Idaho Falls Greenbelt and Snake River Falls

Early travelers knew this crossing on the Snake River, and the town that grew up beside the rapids eventually took the name Idaho Falls. In the early twentieth century a dam and weir were built across the river to generate electricity for the growing city.

That wall could have been an ugly piece of infrastructure. Instead, over the decades the city used it to create a wide, terraced cascade more than a thousand feet along the wall, designed to look like the natural rapids that once ran here. It is a rare case of a working dam turned into a civic landmark, and it anchors the whole Greenbelt.

The Greenbelt loops along both banks and crosses the river on bridges, so you can make a full circuit of roughly five miles or cut it short. It passes lawns, gardens, public art, and viewpoints over the falls, and it links directly to the downtown, the museum, and the temple grounds.

It is the beating heart of outdoor life in Idaho Falls, busy with walkers, runners, cyclists, and families in every season. For a road-tripper passing through on the way to Yellowstone or the Tetons, it is the perfect place to stretch your legs by moving water.

The calm water above the falls draws birds. Ducks and Canada geese are constant, and in the warmer months American white pelicans, big and startling, glide over the river. Ospreys and gulls work the water, and the trees along the banks hold songbirds.

The Snake here is a broad, steady river fed by the vast aquifer of the Snake River Plain, and its year-round flows keep the falls running and the greenbelt green even in the dry high-desert summers of eastern Idaho.

Late spring is dramatic, when snowmelt from the mountains swells the Snake and the falls roar at full volume. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable for a long walk, with the greenbelt lawns green and the evenings mild.

Winter turns the greenbelt quiet and often icy, with the falls steaming in the cold, and the city lights up the riverfront for the holidays. It is a fine stop in any season, but a warm-weather stroll is the classic way to see it.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Idaho Falls Greenbelt, in the city of Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho, is a scenic paved path running along both sides of the Snake River through the heart of the city, centered on the beautiful falls that give the city its name. The greenbelt loops for miles past the wide, cascading Snake River Falls, landscaped grounds, the striking Idaho Falls Temple, and downtown, offering a lovely route for walking, running, and biking. The falls, tumbling over a broad drop in the middle of the city, are a beloved centerpiece. With its riverside path and scenic waterfall, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt offers a delightful destination in Idaho.

You can walk, run, or bike the scenic paved path along both banks of the Snake River, take in views of the wide, cascading Snake River Falls, enjoy the landscaped grounds, gardens, and river views, cross pedestrian bridges, watch for birds and wildlife, and reach downtown Idaho Falls and its attractions. The waterfall, the river scenery, and the pleasant loop path are highlights, making it easy to enjoy the heart of the city on foot or by bike. With its riverside path, waterfall, and green spaces, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt offers a rewarding outing in Idaho Falls.

Late spring through fall offers the most pleasant weather for walking and biking the greenbelt, with summer lush and green, and fall bringing lovely color along the river, while the falls flow year-round and the path is scenic in any mild season. Summer evenings are especially pleasant along the river. The greenbelt can be enjoyed year-round in good weather. For the best combination of pleasant weather and river scenery, aim for late spring through fall on the Idaho Falls Greenbelt in Idaho.

The Snake River Falls in Idaho Falls are a wide, scenic cascade where the Snake River tumbles over a broad drop right in the heart of the city, giving Idaho Falls its name. Though partly shaped by a low dam, the falls form a beautiful, foaming curtain of water that is the centerpiece of the city's greenbelt and riverfront, especially striking with the landscaped grounds and the Idaho Falls Temple nearby. The falls are lovely by day and sometimes lit in the evening. This scenic urban waterfall is the beloved heart of the Idaho Falls Greenbelt in Idaho.

The Idaho Falls Greenbelt and Snake River Falls are in the city of Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho, near the Museum of Idaho, downtown Idaho Falls, and the Cress Creek Nature Trail nearby, within reach of the Island Park and Mesa Falls area and the route toward Yellowstone. That makes the Idaho Falls Greenbelt a delightful stop to combine with the Museum of Idaho, downtown Idaho Falls, and the other attractions of eastern Idaho on a visit to the state.