Quick Guide

The Teton Valley is loaded with endless outdoor adventures to explore. There are numerous national forests, parks, rivers, peaks, canyons and lakes that define Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. This hiking guide to the Teton Valley is only a small glimpse of what Idaho and Wyoming have to offer. With that said, we have compiled a short list of classic hikes in close proximity to Rexburg, Idaho. Rexburg is a small college town laden with outdoor adventurists; yet many are held back because very few public resources are readily available to point them in the right direction. Consequently, we have gathered information from all over the internet, coupled with personal experience, in order to create a solid reference base for these five hikes. Our information is not all-encompassing, but serves as a basic backbone for information and trail descriptions.


Before heading out on any adventure, however, there are a few things to always keep in mind. Outdoor recreation goes hand in hand with increased safety hazards. Some activities present a greater risk than others. Although the trails listed herein are relatively low key, we still expect hikers to use their common sense and good judgment. As a simple reminder, there are a couple things with which out-of-towners may not be familiar:

• This is Bear Country. While this is not a site to give specific bear information, there are necessary precautions that need to be met. Parks and forests have varying regulations regarding safety procedures. It is your responsibility to be aware of specific rules and to act accordingly.

• Weather is unpredictable. That may seem like common sense, but it is even more so here than many other environments. In a nutshell, the Grand Teton mountain range divides Wyoming and Idaho. There are atmospheric differences between the two sides and those different pressures, temperatures, weather patterns, etc. all collide over the peaks of those mountains. This very region that we are writing about is notorious for its spontaneity. We see sudden onsets of severe thunderstorms, drastic temperature changes, and extreme rain. Be prepared for anything out here!

The following is a brief overview of a few trails that are area favorites. If you click on the trail name on the sidebar to the right, you can find directions, a detailed description of the hike based on first hand experience, and personal photographs taken along the trail. Any image can be enlarged simply by clicking on it. You will find brief captions for the photos at the bottom of each entry. Feel free to leave your feedback, comments or experiences in the comment box at the end of each post. We hope you enjoy!

Trail	R Mountain	Aldous Lake	Wind Caves	Table Rock	Middle Teton
Difficulty	Easy	Easy	Moderate	Difficult	Strenuous
Distance (round trip)	1.5 mi	2.6 mi	5.2 mi	11 mi	14.5 mi
Approx. Hike Time (round trip)	1.5 hrs	2.5 hrs	3-4 hrs	8-11 hrs	12+ hrs
Approx. Distance to Trailhead	9.5 mi	55 mi	60 mi	55 mi	102 mi
Elevation Gain	600 ft.	480 ft.	1870 ft.	4009 ft.	6014 ft.
Trail Condition	Sandy and uphill. Maintained trail. It's a fairly straight trail, no switchbacks. West side of mountain makes for great sunsets.	Constant, but slight incline. Maintained by forest service. Glimpses of wild flowers and the stream dot the trail.	Maintained Trail. Scenic canyons and waterfalls. Varied steepness from flat to vertical. Enter the cave only with proper gear.	Steep parts with switchbacks. Bridgeless streams. Last stretch before summit is rocky with no trail. Wildlife encounters are probable.	Maintained forest trail. Woods turn to rocky canyon. Heavy scrambling. Loose rocks. Snow patches into late summer.
Best Season	Mid-Spring to Mid-Fall	Early-Summer to Mid-Fall	Early-Summer to Mid-Fall	Early-Summer to Mid-Fall	Mid-Summer to Early Fall