also spied some great protected picnic tables. I visited during autumn after a rain in the morning, and it was such a nice little walk.
KatG — Google review
I recently had the pleasure of exploring the Hell's Half Acre trail and I must say, it was an incredibly enjoyable experience. What made this hike particularly special was the fact that it was suitable for hikers of all ages and fitness levels. I embarked on this adventure with two toddlers and an 11-year-old, and we encountered no difficulties throughout the entire trip.
One of the standout features of the Hell's Half Acre trail is the paved path. This made the hike a breeze, as we didn't have to worry about rough terrain or tricky footing. The trail is well-maintained, with clear signs guiding us along the way. We also appreciated the presence of benches and picnic tables, providing us with opportunities to rest and enjoy a snack in the midst of our adventure.
The view along the trail is simply breathtaking. The volcanic rock formations in Idaho are unlike anything I've ever seen before. The unique geological features provided a fascinating backdrop to our hike, and we couldn't help but marvel at the natural beauty surrounding us.
Overall, I would highly recommend the Hell's Half Acre trail to anyone looking for a fun and family-friendly hiking adventure. The paved path, clear signage, and stunning volcanic rock formations make for a truly memorable experience. Whether you're an experienced hiker or just starting out, this trail has something for everyone. Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore this hidden gem in Idaho.
Chanceton — Google review
August 22, 2021. A nice surprise. I've driven by here from time to time during my life but for once, I pulled over. I went to the top of the building before taking the little hike. It's all sidewalk so I didn't even need to change shoes. The walk takes you to an upper level and all along the way there are interpretive signs; very nice ones at that. You can observe this very rough topography interspersed with some desert-like flora. There are significant cracks and holes in the earth. I did take pictures and made a video as well.
Angela Romain — Google review
Hell’s Half Acre Trail is adjacent to the Rest Stop off the Southbound I-15. Pathway has informative markers about the areas volcanic past. Pathway leads to a gazebo where your can overlook the Pilot Buttes.
LB’s and Lulu — Google review
One of the nicest, cleanest rest stops I've visited. Interesting signage describes the geologic past of the region, with short trails. Dog park, nice bldg with restrooms and intensive signage as well. If you're traveling thru ID on I-15, it's worth a stop.
p birkedahl — Google review
It's really cool to see the rock formations formed by the lava flows and there is a nice little observation deck with bathrooms and vending machines. There's also an easy trail to see more of the formations.
Alex Merryman — Google review
A welcoming break in the day. A challenging trail with strategically places benches. Nice morning workout
Sandra P — Google review
4.6
(198)
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4.5
(141)
Blackfoot, ID 83221, USA
I'll never travel to Ogden without this trip planner again
Exhibits on the history & cultivation of potatoes in a former train depot with a cafe & gift shop.
This museum is great. Very informative. They have videos that teach you things like how McDonalds makes their fries. Great collection of Mr Potato head toys and a wall of potato mashers. Definitely visit the cafe while you are there. We had the loaded baked potato, tots, hand cut fries with fry sauce and the best potato soup ever!! Worth a visit if you’re in the area.
Princess Smartypants — Google review
Very interesting. Well maintained and super clean. Who knew there was so much to learn about the humble potato.
Even the building itself is interesting
Great value!
smh rme — Google review
You can either start at the cafe or the gift shop to enter the museum. There is a lot of parking and even multiple spots great for RVs.
We entered at the gift shop. It had shirts, shot glasses, cups, along with multiple other trinkets, and a penny squish machine. We got some postcards and shot glasses and they were put in a mesh potato sack bag and got a package of locally grown dehydrated mashed potatoes which was entertaining.
The cafe had baked potatoes with a variety of toppings, fries, tots, soup, and drinks. It smelled wonderful and we smelled potatoes for a while after.
And the museum had a lot of information on... Potatoes. Along with antique and ancestral potato shaped and used items, a video, toys, kitchen appliances, talking potatoes, farm equipment, VR experience on a tractor and watching them till and moves potatoes, and a play area with Mr potato head.
The reason for 4 stars... I though it was entertaining and fun but my husband found it less entertaining and said he probably wouldn't pick to go again. He was expecting real potatoes or fake planter boxes to show how more home grown ones are done too apparently.
Rose Green — Google review
Excellent experience! Everything you want to know about Idaho potatoes is in this museum! Definitely worth the stop! #idahopotaotes
Sabra Gerdes — Google review
We stopped at the potato museum in Blackfoot, Idaho. This is a simple, smaller, low tech museum. It’s small town and charming, not big budget.
I’m surprised it’s not larger given the impact of potatoes on the state of Idaho.
Here’s what I recommend
1. Take photos of the giant potato in front of the building.
There’s a smart phone holder out front so you can take photos without someone holding the phone.
2. Visit the gift shop, pay for your tickets and enjoy the kitzch (spelling?).
From potato soap to quirky potato peelers, there are a lot of fun items. The t-shirts could be much more fun than they are.
3. Watch the talking potatoes in the basement that put on a little show.
4. Don’t miss the virtual reality experience.
My favorite was the virtual reality ride on a 🥔 harvester. There are just 2 headsets but worth the short ride.
5. Watch the the short film about McDonald’s french fries. And see the large potato chip.
6. Admire the potato masher display that’s artistic.
7. Go to the cafe and order a potato, fries or soup. Notice the potato print curtains.
Beast potato ever! You get it within 5 mins and it’s piping hot with the noise divine fluffy soft inside.
The potatoes are cooked at 400-500 degrees (there was some debate). Wrapped in foil. Cooked until soft and keep in a warmer at 140 degrees.
Russset narcoda is the kind of potato. Don’t poke holes in them.
We got a cupcake made with potatoes. Really good. I added sour cream, green onions, butter and tomatoes. So delicious!! And the waffle fries were incredible - fresh and hot. You can get ketchup and/or fry sauce.
It’s very affordable too. Both the admission ($6 for adults) and the cafe.
Take lots of photos.
Overall, this could have a photo backdrop with a large potato inside. Displays of largest record breaking potatos. Am interactive display. Better more recent videos about the process and better games. It could be in a larger space.
But it’s affordable and down home.
Also there’s a great candy shop across the street with excellent ice cream (bubble gum with gummy bears, for example).
Janet Thaeler — Google review
We had an excellent visit except when leaving the girl closing the museum was rude. As we were leaving the museum (through the gift shop). She told us ‘I’m locking up now’. It was uncomfortable - I tried to explain that we weren’t trying to enter the museum and that we were leaving after viewing.
There’s also a cafe here. I ordered some yummy fries and my partner ordered chili fries.
If it weren’t for the rude service when we were exiting I would definitely recommend visiting this place if you have an hour so spare. Also if you’re from out of state you get a free instant potato packet. If you have AAA or military ID they offer a small discount on admission.
Joceline Lopez — Google review
I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the Idaho Potato Museum. The building appears small; however, the museum is rather grand. Inside you'll find information starting from native America, ending in the modern day. They have paraphernalia of all kinds including farming, baking, alcohol, commercial, and toys. You can even see a potato signed by Al Gore!
They have two virtual reality headsets that allow you to see a potato harvest and computers with games. There is a small theater; however, I wasn't able to watch the show because the kiddos were happily taking me all over the museum .
There are public restrooms in the museum that are amazingly clean and smell that way too. Overall, a fascinating place and I'm happy to have gone.
There is a small gift shop with some fun items and the staff were friendly and personable. In a word, awesome.
Lastly, the potato bar is very yummy and reasonably priced. Try the fried potato dollars, absolutely fabulous.
We highly recommend a visit!
Tony Candelaria — Google review
This was such a fun place to visit! A must-see! Love all the information and there was lots to see in there and the staff was awesome! Don't forget to go to the potato cafe next door as it was delicious and lots of different toppings to choose from!
Diana Milone — Google review
This place is so much fun. I never knew there was so much to learn about potatoes! It costs a small amount to go into the museum portion but it's worth the money. They have a neat little gift shop and also a cafe with All Things Potatoes to eat. Super fun!
Dan Larsen — Google review
The evening was peaceful in the parking lot. The train came through at 4am. Four out of five of us in our party slept through the horn noise. The store had a great and unique selection. The museum was actually informative, interesting, and interactive. The adults learned a few things as did the kids. The cafe was delicious with great prices. We first thought this would be a tourist trap but quickly realized it was a delightful experience.
Blue Ribbon — Google review
I had a lovely experience here on a random Friday afternoon. It was very interesting learning about potatoes. I was surprised on all there is to know about them. How they grow, harvest, transport, types, history, etc. At the end, they have a restaurant where you can dine in.
I had a very lovely baked potato for lunch and a huckleberry flavored soda crafted in Jackson Hole. I bought a really nice cotton T-shirt from their gift shop.
Kapra C-R — Google review
This place is SO COOL!!! We drove 12 hours and were not disappointed. There's actually a lot of hands-on things for all ages and the exhibits are informative. If you come here, you definitely should at least get fries from the cafe. They have a different garnish for their baked potatoes every day. We had sausage gravy during our visit to the museum. We came back the second day just to go to the cafe and got chili and cheese on a baked potato. I definitely recommend a visit here if you're anywhere near Idaho.
Dan Stein — Google review
This museum was awesome. I grew up here in Idaho and had no idea the cool history behind the potato. Definitely worth a visit if you have the time. The gift shop and lunch counter are awesome as well.
Melanie Hathaway — Google review
Adults: $6
Kids 5 to 12: $3
Kids 4 and under: Free
Military and Senior Discounts
(July 2023)
Tastefully priced cafe with delicious waffle fries and dipping sauces. The huckleberry locally made ice cream was delightfully creamy.
Well decorated and fun little museum complete with a Potato Lab for kids with interactive tools, computers, and a plethora of Mr. Potato Head parts.
The VR Oculus lets you sit in the farmer’s seat as heavy machinery harvest potatoes.
Quaint gift shop with interesting items from potato soap to chocolate covered potato chips.
Don’t forget to look at the World’s Largest Potato Chip!
Sabrina Stevens — Google review
Cute potato museum, lots of information and interactive features. The gift shop had some fun items that we HAD to have. The Potato Cafe 🥔 had some gluten free options and we had baked potatoes, French fries, tater tots. They offer a senior discount. Adults that do not qualify for the senior discount were $6/each at the time of this review (June 2023).
Jenn S — Google review
What a fun little museum. From the huge potato outside to the random facts you can review inside its a cute place to visit. They have a little souvenir shoo where you can find something fun as a keep sake. They also have a little Cafe to get yourself some delicious backed potatoes to end your visit. Take the kids in for a short stop to learn some history of the Idaho potato.
Modern museum showcasing exhibits on historic cleaning techniques & tools, with brooms, tubs & more.
The Museum of Clean is a really fun experience. The displays are clever and informative, with just enough “potty humor” to please even the most conservative of crowds. There are lots of interactive displays that leave you wondering just how anyone managed to have a clean house before a fusion vacuum and modern plumbing. The museum imparts the idea of being clean, not just how to clean. Definitely a worthwhile visit if you have a free afternoon.
Gwendolyn Anderson — Google review
We weren't sure what to expect but it was a fun time. Our daughters loved the Kid Planet! We all learned a lot about the history of cleaning. It was all really interesting and it was fun to see it! Staff were friendly and at it was our first time, she made sure we knew where everything was.
John Burgoyne — Google review
Most highly recommend this delightful, unique museum! You will not regret it! They also have things for children. I loved all the history and creativity found there. Thanks Don for your vision to a truly enjoyable place. I took over 100 pictures, but here are some. I loved the sculptures, art gallery, clean orchestra, the vacuum floor, etc!
B. Shidler — Google review
You don't know the meaning of clean until you have been here! This may just have been the quirkiest of all the quirky places we've been so far on our cross country road trip. 100% worth the modest admission fee. Interesting, fun, funny. Exhibits for everyone, young and old. It was a very great way to spend a couple of hours. Very valuable!
R Hill — Google review
Incredible experience for the whole family! This museum offers an abundance of knowledge on cleaning like never before. It's the realization of one man's remarkable dream. Don, the visionary behind it all, can often be found strolling through the museum, ready to answer any questions. If you're fortunate enough to encounter him, I strongly urge you to seize the opportunity and engage in a conversation.
James ?Chubster11? Himes — Google review
Really amazing! I had no idea this place existed! They had fun things for the kids to do such as cleaning laundry in a bucket with a plunger washer thing and then they could run it through a ringer and then pin it on a clothes line.
Vacuums for days!
It's good clean fun 😆
Bird Fleck — Google review
Super interesting and pleasantly surprised at the variety. Very interactive, kiddos loved the kid dome and Texas sized object scavenger hunt. We could have spent more time there if kiddos weren't hungry, so definitely plan to spend a few hours. Definitely worth checking out, even if you don't like to clean 👌
Lori Thompson — Google review
May not have been something I was terribly interested in, but once I stepped inside this huge museum, the passion of the owner, Don Aslett was quite apparent. He has dedicated his life to building a world wide cleaning Co, writing books, and collecting thousands of rare cleaning items such as vacuums, brooms, mops, etc. and placing them on display. The staff was very friendly and as a Harvest Host guest, we are thankful for the night's stay.
Stacey Pennington — Google review
Such a cool museum, I’ve never seen so many vacuums! Also the owner talked to us and showed us how some vacuums works, he is so passionate and it was contagious. Well worth the time and cheap price!
agkilian — Google review
A really fun and unique museum! I went on my own and had a blast learning about all things clean. There were a couple field trips there too and the kids looked like they were having a great time!
Julie Brough — Google review
Fun short break in a road trip. Hidden gem.
Never seen that many vacuums in my life. It's the history of the vacuum.
You can get through the whole exhibit in under 45 minutes.
Luca Revelli — Google review
We visited the museum in September while we were In town for a ISU-Central Arkansas football game the next day. The group I was with didn’t know what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised by what we found & the extent to which this museum was presented! It was fun to learn about the cleaning industry while we all told stories about how a certain product played a part in our lives whether us using a product or or parents or grandparents using a product, or any type of commercials we remembered seeing. The museum itself was plenty big enough for their exhibits, & not shockingly at all, it was very clean. We were able to explore at our own pace which we enjoyed as well. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our side trip to the museum & would tell others to go there if they ever find themselves in Pocatello!
Steve Owens — Google review
What a cool place to visit. Had the honor of speaking with the creator and long time clean freak Don. His love and passion for "clean" are reflected in his great sense of humor. I enjoyed not only the exhibits but the cool art made from repurposed materials as well as his personal art collection on display. Thanks Don
Missouri
Valarie Mceuen — Google review
Ok, so I have been to maybe hundreds of museums in my 60+ years. This one is totally "unique"! Meets the definition of "1-of-a-kind" to the T! I could have spent hours, but we were passing through and could only give an hour to the collection! Amazing collection for a man passionate about the finer art of cleaning! And yes, that is the founder Don laying back in the chair in the photo. They assured me he is only napping ! Got to check this place out if you are nearby just to appreciate what we conveniently use every day!
Rick Koch — Google review
Such a neat Musuem, I'd highly recommend checking it out and it was great to meet the man who started it all. My friend Jared and Jordan and I had a lot of fun looking around. So many neat things to look at and three floors.
Exhibits of artifacts & specimens documenting the natural history of Idaho & the Intermountain West.
This place is such a great place to take the littles!! It was a great combo between hands on learning and learning from repetition. Only recommendation I have is ic they offered tours every 30 45 min for people who's son is very very smart and had to READ every card and take in ever part of text. Haha there were questions he had I couldn't answer haha
Katie Burke — Google review
Parking was confusing. Facilities were dated. Displays were pretty lack luster. I did like the long horn bison skull.
H Siu — Google review
The place to be in eastern Idaho for paleo-geekery! What this museum lacks in size, it more than makes up for in heart, and they've got some really awesome research going on. If you live in the area, they're constantly doing outreach events such as public lectures and kids' activities. Their annual Fossil Fest is a wonderful opportunity to speak at length to their researchers and learn more about what they've been working on, as well as providing plenty of fun things for kids to participate in (not to be missed is the Helicoprion tooth whorl Red Vine guillotine... if you know, you know). IMNH is the state repository for fossils, so they have an amazing collection of specimens, only a few of which are on display at the moment. Some outreach activities include going to visit collections, and in my opinion that never gets old, especially since they're adding new specimens all the time. I love having the opportunity to get up close with the cutting edge of research.
One silver lining to their small size is that the museum is almost never crowded (I think the only time I actually saw it crowded was at Fossil Fest), so if you or your family need a relaxed environment, IMNH is a perfect place to chill and quietly look at specimens without much else going on or it feeling too people-y. I enjoy going there to do paleoart sketches, and it's a wonderful place to just zen out with the fossils for a few hours.
I'm also extremely impressed with how friendly the staff and researchers are. The staff are super personable, and if you visit regularly they actually start to recognize you and are happy to see you. The paleontologists graciously take time out of their busy schedules to do public lectures, and even allow ample time after the lecture to take the audience around the gallery and collections, answer questions, and generally talk paleo shop. I always have fruitful discussions with them, and I appreciate that I can get as in-depth and technical as I want and they're happy to field my inquiries.
If you're a Pocatello area resident, or just moved here, and you love paleontology, I strongly recommend buying an annual membership because there's plenty to do at IMNH throughout the year (members also get free access to events). If you're visiting town and looking for fun things to do, IMNH is the go-to place to get your science fix in Pocatello. If your trip happens to coincide with a museum event, I would definitely recommend scheduling it into your itinerary.
Teresa Arispe — Google review
My God children and I had a great time at the museum. They are 4 and 7 and had never been to a museum. They are already asking when we can return.
Ronda Jones — Google review
Loved the shark, I also loved the diverse relics they had depicting ancient Idaho. Well worth a visit, I've been through more than twice.
Shann Wilder — Google review
Smaller museum that's part of the ISU campus. Features a good amount of information about the prehistoric area and lots of fossils. There are some impressive lifesize skeletons of animals and some heads of fish and sharks. The museum is priced just right for the size so we did not feel like we were being overcharged. Good place to spend some time in Pocatello.
Tristan Rodeback — Google review
For a small museum, they have a variety of exhibits. Some were a little hard to view ( mounted/stored) in ways that made it hard to see. Such as the critters in jars. Glad we went.
Valarie Mceuen — Google review
Great museum! There are a lot of fun things to see and learn. Definitely a must see!
Dana Stiffler — Google review
It is a small museum but it has culture and that is something we are losing in this day and age, I think with some time and help it could grow into a great place.
Josh West — Google review
Nice small museum. The giant Wolf spider display is GREAT!!
Trina Acello — Google review
Great educational place to take your kids to! Hands on large room with fun exploratory stations for elementary on up to engage in! Exhibit itself is fairly large and worth the ticket price to go through. The biggest specimens are at the very end in the back of the museum. Awesome gift shop with lots of cool things to purchase, too!
Great place for the whole family! We loved the slides and towers! The 3rd platform is a MUST! Just don't do a belly flop! 😕 The diving boards are great and it's fun to see people do some amazing tricks. Great area for little kids as well as for the Irish red heads who need an indoor pool in the heat of the day. There's a diving board and rock wall to climb is a well. Lots of fun here!
Eric Velasquez — Google review
Super fun and a little crazy!
We stopped by on our way home and had a lot of fun. There was something for everyone. We spent a bit of time in the little kid/ toddler area and my 18 month old loved it. Our 7 yo daughter loved the water slides (thankfully she was tall enough to do all of them) and the little kid area too.
The hot tub at this complex is HOT! It feels nice, but can be crowded with lots of people.
We ended up buying the combo pass for this complex and the hot springs. Please note that it is 4 blocks away and is NOT located at the Lava Hot Springs Inn which is across the street. If you've got little kids in tow, it may make more sense to drive over-- there is a parking lot for the hot springs.
Overall, it was a nice visit!
Winter Redd — Google review
Great activity for kids! Nice splash area for smaller children. The pools were cooler than I thought it would be. However, they have one small hot pool.
Amanda Kimberly — Google review
Great stop for the whole family. $10 - $12 entrance fee
Possitives
Lots of grass to sit on and relax.
Several diving boards and platforms from 2 feet to 40 feet
4 seated lifeguards outside
A little kids splash area
Inside and outside pools
Large slides for thise seeking a thrill
Clean bathrooms and showers
Negatives
Parking is a bit crowded and none for RVs...best to find a camp ground and walk or drive to this location
No FOOD or drinks so be sure to bring your own.
No Alchohol...it would be nice to sip on a beer...but oh well...rules are rules...LOL
LeeAnna Springer — Google review
We love Lava! We have been coming here for our family reunions for the last 12 years. Our grandchildren have so much fun. The kiddie splash pool is a great addition. The only suggestion we have is to create more ventilation. If all of the windows could open to create cross ventilation, the humidity would be more tolerable. Thanks for having such a fun venue!
emma green — Google review
This place is awesome! I could have spent a summer going here everyday easily. There's room to fit so many people comfortably and the water was warm enough even for a cool day. Slides were FANTASTIC! There were so many places to dive and flip:)
Karin Mitchell — Google review
Very good place for family and friends. If you are looking for for a very nice place for your family and friends. This may be e very good one
VoltaAoMundo ThiagoBianco (VoltaAoMundo) — Google review
We went in February, so this is about the indoor pool area only. Very nice, clean and well maintained facilities. Indoor pool with diving board and mini basketball hoops. I recommend diving toys and floating balls for catch. Kiddie pool is basically an indoor splash Park with very warm water- perfect for the little ones. Hot tub was extremely hot so you either won't be able to stay in long or won't be able to get in at all. Vending machines for soda, and behind the ticket counter there are some snacks available for purchase. There is no place to sit in the lobby area to eat food.
Christy Tietjen — Google review
Great fun! Water temperatures were great, some really hot, steam rising off water hot. 112 degree water and then cooler ones.
Keira Young — Google review
The place is fun for the whole family. The indoor kitty pool will keep the little ones entertained. Next to the kitty pool is a hot pool. With water straight from the springs. It is very relaxing and is the perfect temperature. Outside the big pool has it all. The shallow end all the way to the high dive platforms. With 3 levels 16ft, 23ft and a towering 33ft. You must sign a waiver and and listen to some instructions before jumping. There is no waiver needed to ride the slides. There are also 2 food vendors inside the pool area. Definitely will be going back again.
Teyen Hollingsworth — Google review
Went to the inside pool. The kiddy area was nice and had toys the kids could play with and was great for younger kids. We were there for three hours and the same people sat in the hot tub the whole time so we couldn’t take a turn. Might be a good idea to do time limits or wrist bands with times. The main pool is huge and has a cool rock wall and diving board with some basketball hoops. However, the water was freezing cold.
Ashlee Tucker — Google review
This swimming pool is very well run. There are activities for all ages ...a kiddie pool, pool basketball area, 1 hot tub, slides for different thrill levels and ages, multiple diving areas, pool areas that slope down, and pool areas that step down. The water feels great and varies in coolness according to what pool you select.
No concessions here, but you are allowed to bring in your own food (NO GLASS). You can also bring in pool toys (within reason) and chairs and umbrellas.
There are no refunds for bad weather.
This swimming complex also offers swim lessons in the spring and summer!
Abi B — Google review
We came here with a group of 25 and were able to get group rate. This was our day off for our girls wrestling team. The place is so clean and inviting and much to do. Got some sun,water fun on the slides and then walked over to Lava hot Springs.
Lisa Kirk — Google review
The Slides outside and the splash park indoor makes this a top destination for the kiddos.
He begs me to go back and they offer amazing swim lessons for all ages.
Colter Bell — Google review
For $12 you get an all day pass to an excellent swimming experience. They have four waterslides. The water was very warm in the big pool and they had two or three indoor pools plus a hot tub. They also had three diving boards and three diving platforms. You can do a special deal with the hot springs and the swimming area for $18. All of the staff is very kind.
Hot pools & spa treatments in basic riverside inn with free WiFi & hot buffet breakfast.
My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon. It was so nice and quiet. Even though the weather was cold the water was warm and the staff was friendly and very helpful. We stayed in a "spa room" this room had a small sink, cabinet toilet and large jacuzzi tub. The tub was excellent hot water and jets worked. The queen sized bed was a bit stiff but that is a personal presence and they can't be faulted. It was quiet with no kids running around. It's walking distance from lots of food options. Breakfast served from 8-10 was always delicious. The pools attached to the lodgings were open till 11 nightly and they were clean and tidy.
Rachel Holding — Google review
We love this place!! The people are nice and attentive, feels like family, we were always treated with respect and friendliness, all my kids have learned how to swim in these pools, we come here at least a couple of times a year, in the summer they have live music performances and in the winter it’s awesome to relax in the hot pools while the snow falls around you.
This waters are full of healing minerals, one of the best in the world.
This place also has the best breakfast, made fresh every morning and is included in your stay. I remember back when the owner used to cook it, George, he’s awesome!! The lady that cooks it now is awesome too.
I love that we don’t have to get 2 rooms for our numerous family.
Mariana Conde — Google review
What In interesting experience to say the least. We booked a stay here based on photos the website offered. We were put in a room called the Down Under. That specific room isn’t mentioned at all on their website. It was really run down and reminded me of a horror movie. I later learned the property was a renovated hospital so now I’m kinda liking we stayed in a haunted room. I was able to see the rooms in the actual building and they were WAY better than my haunted room except… you have to share a bathroom and that wasn’t mentioned anywhere on the website. I think they should play the haunted angle more.
breanna glahn — Google review
We always have such a great time when we stay at the Lava Hot Springs Inn. The employees there (especially since they hired Dave) make all the difference in the world. Prior to him being hired we had a good time but he made us want to return for more stays. The rooms are great, the hot pools are fantastic and the service is exceptional. Plus you get a great breakfast. I would highly recommend booking a stay.
Bree Morrison — Google review
Had a really nice time staying here during our trip to Lava! We arrived relatively late in the evening on a week night and there were maybe two other couples in any of the pools, no crowding whatsoever. I’m sure on a weekend it’s busier but for a Tuesday in the winter? Super relaxing. The therapy pool especially was SO nice. The room was very clean, and while it would be nice to have more of a private bathroom (there’s just a toilet behind a curtain!) it really wasn’t a problem using the larger ones in the hallway. We stayed in one of the jacuzzi rooms with a king bed and the mattress was very firm and comfortable. We’ll definitely stay again!
Devon Velasquez (Dev) — Google review
This past weekend we staid in the cottage (our 2nd stay there), we have also staid in the blue house when we've brought our kids in the summer for floating the river! The place is old and quirky, which is what we LOVE! The whole town has its charming oddities in every corner! The free breakfast is home cooked and has a large variety! Coffee was a bit weak but we weren't expecting gourmet! The hotel grounds are old but obvious the staff is trying hard to keep the charm and quirkiness! Each season has its own special memories. The fall time is beautiful because of fall colors and the pools aren't too hot since the days/ nights are cooler. Winter is a bit rougher if you are staying off the "main property" but still fantastic. It's amazing how you show up bundled in snow coats and boots and end up walking back to your room in just a towel since the soaks were so relaxing and warm/ hot! Summer time is a little tough to soak in the hot pools when the outdoor temperature is in mid to high 90's..... but that's when the fun is had floating the river! The whole feel at the inn is so communal and friendly. Within minutes of arriving, you can get caught up in conversation with random strangers who are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.
Lyndi Morier — Google review
Stayed here as an anniversary getaway. It was nice to try something different a little eclectic, a little off the beaten path! If you are expecting a modern luxury resort, this is not it. What makes the Lava Hot Springs Inn so charming, is that it is an older building.
The natural Hot Springs are really wonderful!
Breakfast was delightful! Eggs, pancakes, it really nice continental breakfast!
I only two comments are directed toward the owners. There is quite a bit of what looks like accumulated trash on the side of the building. It would be nice if that could be cleaned up and hauled away. Also, I was told by one person that I needed to wear a wristband while in the swimming pool. However, about five minutes earlier, we had been told by someone at the front desk that we didn't need to worry about wearing them. I can see both sides of this. But I think that if you do want customers to wear these, you just need to be nice, and pleasant, but also consistent about reminding them to put them on.
Alan Park (Park Martial Arts) — Google review
The rooms are inexpensive. People there (staff and other patrons) are generally friendly, with no shortage of personality. The breakfasts are nice. The history of the facility is interesting and adds some intrigue to the stay. Well behaved, trained and socialized dogs are allowed. Please don't ruin that for the rest of us!
Let's be honest, though: the reason you're there is the well-maintained (drained and cleaned twice a week!) array of mineral pools of various sizes and temperatures fed by the hot springs. We make it a point to stop any time we travel through for a day or two of therapeutic soaking. I hate crowds and I find the place tolerable even when it is busy. Sublime when its snowing!
Go between any of the hot pools and the cold plunge, bring goggles and swim some laps in the lap pool and I guarantee you'll sleep well. If not, add in a massage.
Be warned: this is a place for normal people, not 5 star hotel connoisseurs. You'll hear people in the hall and nearby rooms, especially if they don't know how to moderate their volume (fortunately everyone seems to respect curfew). Floors creak. Rooms are basic and the most affordable have shared (albeit nice) bathrooms. We recently treated ourselves to a deluxe room with its own private sink, toilet and two person jacuzzi.
I don't disparage anyone their diet of choice if they feel it helps make them happy and healthy. The world needs more happy and healthy people. HOWEVER, one of the people responsible for breakfast is a cranky and aggressively insecure and passive aggressive vegan who thinks she is saving the world with her diet and (judging by her actions) seems to want everyone else to think that too. It's a problem for us bc we have medical diet restrictions and need to use the microwave to heat up food we have prepped in advance, which she fortunately tolerates, although not without vocally harassing and shaming my partner. Although not a deal breaker yet, I could do without her attitude.
Ethan Young — Google review
Went for the pools and everything was great but then they emptied the main pool about an hour into our visit. Someone started spray painting the railings into the pools and there was paint spraying everywhere including a lot into the cold plunge pool. There were no signs or notice of maintenance. I complained to the front desk but they said there was nothing they could do. We decided to cut our trip short and leave but for $30 I’m honestly pretty upset. I don’t think we will be coming back just because I don’t want to swim in paint. A lady getting into the main pool got spray paint all over her hand
I hate to leave a bad review for somewhere I’ve been going for 20 years but this was a bad experience
K.S. Kasati — Google review
We did not stay here, but came for breakfast. True comfort food highlighted by delicious casseroles lovingly prepared by some wonderful local women and served buffet style. The dining area is just a downstairs room, but the cooks make up for any lack of elegance.
Chas. Jones — Google review
Got really bad bed bug bites, there’s an odor throughout the hotel and rooms. Everything is really run down and old. The pools are nice but when we were there they let 50+ men from the nearby addiction center with day passes and there was hardly any room, they should limit how many day passes are given.
Krissi Karren — Google review
Wow! Missed a 5 star rating based on one customer exchange. We enjoyed a soak, a shower and a massage. Super relaxing. After my massage I asked the woman attending the front desk for a towel for my shower. She informed me towels are for hotel guests only. I explained we were given towels for our shower and soaks prior. She said these are the rules. I asked to speak to her manager, she explained she was the on site manager.
The two massages + tip was over $250. Poor business decision.
The room guests spent much less on their accommodations. BUT THEY GET TOWELS !
Don Kelly — Google review
Window had a whole wasp in it but otherwise yeah it was a pretty fun experience being there. The hot tubs were amazing, especially the super hot tub while raining. The mountains are very beautiful, and there is some areas in which me and my friends have found that you can hike up around 5k feet. Pretty fun!
??n? ? — Google review
If I could give 100000 stars to this beautiful place I would.
The whole staff was so kind and nice, willing to help with everything. Beautiful old place, felt like I was in another era, loved it. The pools were fantastic as well.
I went to the meditation center and they picked me up with their suttle and they were very kind, flexible, patient and willing to help me with as much as they could. When I came back they all remembered me and asked me about my experience with all their attention, It felt so welcoming and warmly.
The room was ready before time, nice and clean. The bathroom was very old but pretty clean.
Great location, center of the little town.
Breakfast was amazing, those potatoes were the best I’ve had in a long time!
Beautiful staff, bless you all❤️
Hope to be back soon and see you all. Thank you for a great experience
Mirna Rodriguez — Google review
I very rarely leave negative reviews. I will say on a good note the staff was actually pretty nice. My husband and I stayed here as part of our honeymoon and this was definitely not the highlight of the honeymoon. The walls were so paper thin I could hear every little conversation from the people on both sides of us. The heater worked a little too well it was super hot in our room and we couldn’t turn the fan on unless we had the light on. The beds really were not the comfiest. I am allergic to cats which I was aware of when we got to the inn that there were cats (my husband was trying to keep it a surprise so he didn’t tell me). But because this inn is pet friendly the rooms and the whole inn smelled terrible I don’t care if it’s pet friendly as long as you clean up after your pets and you deep clean I found cat hair in my food and on my clothes after we left I tried to stay away from the cats as much as possible. The floors felt gross my husband and I didn’t dare walk on the floor without shoes on, we had to share bathrooms with other people and that really kind of bugged me I’ve seen junior high and high school bathrooms and locker rooms cleaner then the bathrooms and the showers that were at this inn. I didn’t dare use the showers the 2 days I was there because they grossed me out that much. It felt gross and it was very very creepy and I did not feel safe at all the entire time I was there. Again I hate leaving a bad review but I really had a negative experience.
Katelyn Porter — Google review
We specifically reserved room number 13. It's supposed to be haunted. Unfortunately, we didn't see any ghosts. The staff is friendly and the hot pools are amazing. Just what the doctor ordered.
Sabrina Ottley — Google review
This inn is quaint with friendly welcoming staff who have good local recommendations. The bed was comfy and enough for me by myself - having worked at an inn and a glamping spot in tourist town West Yellowstone with shared bathrooms, I found theirs charming. The tubs (used only as showers) are the same as the one my friend had in his rented room while living and going to school in Boston.
The breakfast was indeed hot and reminded me of the ones I got stating in B&Bs across Ireland in 2016.
The hot pools are delightful with many choices and range from peaceful and quiet in the mornings and evenings to having a lively feel with kids and music during the day and afternoon.
The inn is perfectly located to where you get out after floating the river and I was able to stow and retrieve my purse from my room in the middle of my floating day to grab food.
All in all I've had a lovely experience and am already remiss that I check out in the morning!
Jules Hope — Google review
Such a disappointment. The young staff members have no business being in a customer service industry. When I explained that one of their umbrellas was on the ground I was told there were other places I could sit that had shade, or I could carry it over to the stand and try opening it myself?!?I have never seen such lazy young people! No wonder this place was so run down. The only people working were two middle aged women, one taking care of the flowers and the other who seemed like she was running around taking care of everything else. The bathrooms and showers are also too small.
I came for the hot springs experience and I almost left early, but I was trying to get my $15 worth out of it. They allow re-entry but the place is unsafe. Who would want to return there when there is a much better springs so close by? Half of the areas on the map aren’t even open and are empty and overgrown with grass. It’s such a shame that they are not maintaining this place. I did not, and would not return.
Harper Voyages — Google review
Location was fine, having the hot pools in walking distance. Room not ready, food still in the fridge from previous guests and toilet not clean. Bed had crumbs in it when you pulled back blankets and sheets. Towels in the room are terrible. Dead animal at the entrance of our room. This was a family get away that wasn't really a "getaway". We checked out immediately and had to find somewhere else to stay. Spoke the front office about our concerns and nothing was done to fix it. Management called us back, with no care of concern about what we had experience. Requested a refund but was only given a gift certificate to come back. We will never stay here again.
Kadeidra Allums — Google review
My friend had rented a room for the night & when we got there the guy working nights told us we had to get an extra room because it’s only 2 per room for sleeping because “the building is old & would collapse” (We had 4 people) so we payed for the room across the way from our friend. Forward to the next morning (today) as we were leaving my friend noticed an extra 100$ charge so we went back to find out why. Lady at the desk said it was because we had “5 people in the same room” when we definitely didn’t. We tried to explain to her we got the extra room to avoid that problem & she was ultimately rude, disrespectful, & didn’t even bother checking their systems to make sure what we said was true. She didn’t stop us & ask us about anything, she just assumed. We called & tried to talk to the manager & she said no & hung up on us. We went back in to address the situation & have them understand we did what we were asked so being charged 100$ for an assumption is not okay, & she literally just sat there & laughed & called us crazy.
On top of the terrible service, the building is trash. They do not keep up on their cleanliness, or maintenance. The rooms are wayyyy overpriced & too small for 200$?! There wasn’t even a bathroom in the second room. I absolutely DO NOT recommend.
Katie Allen — Google review
What a great weekend and place to stay! I saw the bad review about bed bugs, odor, cleanliness and crowds...NONE of this was true. It was very clean (including the mattresses), a little crowded but plenty of room in the pools. It is an old town and the building is old, but well kept. Great staff and breakfast. Highly recommended for a weekend getaway.
Roxie Jones — Google review
We rented this hotel’s apartment in mid January, right after the deep freeze when it reached -20. We arrived at 5:30pm to a cold -dark apartment . (The man working the desk told us no one had been in the apartment for 2 weeks.). We could not find the thermostat and only saw one heat register. There were 2 frozen, dead house plants on end tables. The beds had sheets and a thin polyester bedspread but no blankets. We asked for a refund since we found it uninhabitable. The desk man told us we could not get that because it was past the cancellation date. We explained we were canceling because the apartment was not ready for us. He told us he could turn on the heat but that they didn’t have blankets or even towels for the hot tubs. We eventually found a nice place to stay down the street but we lost our $900 for the 2 nights we were supposed to stay here. I find it appalling that they advertise this apartment and try to rent it in January but not have it ready for the paying guest when they arrive. I found the main hotel grounds and pools very run down and uncleanly.
Merry McKenney — Google review
Great little hotel, we loved our stay and the hot springs were so relaxing. Only thing is that the place is definitely haunted. Me and my wife experienced things that we couldn’t explain, but after some research we realized that was previously a sanatorium and whatnot. Great place, kinda spooky. Loved our stay.
Levi Clark — Google review
I have never written a review in all my life. I'm not a review person. I spent so much money to give my family a fun Christmas experience.
Almost the whole town of Lava was not it.
From the grocery store, gas station, the restaurant we ate the day after Christmas, to Lava hot springs inn... Zero customer service. Which is odd because most of the revenue for the town is from the service industry.
I do recognize it was Christmas and that could be a source of frustration having to work a holiday. I made sure I was appreciative to everyone I had contact with until I was at my wits end with disrespectful people.
The contact I had with the front desk staff was disappointing. The customer service lacked in every way. The day of checkout I went in and asked for extra garbage bags so we could clean up after ourselves and dispose of our trash ourselves to help their staff.
I was met with an eye roll. She was so put out to have to go downstairs and get an extra garbage bag. I was bewildered that this was such an inconvenience to be asking for an extra garbage bag to clean up after ourselves and make it so their staff didn't have to clean up so much. The check in experience wasn't that great either.
We had a full kitchen as well, before we came we called to see what kind of kitchen ware was provided.. the staff member just said "I don’t know". I would have packed our food situation differently had I known what kind of cookware was provided.
We washed our dishes until we ran out of soap and paper towels. The amount of irritation she showed over having to get an extra trash bag I wasn't going to try to ask for extra soap and paper towels.
I'm respectful and an adult and feel like we should leave a space just as good or better than we found it.
I will most likely never go back to Lava hot springs town.
The actual Lava hot springs facility was wonderful if you just go for a day and visit the actual Lava Hot springs and leave I recommend it. If you are staying the night, I'd think twice or at least don't stay at Lava hot springs inn.
The ladies working the front desk at the Lava hot springs resort were so kind, fun, funny and patient. I would give them 5 stars.
The experience of being in the town was not great. I will never stay at the Lava hot springs inn again.
This was my second time staying at lava hot springs inn for Christmas. The first time we stayed at Christmas was wonderful.
This time I cannot say the same. Disappointed we spent so much money staying at a place that didn't even seem to want us there instead of staying home and buying gifts. Wish I could have just bought my kids Christmas gifts or went somewhere else.
Lava Hot Springs Foundation World Famous Hot Springs
Nature & Parks
Garden
Natural hot springs offering several outdoor pools with different temperature levels, plus a shop.
Place was awesome, soaked for about an hour and 10 minutes. Payed $10 a person for unlimited time as long as we didn’t leave the pools.
Parking spot is right across the road and you just walk down to the pools pay for your entrance and time for a good soak.
Friendly staff, and very family friendly environment. Pools from warm to pretty hot. Highly recommend for the price.
Bb (bbinurmouthJr) — Google review
I went to this place 2 times in the last week on our family road trip. I found it very clean and well maintained with the amount of people that go through there. It has a ton of visitors each day I was there. We did bring 3 of our children and they all liked it as well. There are strict rules about splashing and actual swimming etc. Which I find nice for the atmosphere it's trying to breed. Would definitely suggest going there I'd you are able to.
Andrew Bartlett — Google review
This was a very fun hot springs to visit. There are multiple pools, each with a different degree in temperature. The price on the weekends is $12 for adults. The price during the week is $8 for adults. They have lockers, but unfortunately it costs 50¢ to actually lock. They have a change machine, so be sure to have some dollar bills handy otherwise you’ll have $4.50 in quarters. There are showers and a changing room for both genders. Parking is across the street or on the street. If you park on the street use your ebrake and turn your wheels to the curb. Overall, I do see me coming back, but during the week when it’s cheaper.
Ben M — Google review
This place was very wonderful.
The nice thing is they have pools with different temperature for 105 to 112 degrees F.
The have indoor and outdoor lockers the indoor lockers are smaller than the outdoor ones
The out door locker can fit a large gym bag the cost of the large locker is 1$ and the indoor locker is 50 cents.
Zoran Calic — Google review
Such good water! Love all the different pool temps. Great facilities. They use to have a swimsuit spinner dryer that was really cool. I think it was 10F degrees but the water was awesome. Highly recommended. Also this is a great town.
Dale Johnson — Google review
We had an amazing time at the Lava Hot Springs. My son really enjoys hot tubs and he said this was the perfect way to end our trip from Yellowstone and Grand Tetons on our way back to California.
We enjoyed the different pools with different temps ranging from 102 to 105, 106 to 110, and the 112 pool was incredibly hot we could only dip our toes in. We could definitely see the natural bubbling in the hotter pools.
Richard C — Google review
This place is fantastic. Strong recommend. Lava Hot Springs World Famous Hot Springs
Bubbling out of natural underground springs, the hot water is laden with minerals, but has no sulfur odor. Over 2.5 million gallons a day flow through the hot springs and are diverted into the Portneuf River keeping the springs ever changing and clean. The spring's temperatures range from approximately 102˚ F to 112˚ F degrees. Our hot pools have a snow melt system in the deck around them, a cold water deck shower and canopies to block the sun or rain.
Features
Open 363 Days A Year!
Pure all natural hot spring Mineral Water
No chemicals, no sulfur, no odor
Natural water temperature 102˚ F to 112˚ F
Five outdoor gravel or rock bottom pools
Dressing rooms, showers, restrooms and coin operated lockers
Warning - Use of the hot pools by children under two (2) years of age is not recommended. Water above 100 degrees may be harmful to infants. Consult your physician.
We are a nonsmoking, non-vaping facility
Gift Shop - souvenirs, coffee, drinks, ice cream and snacks
See our Sunken Gardens (free and open to the public) entrance located above the hot springs.
Chemical analysis of the mineral water
Alkalinity Carbonate as CO3...0mg/l
Alkalinity bicarbonate as HCO3....534 mg/l
Alkalinity Total as CaCO3...438mg/l
Potassium....52mg/l
Sodium....160mg/l
Iron.....<0.05 mg/l
Manganese....<0.02 mg/l
Nitrate and nitrite as N...0.31mg/l
Chloride...170mg/l
Fluoride....0.65mg/l
Sulfate....100mg/l
Calcium....98mg/l
Hardness as CaCo3...372mg/l
Magnesium....31mg/l
pH is about 5.2
VoltaAoMundo ThiagoBianco (VoltaAoMundo) — Google review
It's my first time going to a hot spring and I was surprised at how fun it was. The hotest pool was at 115 degrees, while the coolest one was at 105, it was nice with the weather being so cold to have the two temperature s balance out.
Loulou lee — Google review
This place is amazing! Best hot springs we've ever been to. They have bathrooms, showers and 5 different pools ranging from hottest to bath water. The water and the facilities are well maintained and the staff are friendly. Just bring and drink plenty of water. No other food or drinks are allowed.
T Gissy — Google review
Summer visit, amazing hot springs we visit at halfway between Yellowstone and SLC (3 hrs). Free Parking lot cross street, payment at entrance office Friday to Sunday is $12/pp, Monday to Thursday is $8. For a extra you can use the swimming pool. 5 pools with diferente temperatures 102-105, 105, 105-110, 110. Start with the coolest and soak for 10-15 minutes max per pool (my recommendation), restrooms, dressing rooms and 2-quarter lockers are available. Opens at 8am, we enter with 4-6 at that time on Friday.
Carlos Rodriguez — Google review
Beautiful, relaxing and clean place. They have pools at different temperatures, just be careful not to stay to long in the pools and stay hydrated.
The town is small, but quiet, relaxing and beautiful.
Javier Alvarez Gaona — Google review
It is so clear and clean with no Sulfur smell. From the hotest pool 112° to the coolest 103°, also with two tubs with jets it feels so good to sink down in the water to soak. The gardens are beautiful and very well maintained. The staff are so kind and helpful.
Paula Rowe — Google review
We found the hot springs very well organized and clearly labeled on water temps. The ramps into each pool allowed everyone in our group to adjust to water temps (toddler to senior). The 112F pool has the best shade on the grounds. After soaking we toured the secret garden. It seems to be the same property but only accessible from a path to the east and up the hill behind the historical sign. The garden was very serene and provided plenty of spots to sit and escape the heat. There's a small natural lava cave along the trail. About 2ft high, so be careful to watch your head when in and exciting.
David Johnson — Google review
I was just in Thermopolis so I figured I'd try the Hot Springs here too. There is a nominal entrance fee. Bathrooms, showers and lockers. Various pools at different temperatures. Most people were in the coolest of them which I believe is between 102°-105°. They go up to I think 116°. I felt a bit like Goldilocks finding out which one I liked best. I settled on the small pool at 105° and stayed there for 15-20 mins and then moved to the larger cooler pool for a few. Before I left I did dip in the hottest of the pools just for a couple minutes. Couldn't do that for too long. All felt very nice and relaxing though. Definitely worth it.
Roberta Peek — Google review
My family loves the atmosphere here. Very relaxing with varying pool temps from 102-112 degrees. Clean facilities and nice staff.
Meg — Google review
Awesome natural hot pools located off the beaten path know a tiny town. Clean locker rooms and pool decks along with multiple pools of varying Temps to let you find just the right setting for your desired heat level.
Scott Rounds — Google review
This hot spring is well maintained. There are multiple pools, most well shaded with awnings, with a variety of temperatures - clearly marked. There are good sized changing and showering areas. The employees are friendly and helpful. It was $10 with no reentry. We would return here.
Harper Voyages — Google review
Lava Hot Sprigs was awesome. Stopped here on our way to Yellowstone. Clean, well maintained facility. HOT HOT HOT! Definitely coming back!
Chris Jewell — Google review
The world famous Lava Hot Springs are worth the stop. The water feels amazing, the facility is clean, and the staff is extra helpful.
Jill — Google review
This is a place our family makes several trips to every year. The hot springs has been a fun tradition. This makes for a easy, laid back and relaxing vacation.
The reason for 2 star review is because the changes and rules over the past several years have gotten a little obnoxious and the cost for entry continues to increase. They are really strict about banning "outside drinks" including water. Today we waited in line while the staff searched every bag of every patron. Re-usable water bottles had to be dumped out prior to entry. It makes no sense.
In the past, your entry was valid all day, that is no longer the case. We used to soak a little in the morning, head out to hit one of the local restaurants, then return to soak in the evening. That's not an option anymore which makes enjoying the springs with hungry kids a lot harder than it used to be. The cost of entry for a family is high enough now that it would be hard to justify paying twice so you soak until the kids get hungry and leave. Maybe that's exactly what the owners want.
Ryan Tuttle — Google review
Visited on a Saturday. Was there from 6pm-8 pm and it was crowded. Two hours was more than enough for me. The pools have different temperatures. The lowest temperature was 102 degrees and it was perfect. Make sure you take plenty of water. I paid $12 and there was no time limit. Very clean facility with bathrooms and changing rooms. I’ve been to Crystal Hot Springs in Utah and have to say that Lava Hot Springs is better.
Jannette G — Google review
4.7
(5942)
•
4.5
(705)
430 Main St Ste.A, Lava Hot Springs, ID 83246, USA
Basic wood cabins with private bathrooms in a simple resort offering pools, casual dining & a spa.
We had a great time and enjoyed the value of their Baby It's Cold Outside special. I could smell the freshly baked cinnamon rolls from the parking lot! The delicious soup was homemade chicken noodle. The servers were friendly and made us feel welcome, as always. Of course we spent plenty of time soaking and relaxing. I just love this place.
Joyce Mcclure — Google review
Great soaking pools. Clean clear water. Many jets and seating all around. Great facilities. There is a restaurant upstairs that always seems to be attended. I would like to stay at the RV park sometime it sounds like a good time. They also have cabins, houses, yurts, and a schooner you could rent to stay in. Always have had great service from the staff here. Highly recommend.
Dale Johnson — Google review
Made a reservation ONLINE, bring your receipt! luckily I had a copy of the charge to my credit card, they had no record of our reservation. VERY tight spaces in some of the sites and looks like they are trying to utilize every inch for camping. Pool was not bad, crowded, the large slides had short lines, some of the lifeguards were nice and understood the green side down was a huge bummer and let the kids utilize the yellow side down (you'll understand if you go). By and large the crowd is a bit WT, nice neighbors but not afraid to start cocktail hour at 7 AM and drop F-Bombs.... and they had kids. If you go, highly recommend paying extra for the pull thru sites.
Scott Jones — Google review
We celebrated our sons 12th birthday and it was amazing! Friendly staff, clean adorable yurt and the soak pools were perfection. Thanks for exceeding our expectations.
Shasta Morris — Google review
My wife and I recently visited Downata for the first time. We specifically did the "steak and soak" which involved a ribeye dinner and a soak in the hot pools.
For starters, the staff was friendly and helpful throughout the experience, from making reservations earlier in the day, to the great service received during dinner.
The food was surprisingly good. From the bread, to the different butters, salad, perfectly-cooked steak, baked potato, chicken alfredo, and cheesecake; it was all fantastic and exceeded expectations.
The changing rooms were clean and well kept, and provided all the amenities needed. The soaking pools were warm but not uncomfortably so. We hadn't planned on staying in the pools for long, but we ended up spending the better part of 2 hours in them. There's no better way to enjoy hot pools than on a cold rainy/snowy night.
Overall a fantastic experience. We'll definitely be making it at least an annual date night. Highly recommended!
Mike Price — Google review
Pictures don't do justice. This is a great place to stay and have a family reunion or event. Fore pits, grills, wild animals out and about makes for a good outdoor experience. Deer, turkey ect. We had a good time. And they have good variety of housing options.
Shantel Bercume — Google review
The service of the staff was fantastic. Very accommodating, helpful and attentive. We stayed at the rv park and swam in the pools, played on the slides and ate at the Cafe. A great vacation for the three generations of us, ages 2-60. What fun.
James Hunter — Google review
This place is in the middle of nowhere. We camped in our RV. There is a cafe and the food looked acceptable. There are no official picnic grounds for day users- to push you towers their cafe. The pools and slides are great. The pools are NOT OPEN on Sundays
Chuck — Google review
I got to experience the best night ever! My mother and I went to the hot pools which was so peaceful. Then we went and ate at the restaurant, and we had the best service the man that was cooking tonight seriously made my night he was so kind and the food was so delicious I wish I would’ve gotten his name but he did great! 11/15/23
Cynthia Serrano — Google review
What a hidden gem! Our daughter told us about this hot springs and we decided to check it out and am sure glad we did. Nice facilities, wonderful pools and no crowds. Doesn't get much better than that!
Jeff S — Google review
Brian and his wife Trish were so helpful over the top helpful. The rest of the staff was ok, nothing special. However the camp hosts make up for everyone else we encountered. Stayed 1 night had dinner and soaked. The restaurant was decorated so cute for Halloween. Grounds were clean and hot springs well maintained. Dog friendly. Helpful hint if you like wine with dinner you can bring your own with you to be coarked must make dinner reservations by 2pm :) would come back.
Trisha Adams — Google review
We didnt get a room, We went for the "Steak and Soak" and it was fantastic. A ribeye steak, baked potato and the best vegetable stew I've ever had. The place is clean and well organized with a very helpful and friendly staff. The formal dining room is setup and decorated for couples to come in and have a fun, relaxing, intimate dinner. The hot pools are clean, new, well maintained places to just relax and soak in the hot springs water. 2 different pools are provided so you can choose hot or warm. The locker rooms are excellent. Clean organized and plenty of room.
We will definitely bring our kids and grandkids out and enjoy the summer activities. They have cabins to rent, yurts, travel trailer spots, tent spaces and even provide a cowboy sleep under the stars experience.
Cory Cash — Google review
Best hot springs around. They are rarely packed. Totally worth the extra drive time... Super kind and friendly staff and the restaurant is very very good. Teepees in the summer are a must. We love it there.
Kasey — Google review
The hot pool hours are much shorter than most places.
Do NOT plan any early mornings or after dark fun. Memorial Day weekend they opened at NOON (yes noon!) and closed at 8pm.
The room needed to be vacuumed. Lots of bugs.
We will not visit again!
Small cabins. How small? Very small for the price
Wood paneling, bed, TV, futon couch, microwave, shower, mini fridge and just enough room to move around.
No outside firewood allowed.
The restaurant was the best part and the only reason I added 1-star to make it a 2-star experience. The food was decent and staff were nice in the restaurant.
Our family ended up leaving an going to Lava Hot Springs for a much better experience.
** Response to their reply**
You can SAY different hours, but when you change them after people make reservations, people have trouble believing you. The hours are 8a-11p? That is great, except when you change them at the last moment to 10a-8p on a Holiday weekend.
Scabbers Adonys — Google review
Our nearest bathrooms with showers didn’t have water heaters that worked so no hot water . The pools were all separately billed. Seems everything had an add on or costly options. Felt like the cut rate service and run down accommodations were my last straw .
Diana Klosowska — Google review
We had so much fun with our family! We all rented little cabins and stayed over the weekend. The kids had a blast and even my little 3 year old rode the huge hill slides about a hundred times! Lol! Our cabin was well stocked and fit us great! We always have a good time coming here and battling on the volleyball courts! I also absolutely love that they let you bring snacks into the pool because a bunch of us in our group eat very specific. The kids and husband still went to the restaurant and got lots of yummy food and shakes but I love that we have the option! We will be back!
Mckayleigh Hansen — Google review
I really liked the water park itself. It is charming, and the larger rides are decent. The staff are very accommodating.
If you're staying in the Bunk House, we did notice a lot of flies and mosquitos. It is next to a barn, so perhaps that explains it, but wish they would spray a little bit to keep the airborne pests down.
Nathan Ruben — Google review
Hadn't been in a LONG time. It was nice. The food was OK, and the hot pool was just right.
Starting spot for a popular 1.8-mi. hike up to a dramatic viewpoint with arched rock formations.
Easy smooth trail to follow. The only challenge was the elevation gain. Otherwise it was nice and easy. Unfortunately we went on a weekend so it was a bit crowded…as expected. Not terrible but I’m certain it would be really nice on a weekday. Worth the short hike. Interest view and caves for your effort. Recommend.
Jack Rondini — Google review
Super awesome hike, about 2 miles each direction and is pretty steep on the way up. Beautiful views along the entire hike and especially at the end when you reach the cave. We went at about 9 am and got done around 10:45 because we spent a lot of time up top. Beautiful view and beautiful weather today, make sure you bring some water!
Owen Heap — Google review
This hike is very nice, the trail was challenging at some points, and cave at the top have a great view of the valley. Got there around 7:30 am and there was plenty of parking. However, on the way down, we encountered a fairly steady stream of folks around 9am and parking was filling up. Enjoy!
Jed Johnson — Google review
Excellent hike in the east mountains not fair from Logan. The hike is decent and contains excellent views throughout the journey with the caves at the end worth the hike
Luke Freeman — Google review
This hike is awesome. I have gone during multiple seasons and every time it has been good. It is very peaceful and not busy at all. It's right off the highway and easy to pull into.
Paxton Ward — Google review
A pretty steep hike in certain parts but shouldn’t take more than 2 hours roundtrip. The elevation gain can be a lot, so make sure to take stops to breathe and bring water! Way easy on the way back. Beautiful caves!
Emma Curtis — Google review
I'm new to hiking and I would recommend this trail for beginner I think. I did fell down coming down (embarass). Other than that advise trail can be muddy/slushy due to snow and rain. But hey FTW I did enjoy it.
Dong Ly — Google review
Gorgeous hike and the destination is worth the elevation gain. If traveling with young kids the plan for lots of breaks and try to go in the morning before the hot afternoon sun. Bring a lot of water and keep an eye out for snakes. We saw a fairly large one on the trail
Bruce Williams — Google review
Wonderful, wonderful hike!!!
Not easy, but totally do-able for anyone! Inclines and switch backs, but with time & water you'll do just fine. Super cool views up top. The cave goes under the look out, and around the side. Worth all the exploring! AllTrails has wonderful tracking if needed, but trail is worn in wonderfully.
C Price — Google review
Beautiful hike up to the wind caves. It was fairly moderate terrain as it was quite a steep climb most of the way. Little to know shade during the day time, but the views are definitely worth the trek!
Elizabeth Diane — Google review
Great hike! Wow! I took my nephews who ranged in age from 9 to 16 and they did great. Bring plenty of water (summer time) and snacks to keep the younger ones energized. The first 1/4 was easy, the middle half was a little steep at points with switchbacks all the way up but the last 1/4 was easy. Amazing views of the canyon, very very pretty! I loved this hike and will be doing it again on our next visit. Be careful with kids at the cave though. There's a drop off on the east side that I would caution parents on.
Dan Larsen — Google review
Great family hike! Moderate exertion. About 4 miles round trip. Note use restrooms somewhere in Logan before the hike as there are no facilities near parking or anywhere along the trail. Bring plenty of water.
Daniel Gladstone — Google review
This was my 4th time up, June 17th. Temps in the high 70s perfect weather light wind. Takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours based on your hiking skills. I am 56 and it took about 1 hour but we went slow with our dog. One of the most magical spot around for sure. Trail is rough so really should have good hiking footwear.
Steve Oberaigner — Google review
Beautiful caves! The hike was more on the difficult side with lots of people on the trail. Could be a little dangerous for kids, just use caution. There were lots of drop off points, especially at the cave.
Set at the mouth of a canyon, this scenic 1888 research university is near trails & climbing routes.
Aggies! A beautiful campus tucked up in the mountains. There are trees everywhere and open fields to play sports or lounge around on a nice warm day. There are a lot of events going on campus wide to keep you busy. What is really great is how the entire community rallies around the university. It is a very unique dynamic and very very fun!
Christopher Williams — Google review
I would strongly recommend against going here. Utah is a place full of bigots, conservatives , and Mormons. If you don’t fit that mold, you will be excluded. and receive hate and judgment.
Taylor Malia Morgan — Google review
Displeased USU Visitor
My recent experience with USU (assuming you are referring to a university or institution with that acronym) left me feeling incredibly frustrated and dissatisfied. One of the most significant issues that marred my experience was the rampant over-ticketing problem.
Over-ticketing at USU has become a serious concern, and it has undoubtedly soured my perception of the institution. It seems as though the primary focus has shifted away from providing a conducive learning environment and towards extracting revenue from its students and visitors through excessive ticketing.
The frequency with which I witnessed students and visitors receiving unwarranted tickets was alarming. Whether it was for minor parking infractions, perceived rule violations, or even issues that should have been handled through communication and warnings, it appeared that the institution was more interested in punishing individuals than in fostering a positive and supportive atmosphere.
Furthermore, the fines associated with these tickets often felt disproportionately high, placing an undue financial burden on students and visitors who are already struggling with the cost of education and daily living expenses. It's disheartening to see an institution prioritize revenue generation over the well-being and financial stability of its constituents.
The over-ticketing issue not only creates a hostile atmosphere but also undermines the trust and respect that students and visitors should have for their educational institution. It fosters an environment where individuals are constantly on edge, fearing that even the slightest misstep will result in another unwarranted ticket.
In conclusion, my experience with USU has been marred by the issue of over-ticketing, which has led me to question the institution's priorities and commitment to the well-being of its students and visitors. It is my hope that USU will reevaluate its approach to disciplinary measures and consider more reasonable and fair ways to address rule violations without resorting to excessive ticketing.
Henry Stutman — Google review
I'm just about to graduate with a Master's Degree and have loved my entire experience here. Awesome new buildings, cool old buildings, great professors, and great students who make for great campus life. And you can't leave out the superb outdoor recreation available all around. The PE classes are a blast! To anybody coming to USU I highly suggest taking up rock climbing, mountain biking, trail running, and skiing/snowboarding. There's even a new ski resort opening up that is only 19 minutes away. They just opened up the ARC (Aggie Recreation Center) and my wife and I love the rock climbing and everything else that is available in there. Complete party, great place to learn to become a learner, fun professors, useful clubs and student organizations, all around great place to get your degree or degrees.
Jeff Fielding — Google review
Completely upset by the cost of online and zoomed in classes. Why do students live on campus, go to class in a classroom on campus where the teacher is zoomed in. The lack of support for the students to learn in a classroom setting is disappointing. Do you really want future doctors to be online students?
Missy Collard — Google review
Going to school here is great! There is tons to do really close to campus. The town is small, but very diverse classes are not too big when getting into your major. Online program is wonderful!
Miriah Wixom — Google review
My girlfriends going to college here, I’m excited for her and it seems like a great school so yea yeehaw!!!
Link N — Google review
I have been placed here twice one after my mission then I went to ISU for my associates degree, and after for finishing up my Bachelor's.
Bryon Gundersen — Google review
Love this university. Visiting from Salt Lake. We are Utah fans. Had a great time at the game! Good clean fun! Great, great fans!! Great team, the Aggies! Thank you, Jake Peterson and family, for good food and fun!!
Diane Henson — Google review
This university has a beatiful campus. I recently completed my first year here and it is great for anyone look for a great college campus experience while also having great academic opportunities.
Luke Capener — Google review
I love USU! So many amazing professors and people! They really care about students’ success and making sure that they have housing. I couldn’t have found this much happiness and knowledge anywhere else!
Rachel Clement — Google review
A Pow Wow was hosted here on Saturday. It was nice.
Master Shaheen — Google review
They have some of the best icreem as well as some of the best food. The proferos care about the students.
Gcnfx Vvnfxc — Google review
It’s always such a treat taking a stroll through this gorgeous campus! They even have a large American persimmon tree; it’s located on the west side by the visitor information center!
Compact spot for animal spotting features one of the largest collections of birds in the region.
📅 Date of Visit: 5/1/2021
💬 OVERVIEW - 4.50
This was a fun place to go for a little family outing. As we were visiting from out of town, our friends invited us to come along. It was a good way to kill around an hour.
🗺️ LOCATION - 5
Zootah is found tucked in the back streets of Logan there on 700 South. I'm sure with the use of a GPS or Google Maps you should be able to find it rather easily.
💲 PRICE - N/A
Our friends insisted on paying, so I'm not sure the price, but I would assume it isn't outlandish.
🐦 PRODUCTS/SERVICES - 4
Well in this case, the products would be the animals. It was fun to feed the ducks 🦆, which bombarded us as we entered. They only had one thing on their mind: food. While Zootah is a zoo, I'd guess about 80% of the attraction are primarily of the foul nature, so if you're looking for any other exotic animals outside of birds 🦢, you'll be severely disappointed. All the same it was fun enough.
📢 POINTERS/PERKS - N/A
You can purchase some bird food as you enter to feed the birds 🦅. The white bird 🦜, towards the gift shop will bop its head up and down if you do it, it is good at mimicry.
👩 EMPLOYEES - N/A
Didn't really see any employees nor interact with any so there's that...
Nate Somsen — Google review
Times visited: 2+
Honestly, this is one of Logan's best kept secrets... But it shouldn't be a secret! It might not have all the exotic animals you expect, but for the price of the tickets you can't complain! Under 10$ is a bargain. And that's not to mention you can pay meager little fees to get close and personal with some of the animals during their feeding time and it's an incredible experience. Fed the Lemurs this last weekend with my wife! But if that's not your speed you can get a cheap bag of duck food and those little critters will eat right out of your hand. Very cute!
As two adults, my wife and I can see all the animals, feed the ducks, and do an extra animal experience in about an hour and a half. You might get more time with some little ones or if it's your first time through. Either way, I can't help but recommend it! The staff are pleasant, the grounds are clean, and it's just a nice little thing you can do in the short space of an afternoon. Please go! And feed an animal up close too!
Brandon Evans — Google review
Whenever I go through Logan, I love stopping here. It’s a lovely small zoo so there aren’t big crowds, and the ducks there are very friendly! It’s always so relaxing to go and feed them. Also, the white parrot in the video will dance if you play it music. Super fun!
Markus Yamamoto — Google review
As I understand, the cost increased this year from $5 to $6. You will get to see a variety of animals, however mostly birds of many varieties. For another $1 you can get a bag of food to feed the numerous free-roaming ducks and geese. It's a great way to spend about hour, or more if you'd like. We were able to pet a couple small animals and hang out with goats and a sheep. (Maybe check the schedule for the times for this.) I'm from out of state but my daughter comes here several times a year. This was my second visit.
Deanna Reisman — Google review
Love the low cost of tickets. Seems like they need some updates enclosures and more variety of animals, but the area is beautiful. Always a good place to go for a relaxing day with the family or date or group. Staff was very helpful at getting my elderly parents wheelchairs so we could navigate them easily through.
Cam N530 — Google review
Such a cute little zoo. Since it was so cold having a short and interesting walk though the Christmas lights while seeing the animals was definitely enjoyable. To my great surprise the staff encouraged guests to feed the goats, sheep and reindeer. Even for an adult a great fun thing to do.
Christa Jones — Google review
This little zoo is perfect for what it is. It’s a nice place to take a walk feed the ducks, and just enjoy the outdoors. Also the black swan swam right up to us and it was the most majestic experience I’ve had with such a beautiful animal.
Chris Benham — Google review
Large, open paths and sitting areas. Lots of birds and turtles to see and a few other types of animals. Decent prices for a short visit. It was fun for young children while visiting the Logan area.
Jessica Thornton — Google review
What a great neighborhood zoo!! It’s small, but mighty in character! Make sure you buy the duck food, if you go!! This is such a Logan treasure!
Bonnie Kelly — Google review
It's always so fun going to Zootah! My kids and I both love it. We go here multiple times a year. We went when the Family Place was there- it was a free zoo day to spread awareness for mental health!
Brooklyn Hill — Google review
My kids loved it. Well kept, everyone was super nice. Thank you so much!!!!!
Adriel Hanson — Google review
Had a family drive to Logan and discovered the zoo. Great smaller place to have family fun day without having to plan a whole day. Staff were super awesome. The animals were all out. Got to feed the ducks. Petting zoo was fun. We had a blast.
Amanda Guzman — Google review
Awesome small local zoo. We haven't been here for a couple years. It is fun to see the updates. We enjoyed going in the morning seemed like all the animals we active and excited. It is nice to have thw additional activity options.
B.D. F. — Google review
Cute little zoo! Worth the stop.
I hadn’t been here for 15+ years and it had certainly improved!
We came in a very cold and snowy April. Tickets were less than posted online - which I appreciated since the reptiles, birds, and monkeys were inside for the season.
There was still enough to see and it was fun to feed the ducks.
The baby goats were out to be socialized and the staff member with them was happy to answer questions.
Cute little gift shop with exceptionally friendly staff.
Adelle Curtis — Google review
Perfect little zoo! My boys loved feeding the ducks running around the whole park. We enjoyed seeing all the animals out and about checking us out while we checked them out. I would recommend if you have kids and about an hour to spare in your travels, this is place not to miss.
Matthew Kaldor — Google review
Great little zoo. They have lots of events throughout the year. We love sll the neat animals and the great knowledgeable staff!
Site of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, this park features working steam trains.
At the gift house and visitor center everyone was so friendly. There was a 20 min video about the two rails coming together. There was so much fun stuff for all ages. If your going to fallow the rail track road trail make sure you have a couple of days to see everything
Jamie Webb — Google review
We have stopped here before a long time ago and thought we would go again. It is definitely worth the drive out to visit. We went with family and had a great time. There are 2 auto tours you can go on as well as a hike at the Big Fill. There is a video that really is a must see. The staff is so friendly and helpful. We loved when they brought out the Jupiter and the 119. The reenactment was wonderful. If you are passing through the area, it is definitely worth the visit.
Donna Smith — Google review
It was great to see a place that I referred from high school American History. I appreciate that the immigrant workers were celebrated, years after their erasure from the original telling of history. The rain that I didn't give 5 stars is because the various markers and places of interest were a bit disjointed, even with the vet helpful guide. The rangers are great and the air conditioning in the main building was very welcome.
Carol Tran Slawson — Google review
The drive to the Golden Spike in Promontory, UT is well worth the visit! The museum has a 20 minute movie that runs every half hour which allows for time to join the reenactment outside! The steam engines were amazing to see in action and the history of the Golden Spike is easy to follow along. A must see!
Brandi S. — Google review
This is a neat piece of history, preserved by the National Parks Service. The staff are friendly and informative. For a weekend day where I didn't want to drive the 4+ hours to other national parks, I'm glad I visited the Golden Spike.
I visited during their winter month schedule. This means their replica engines are in storage and go through periodic maintenance. But this also means a park ranger gives more detailed info and background on the engines (replicas and originals), including a demo of the bell, in this instance. There are only 3 of these opportunities each day during this part of the year, 10:30-11, 1-1:30 and 3-3:30, so time your visit accordingly.
I recommend a visit here, then on your way back to Layton/Ogden/Salt Lake City, visit the Big Fill Trail where they have markers with audio guide messages, and Northrop Grumman's rocket garden.
Kevin Lemen — Google review
We took our two year old son and let him do the Junior Ranger program. A lot of fun! If interested just ask the ranger at the visitor center and they will help you out.
The ranger was awesome and the visitor center is small and nice. A lot of interesting history to learn out here.
Doing the trip in the winter really shortens the list of things to do here, but there is no crowd midday Friday! (Not sure there is too much of a crowd any day…)
Definitely worth the trip! Don’t forget to check out the engine house!
David Kopp — Google review
Must see site for train nerds! Totally worth the 30 mile drive from I-15. We spent three hours here and thankfully got to watch the reenactment with the two replica trains. Fun for every age. The rangers were informative, funny, and helpful. You can tell they enjoy they're jobs. One of the firemen is a local and said this is his dream job. Take a lunch for food, but there is a water fountain and real restrooms.
Jesse Yates — Google review
The trains were very well taken care of ,very cool to see them coming out of engine houses. The Rangers and staff are very knowledgeable, the train operators are patient and tell you anything you want to know about those engines. Only wish they had more stuff to look at. It is worth the trip out to see the history and all it took to make this country to what it is today.
Gaylin Gabbitas — Google review
This is an excellent museum with the original steam engines from the Pacific Railroad and the Central Railroad. This site is the actual location where the 2 railroads actually met and they connected the rails with a golden spike. That golden spike has since been removed and donated to Stanford University. However the original steam engines are there along with a wonderful museum that displays much history and many artifacts. There is also a nice gift shop. This place is a gem.
Sharon Doyle — Google review
We really enjoyed this! Really awesome ranger too! We loved her passion for the area and her knowledge made this particular experience even better
Jennifer Ann Hoff-Schillaci — Google review
Great visit for those who are fans of Hell on Wheels. The Golden Spike isn't actually here.
Michael Williams — Google review
A really Cool museum for fans of the railroad. This is where east and west net and a golden spike was driven into the ground to mark the occasion. Wonderful visitors center full of background on the workers and they have two amazing train replicas that spew black smoke and steam towards one another to meet! Really cool for the kids to see. For sure worth a visit on your way to Spiral Jetty.
andrew house — Google review
First of all, it's a bit expensive for one person just to drop in - $20 per car. Great for a family! Not so much for me. But I lucked out and got to see a second beautifully restored locomotive join the first one nose-to-nose in a ranger presentation. They really are beautiful. Don't miss the movie in the theater, it's pretty moving. There is a small room of exhibits, but make sure to do the nearby walking trails and audio driving tours to get your money's worth.
Sara Beth Wade — Google review
Nice drive to a beautiful visitors center. The displays are excellent and informative. They run the two stream trains for a 45 min show, just don’t stand downwind of the coal fired “Rogers” engine for obvious reasons.
G Marshall — Google review
Off the beaten path, this historic site pays homage to one of the more important historical events in the development of modern US as the connection of Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways joined together. The working train replicas really are worth seeing and hearing. Hearing from the park rangers and conductors provides fascinating insights to the past and the events leading up to the railway’s development.
Although a few miles off the highway, this historic site is “one of a kind” and provides great insight into the efforts required to build these two railways and the motivations behind them. The impacted Indian nations are depicted and information is provided to better understand where the railroads crossed many native Tribal lands.
B Patterson — Google review
Had this stop on my list for a while. Enjoyed watching the 20 minute show and looking around at all the historical sights. We also got to learn more about the locomotives used during that era and seeing two of them in the shop. We got to drive the actual path the tracks were laid on.
Marc Shoemaker — Google review
Worth the drive! (Also check out the Spiral Jetty and ATK Rocket Park while you are out there)
Very cool to be there right at 10:00am and 10:30am when the two trains come into the station.
Our Ranger Diana was so knowledgeable and so helpful. She answered all of our questions and shared the great history of the railroad and the meeting of the railroads at Promontory Point.
The train engineers were also very friendly and even posed for a photo.
Our kiddos have been learning about Utah state history in school, and visiting the park helped bring the history to life!
Jill Lalliss — Google review
There's not a lot there but it was fun to visit! The visitor's center is tiny, but we enjoyed the video presentation/historical information and gift shop. The site is dog friendly, which we appreciated, but only serve animals are allowed in the building.
Laura Watkins (House of Geekiness) — Google review
What a fun experience for the history and train lovers out there! We spent a couple of hours here watching the trains come in, exploring the
Museum, and watching the costumed reenactment. We loved it!
The only issue we saw was that it was sometimes it was difficult to hear the actors during the reenactment, because of where the speakers were and the wind level that day.
Winter Redd — Google review
Eh..... the kids had just learned about it in school so we stopped and paid the $20. It was fine. The spiral Jetty was fun for a bit but I won't be going back anytime soon.
This place was amazing. The springs, themselves, were magical. The facilities at this mineral hot springs could use a little updating. The changing rooms should be clearly defined, as they are close to each other by one wall, and if you are not a local, you can find yourself seeing some human anatomy, you were not prepared to see. The spring itself has several pools of varying temperatures. The largest water holding area is very hot, with the other pools declining in heat, yet hot. Trickles of cold mineral water will refresh you in one area. There is a comfortable cave area. The water is so mineral rich that your body can float effortlessly in any pool. You can pay for the experience daily or purchase a year pass.
Susan Abbott — Google review
$16 each to get in and spent 3.5 hours there. Worth it. They have multiple pools and got tubs with varying temperatures. Chairs available to lay out in to cool off. Drinks and snacks available for purchase. Didn't use the pool because it was closed until 4. Changing stalls, showers, and lockers are available.
Heather powell — Google review
So much fun! Each pool is a different temp ranging from cool to hot! Really a fun experience!! We really enjoyed being in a heated pool with the snowcapped mountains in the background! We went on a Friday in March around 12pm, not busy at all. The water slides didn’t open until 4p so we missed playing on those! Lots of parking! Highly recommend!
Kristin Maynes — Google review
The Crystal Hot springs are awesome! I’ve only been here twice, but I’ve enjoyed it so much both times! The slide pass is two dollars more, but it’s definitely worth it! The slides are long and a lot of fun! The variety of pools is fantastic- if you’re feeling too hot, there are a variety of pools that are cooler to allow you to cool down. My one complaint would be that there’s not a lot of shade available in the pool, but it’s hardly a complaint because the pools are so much fun that you don’t notice the lack of shade. The facilities are very nice, and they have individual changing rooms as well as family changing rooms. As a whole, I would definitely say that it is worth a visit!
Zack Smith (PresidentSparky) — Google review
The only reason why I gave this place 4 stars is everything needs updating. It all looks old and outdated, which did not help with the environment. The pools needing cleaning as well. The water was great, the slides were a fun touch (but still need updating), and the pools for sure need cleaning. Was it worth the $20 per person? For my first visit, yes. Would I come back in the next 10 years? Not at that price. If it was less expensive I would make the trek up there more often. Also, why is there no umbrella’s for people? Most water places have umbrella’s included. This place did not, which caused me to not stay as long for fear of getting sunburned. That could be an immediate fix that many people would appreciate.
Brandon Patterson — Google review
What a fun little place. Tons of different pools with different temperatures, lots of places to lay out, and plenty of storage. I do wish I brought some bottled waters with me to the pool. They have some for purchase at the front desk but hard to get to if you are already in the water. My two young daughters had a great time.
Tyler — Google review
My favorite! The Crystal Hot Springs are one of my favorites, they not only have many different pools that accompany many different ages and water temperatures but also have 2 water slides and a cave. I would recommend no reservations, bringing snacks and water. There are changing rooms, bathrooms and showers inside. Outside there are shelves to put items. Kids are allowed, no life jackets available. We were able to catch a beautiful sunset, water in some places run very hot at 100+
Lissycho Webber — Google review
Great place to soak and relax, especially around sunset.
We walked in, paid the fee, changed and quickly walked to a pool. The 1st pool wasn't to hot, it was deeper than the one with the water fall... waterfall pool was warmer by just as relaxing.
There are slides that you can go on, for an additional fee, looks fun but we were there for the springs.
They have bathrooms and changing stalls. If I'd have known how hard it is to put your clothes back on.... I'm bringing a robe and slippah next time 😁
Mahealani C. — Google review
What a fun place. They tout the highest mineral content of any hot springs. They have various different temperatures in each pool. They even have a cold pool. If you go on the waterslides, the one on the left is much better.
Curtis J Morley — Google review
I have been coming here for over 30 years. We love it here. It has a pool for everyone.
The main pool is way relaxing. It has three waterfalls. They change the temperature to keep it warm all year long.
They have three smaller pools that are usually for people who love it hot. They are perfect for a snowy, rainy day.
They have a cold pool that my kids won't leave. The temperature is still manageable even in winter.
They have a shallow mineral pool for kids and an Olympic pool. It's epic.
Off The Beaten Path Adventures and Travel (Adventures) — Google review
Fun place! The water slides made the experience. They were so long and surprisingly fast, and we hardly ever waited longer than 2 minutes even though it seemed very busy during spring break! Some specific areas of pools (with fountains or waterfalls) are extremely hot, while others are just really comfortable.
Brittany Howell — Google review
I didn't take pictures of the pools since they are available on the website. There was no line, and there was plenty of space on the weekend. That being said, just like any hot spring, there are weekends busier than others. There are two small hot pools and several warm pools. I recommend the waterfall to massage the shoulders and back. This is a hot spring with high mineral content, so be prepared for the minerals. They can burn the eye. The restroom facilities and changing room are a bit worn down. The price is $18 with no slide pass. The pool water is clean and is cleaned out and emptied every day. Overall, a great spot to visit.
Esli Morales — Google review
It was fun! Went there without the kids to see how it has changed since I was there 7 years ago. There are a lot of pools with various temps. It is a well managed facility. It's a nice place to chill. Slides can get kind of crazy and weren't our favorite. They have plowed over the campground and will be adding more pools. We went just after it opened at 12:30 and there were hardly any people there. Around 3pm more people started showing up and we left. It was a fun time and we will be back with the kids.
Update: We came back with the kids and it wasn't as fun. The Olympic pool was closed because there were no lifeguards available because of school YET there were no lifeguards out there at all and people were in the other pools. Have the front counter people take turns watching the pools and put up a sign "When Lifeguards are not on duty, swim at your own risk." Paying over 50 bucks and we missed out on the largest pool and the best one for kids. Doesn't make sense. There were also a lot of nasty bugs floating in the pool. Come hungry and leave full after consuming them. Disappointed 😔
John Burgoyne — Google review
Great place to soak! Mineral contents are high. There are several different pools and temperatures to enjoy. It's a great family environment. They have a couple of waterslides that the kids really enjoy. The entrance fee is very fair also.
Wendi Olsen — Google review
We stopped on our way and spent almost two hours in the pools and under waterfalls. The facility is generously large, very functional, but no luxury. Rocks and concrete and genuine deep springs water. The chage roooms, the showers, the locker system - everything is very efficient and comfortably, but no typical spa fluff. We liked it a lot and recommend it strongly.
Kosta Milojevic — Google review
I have been coming here for years!!! It has been awesome to see its evolution to what it is now. The springs are a must visit. I highly recommend as it is a great place for a date or a family outing. It is relaxing and all their facilities are accessible. It’s great for kids and adult alike. The slide is fun. The staff are nice. I definitely will be back. You should go for sure.
Carlos Francisco Rivera — Google review
This was super enjoyable. The atmosphere was peaceful even though there were a lot of people there. I would definitely recommend taking a trip if you enjoy hot springs.
Chesha Bills — Google review
We went on a Friday about an hour after they opened. It wasn't crowded at all (about 30 people). We had minimal contact with the employees, but when we did interact with them they were pleasant. The changing rooms and showers are fairly standard so not much to say about that. I do wish there was maybe some music or something in the pool area, we ended up accidentally listening to everyone else's conversations when we were not speaking to the people in our group
A Mason — Google review
Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville, Utah, has year round, outdoor mineral hot springs in 4 different large pools. All pools range in temperature. There are also 3 hot tubs and water slides.
Pricing is $18 per person, regardless of age and $2.00 more for the water slides. This seems very steep for the rundown Springs.
There are generally a lot of kids during the day, but this evening there were many High
Crystal Hot Springs has seen better days. Some of the pools need maintenance such as patching and/or repainting. The locker rooms need attention asap! The shower curtains have pinkish grimy mildew on them and need replaced. The dressing room curtains are not wide enough to cover side to side. You always have at least one side open a couple of inches and they offer little privacy.
They do sell snacks, drinks, toiletries and T-shirts. However, they are pricey. (They have a separate camping area next door.)
The pools do help with achy muscles and the minerals have healing properties.
I have been going to the Springs for years, and I will probably go back for the mineral benefits but my expectations are considerably lower than they once were.
This bird refuge & marsh area offers a 12-mile auto tour, fishing, hunting & wildlife viewing.
We have been here before and did the drive through the refuge; so wish we had had the time on this trip because it was the height of bird migration and we would have seen a lot of different birds. The staff was very informative. Hope to come again this time of year to do the drive. The indoor display of birds and sounds is very well done and educational. There was construction going on in the back of the building, with new landscaping, benches, and native plants that looks like will be used for educational purposes. It will be interesting to see it the next time we are in the area.
Sally Maloy — Google review
Incredible!! This place blew my mind d. It was like a bird safari. I saw 22 different species during the auto tour!
The visitors center is very nice. There are a few different y walks from there, but we didn’t see any thing until we drove to the actual refuge.
We missed the swans but saw so much. I want to go back a different time of year and see what else we can find.
Blake Baker — Google review
Great place to see Bald Eagles and Herons. The trip from Salt Lake City is a little long, but with coffee and good company you are there it seems in no time.
If you go during the winter months, beware! The road around the refuge us a mix of CLAY, GRAVEL, DIRT AND SAND. Your car/SUV will get extremely dirty. Do not wait days to wash it. It won't cone of once it's solid. Use a high powered sprayer to get into every nook and cranny of your cars underside, especially the wheelhousing. I waited a week and it took 2 hours and 30 dollars to get my Tahoe looking new again.
Rob Court — Google review
Awesome place. The visitors center was open and we enjoyed all the displays and information. The kids had a great time doing the Jr Ranger Activity Book along the trail. That kept them busy for at least an hour. Nice paved trail with benches along the way. There was no shade so I would recommend a hat and glasses. We didn’t have time to drive around the rest of the refuge.
Jannette G — Google review
Had a beautiful morning photographing bird are the refuge! The walking trails by the nature center were okay. The best sightings are out on the auto tour trail
Hawkin Saeger — Google review
Sometimes we cannot appreciate the simple things in nature. If you really want to be in touch with nature and experience some of the wild, you don't need to go to the jungle. In this place, you will enjoy spectacular sunsets, the singing of birds, the sudden fright of many that take flight, the bites of wild sandpipers, days full of fog in winter, the nostalgia of a lake that threatens to disappear. and a river that gives life to the mangroves that provide food and life to thousands of birds and aquatic species. I recommend it 200%. A paradicical wildlife place that we have included in our photographic project, from Ana's CameraWork.
Ana Steinbach — Google review
Excellent place, huge collection of birds , all viewable from a driving tour. Recon on 2-3 hours to drive the full circuit.
Bob Hill — Google review
We went on Annual Swan Day a few weekends ago. Sadly, still too cold here to see the swans. (They say they were easily seen down at Farmington Bay.)
Plenty of activities for the kids, a nice gift/book shop, even featuring local photographers work.
They have a nice exhibit hall to help you learn more about the area.
Kids earned the FREE Junior Ranger pin. They provide you with a booklet, pencil and light green backpack full of gear to adventure with as you complete activities in the booklet.
Recent snowmelt made it hard to do much of the paved trail as some family members didn't have proper shoes.
I'd love to come back in May when things have warmed and greened up a bit more.
Karen Duvall — Google review
South end is open for hunting access through Perry. There is a launch made of concrete. Parking for 8 trucks with trailers. No restrooms at the area so go before you come out. If you use the launch be careful as you pass others in the canal. Clean up after your self and be prepared to be checked by federal fish and game at this location when coming back in.
The hunting proclamation is pasted and pamphlets are available on like r at the launch. Please follow all rules and guidelines as you enter the wetlands.
Alan R — Google review
My wife and I travel there often. It never disappoints. Today, for instance, we made the 1.5 hour drive to see some reported bald eagles. We made the loop, stopping frequently and driving an average speed of 7 mph. We didn't see any bald eagles. We did see harrier after harrier, many of which were gray ghosts. So much beauty in every direction.
Joseph hpesoJ — Google review
The visitors center is a pleasant surprise full of beautiful interactive displays. You’ll learn a lot about the Great Salt Lake and the refuge and the role each plays in the ecosystem. Wish it was opened till 5pm or 6pm. It’s hard to get there before it closes.
Mark Primosch — Google review
Beautiful scenery and wildlife. So peaceful and amazing, to go on the auto tour. We had so much fun and no trouble seeing a variety of birds, dragonflies, butterflies and fish.
Julianne Larsen — Google review
Update February 2023: Interesting and educational James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center. Unfortunately, we didn't see any bald eagles while driving the loop although others have spotted a few.
Previous year: Binoculars are essential. On the way to the loop you may see a bald eagle on a post so look around as you drive there. We saw two single ones, two groups of two, one group of five that would have made a great photo, many farther away.
Jeanette Rodgers — Google review
Me and my family LOVE the Bird Refuge! All year round there are different things to see! There are times where you don't get to see much wildlife. But the scenery is beautiful to drive through still to some! Bring a camera if you are interested in photography of birds at all! Probably a lense that zooms pretty far too if your extremely serious about taking pictures! Not exactly completely kid friendly as it is basically a drive through and observe the animals you may see! Dirt roads so in the wetter/colder seasons its a bumpy holey journey! I think it's great still though! :)
The Spiral Jetty, a remarkable piece of art, was crafted by Robert Smithson in 1970. This unique installation is made up of earth and rock that stretches for 1500ft and spirals into the Great Salt Lake. Although it can be challenging to locate, visitors can obtain directions from Box Elder County Tourism.
This is a great place to visit. They have limited gas/was services in the area so e sure to fill up before entering the area. Sunset and sunrise have killer views! The water is quite a ways away from the jetty at this point but it is a fun walk to it.
The road is now a really nice gravel road. I included a picture of the roughest bit of road that I ran into on the way, which isn't much. It does have a few cattle guard grates along the way to go slow on but otherwise it's good to go. The road goes through an active cattle farm. I got to see some adorable tiny calves on my drive to and from the spiral.
The jetty isn't handicapped accessible but you can get to the parking lot that overlooks it. The parking lot is a great view from above.
Amythest Warrington — Google review
This place is truly magical. There is a long stretch of dirt road that in some places is a little bumpy but overall it is absolutely worth it to get to the spiral jetty. Right now the water is very pink and so beautiful at sunset. If you plan on getting in the water I would definitely pack some water shoes because the ground is very hard due to all the salt. This is definitely an adventure you will want to plan at least a couple of hours to complete because once you get out there you definitely do not want to leave.
Kaydee Driggs — Google review
Horizon was pink from the salty lake, pink lake, foam traveling across the sand like tumble weeds. It was quite a drive to get there but very quiet and relaxing place to be. Bring your dogs!
Moxxi Foxxi — Google review
Even with as good as some of my photos turned out, they don't do the beauty of this location justice. You have to see it with your own eyes for it to be believed.
If you're looking for a place to do a photo shoot or to do some sort of professional photography, this is probably one of the most unique and attractive places I've had the pleasure of seeing.
On top of that, the sense of wonder which comes from standing on the salt flats and just taking in the scale and wonder behind how nature and geology crafted such a place is humbling.
You'll likely not have cell service here.
Johnny Dibert — Google review
Worth the drive out. This place is amazing. Read all about it on the Google before you go and get in a car and go. Impressive piece of art in the salt lake. Built in one year and still there to this day, my mind is blown on the scale of it all. There is a parking lot at the top and you walk down a small trail to get out to it. When I was there the lake was way out but I have read that sometimes it is covered. RV accessible but you gotta go real slow. Heavy gravel roads most of the way there.
andrew house — Google review
Great spot to see something different and experience the great Salt Lake. Stop by the Golden spike while you're on your way. Road has been much improved in the last few years. Any car should make it if you drive normal.
Kevin Wood — Google review
What a wonderful journey out to the Spiral Jetty. I stopped for some great food and friendly service at Golden Spike Burgers before starting down the rocky road. Make sure to download the map offline so you can get back when your cell service disappears. The Spiral Jetty can be seen from space, and also boasts beautiful pink waters from the Great Salt Lake. There is a fun little walk up the hill once you arrive at the Jetty to get a better view. There is nothing out there, so make sure to bring extra water, fill up with gas and air, have a spare, and any other supplies you might need. You can walk out to the water’s edge for a photo shoot or to simply see what it’s like to stand in the Great Salt Lake. If it’s warm out, be prepared for bugs, and bringing an extra pair of shoes or flip flops will help you when you get muddy. There is no shade, and during the summer it gets quite hot, so please have plenty of water and supplies for your pets as well!! Enjoy! #spiraljetty #northern #utah
Summer — Google review
This is a beautiful place. The drive is amazing, the views gorgeous and the energy is intense. It would serve you to arrive before 11:00 am during the summer months. If you are going to dig for crystals takes a lot of wanter to clean up. You want to dig down by the piers left by the old doc. Have fun and please be respectful to the planet and clean up your own garbage. There is no bathroom so be prepared to walk behind some rocks and bring a bag and paper.
Joe Spencer — Google review
Spiral Jetty, land art from 1970 in a remote area of the Great Salt Lake, is accessible on a dirt road from Golden Spike. It is made from volcanic basalt rock. After we first moved to Utah in 2006 it was submerged in water but over the years, as the lake has dried up, it can be seen and more people are going to see it. Some years ago I was hesitant to go on the dirt road (and into the wilderness with no services or cell phone!) but supposedly they have smoothed it somewhat and finally wanted to go see it! The area of the salt lake is so eerie and strange and very quiet! The surface sand has a salt crust which makes a crunching noise when you walk on it. I scooped up some of the wet salt from the lake shore and it reminded me of kosher salt. Therefore I rename this area the Great Kosher Salt Lake!
The dirt road to this area from Golden Spike. See my photos. It looks like gravely rocks you can easily drive on than unfinished dirt road with lots of rocks. If you're in a truck with big wheels it's fine. The thing you can't see is that the way they made it, it has indents like a washboard. So if you're in a car or smaller SUV you will feel it, the vibrations. It's worse the slower you go so you have to go faster, at least 30mph. I went up to 45 depending, just watch the road and the conditions. Take a pit stop at Golden Spike on the way there and back. Get last gas at Corinne. See the UMFA website for info on SJ and their experiential guide!
Bob J. Smith — Google review
This was well off the paved road and about an hour drive, the water was way out, but it was absolutely worth the drive. The north area of salt lake was pink in color and the salt foam was a great experience for our kids. The views were just great taking.
Genx Fem — Google review
Well, there isn't a whole lot to see. It is very cool, and the spiral jetty itself is very nice, but it's mostly just desert and some lake bed(the levels of the lake can affect how it looks and your experience). We walked out to the lake when we went, and let me tell you it is disgusting, if you want to take a dip in the Great Salt Lake do it in the southern half, not the northern half that's pink!
Carter Harrison — Google review
Way out at the end of a drive that gets worse as you go - the spiral jetty is really just an art project, and a place to park to visit the Great Salt Lake. If you want to see the water, you'll have to walk waaay out - it almost feels like a mile. And it's so alien! Pink water, lots of foam - I have no idea if that's healthy to be in or not, but I waded around a little.
Don't miss the informational plaque behind the parking lot (I did) for more information about the jetty itself. This is on the same road that the Golden Spike visitor center is on, so if you do one, you really should do both.
Sara Beth Wade — Google review
Pretty cool!! Really far out there but the water was amazing. It is very salty and the walk to get to the water can be very painful if barefoot.
Jacob Gwilliam — Google review
It took 20 years to get here but oh what a beautiful landscape installation! Thank you DIA for preserving it for us to make pilgrimages to see the beautiful Great Salt Lake through an artistic intervention. The drive was relatively easy, aside from right at the end when I almost turned too early at an old pier but then realized that I needed to go one more minute to the end of the road. Please drive slowly if you see other vehicles because nobody wants to experience your dust. And enjoy the beauty!
Carol Tran Slawson — Google review
The road here is rough! But manageable! It’s just a bumpy ride for about 25 minutes. Definitely worth it for the view. And the pink lake.
Reserve with huge freshwater reservoir that offers boating, camping & animal-watching opportunities.
Great Lake for a boating day. The sand is more gravel but when you wear shoes it's not that big of a deal. For us the water level was high and you walked past 3 ft of large but soft pebbles and then you hit sand. Both were anchored close to the shore and there was plenty of beach area for large families together. There are a few large trees along the shoreline that provide natural shade.
The bathrooms were what you might expect at a gas station. A couple stalls with flushing toilets and soap with running water sinks, but they weren't that clean.
Weekends are $30 per car, during the week. It's only $15 per car.
Dogs can be there and quite a few were, they're supposed to be leashed but not everyone follows that rule.
Gen Bowerbank — Google review
We always love the bay. It's so much fun to swim in the summer and the sunsets are 10/10 year round. We ended up taking our engagement photos here. Absolutely love the mix of ice and sunset we had out there today.
Whether you are looking to go swimming, boating, or finishing there is a time of year and place for you down on Willard Bay
Chris Perry — Google review
I visited very spontaneously around Christmas time, seeing the lights from the freeway. It was so fun! The light displays are super cute and it was fun to listen to the radio station that was part of the experience. It's $20/car, so a little pricy for just me and my 2mo old, but super cheap for a carload of people. 😊 You should definitely visit!
Paije Peck Baumert — Google review
This place definitely have beautiful scenery. The mosquitoes are terrible at the non hookup sites close to the water. The sound of a swarm of mosquito sound like a helicopter. Lol . I give a 10 to the mosquito spray I use, because after I sprayed myself even in a swarm of mosquitoes, I didn't get attacked anymore. The park is very well maintained and there is boating activities that you can partake in. My biggest setback was the mosquitoes but still had a good time .
MArk Thompson — Google review
Stayed the weekend at the RV park. Off season so no recreation boaters, just quiet fisherman. No mosquitoes. Some gnatty things by the water but they didn't bug me. Tent campground under construction. Looks like they are building another RV park. Cute area called The Pond that looks new and is super clean. Note, this is right next to the interstate so you hear lots of that all night. There is also apparently an active train track nearby.
Pattie Christensen — Google review
Nice place. Pretty views of the lake. More pavement than I like in a park, but someone must have found it necessary.bet it used to be a great place to wander in the woods.
Nitsud Ydnah — Google review
I am so happy we decided to take a ride through the park to see the Christmas lights display. They did an excellent job with the decorations and I was surprised at the length of time it took to drive through to see everything. We did not have to wait long at all to get through the entrance. Well worth the time to go see!
Catherine Blomquist — Google review
Very nice campground with power, water and bathrooms available. It’s reasonably priced at $15 per night or $5 per night for a primitive site. The lake is a little chilly but not too bad. There are two docks and a boat launch.
Lots of birds to watch.
Trish Clements — Google review
Nice clean facilities. Nature tails. Great campground.
Wes Jones — Google review
Big fan of Willard Bay!! It was my first time, but hopefully not my last.
We camped at the south entrance. The campsites were in good condition, you have to pay to reserve the spots. I didn’t like how close together the campsites felt. The bugs were also super terrible around 730-930 pm.
The bathrooms were okay. There was one bathroom where the doors were left open and the bugs were disgusting. But another bathroom a little further away was much cleaner.
We went on a morning run around the lake which was beautiful, they have a nice trail that goes around it.
We packed up and went to the north bay to paddleboard and kayak. It was very crowded. But luckily on the lake it wasn’t too bad. Water was good temperature and all around it was a great experience.
Hailey Burt — Google review
Love going here. Beautiful to pull over and make dinner or go fishing. The only downside is a lot of bugs so make sure to bring your spray!
Raving Roz — Google review
The two stars is mostly because this campground has so much potential or I would have given even less based on what we experienced here and maybe we were here at a bad time for them. At the time we were here the property was very unkept, grass areas not mowed, trails and parking lots not maintained. Some things in disrepair. However the RV sites are nicely laid out, lots of room between sites, services in good condition. The picnic tables could use a pressure wash but the roofs over them are very nice. Oh and the “you can’t check in till 3pm” or even wait on property till 3 is very unfriendly and unwelcoming, considering it’s quite a large park with lots of room and places to wait (and not busy at the time). We arrived just an hour early (2pm) and were asked to leave and come back later. These are only a few pictures. I hope they get this place up to its full potential because it would be worthy of 5 stars easy!
Rusty Escandell — Google review
We went for the Christmas light show. Well worth it. Much longer than expected and you can tell a lot of people put a lot of time, work, and creativity into making it a great experience.
Cam N530 — Google review
Site 230 is very secluded and an easy back in for our 35' 5th Wheel. All the sites were spaced well and close to the trails, launch and beach. Seemed like the landscaping needed some attention, but overall, great camping.