With an ever-growing student body at BYU-Idaho, Rexburg make retail therapy, family activities and going out to eat easy in the Yellowstone Teton Territory. From Yellowstone Bear World to the Rexburg Tabernacle Civic Center to the Legacy Flight Museum,  the town of Rexburg is a great base camp for families exploring Yellowstone National Park. 

Head up to Old Faithful, float the Henry’s Fork on the way home and still find easy dining options or just easy evening activities at Fat Cats like bowling, movies and an arcade, or a romp at the Gravity Factory’s enormous trampoline gym or maybe it’s catching a Thursday show at the BYU-Idaho Planetarium. 

During the summer months, there are two spots that make everyone’s list Rexburg Rapids-at Riverside Park and Idaho’s only antique wooden carousel. The Idaho Centennial Carousel which was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company of New York is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. This jewel of yesteryear is still creating smiles today and is an affordable destination for all ages. The carousel is located in Porter Park.

Another summer favorite: pack a picnic and find a quiet corner in the Thomas E. Ricks Gardens. A main focal point of the BYU Idaho Campus, this 10 acre garden was established in 1977 to facilitate outdoor teaching for the Horticulture Department at Ricks College and has becoming a living testament to Rocky Mountain lifestyle with a class each contributing a new project. There are several water features in the gardens to enjoy. 

Nestled amid multiple mountain ranges on its horizon, Rexburg offers plenty for visitors to write home about. The Legacy Flight Museum, the Romance Theater and  Rexburg Cultural Arts regularly feature year round public programming with local artists, international musicians and other performers. Check the Rexburg Chamber’s website for more information about upcoming events. 

The Rexburg Tabernacle was purchased from the LDS Church after the Teton Dam collapsed and flooded the surrounding communities. This building sustained major damage. But after extensive renovation, the Teton Flood Museum opened the summer of 1982 in the basement of the Rexburg Tabernacle. Currently, the Tabernacle is maintained by the City of Rexburg. In the renovation process, the city was able to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds have picnic tables for public use and are maintained by the city of Rexburg.

Rexburg has plenty of recreation practically within the city limits like R Mountain, also known as Menan Butte, a moderately challenging hike that combines geology and vistas as you climb the extinct volcano and ascend over the Upper Snake River Valley. On a clear day the panorama stretches across the Yellowstone Teton Territory and provides views of the Tetons. 

Another close-to-downtown option runs alongside the South Fork of the Snake River, the 1-mile Cress Creek Nature Trail interprets life in the area as it is now and as it was long ago. The trail climbs through sagebrush-grass communities, over juniper-covered slopes, and along a lush perennial creek. The watercress plant, a favorite food of moose, gives the creek its name. On bluebird days, hikers can enjoy expansive views of the Snake River, volcanoes and surrounding farmland.

With the majestic Teton Range and Yellowstone National Park within reach, Rexburg is an easy jumping-off point for the Yellowstone to Teton Territory adventure. With multiple options for hotels, a free shuttle around town and stores like Wal-Mart and Cal Ranch conveniently located off the main drags, even those headed into the backcountry might want to make a pit stop for supplies—just be willing to get a little sidetracked when you see what Rexburg has to offer.