Rexburg & St. Anthony

Enjoy the best of both worlds in Rexburg and St. Anthony. It’s a little bit city and a little bit small town, perfectly combined for a trip you won’t soon forget. Scenic city streets, delicious local restaurants, mom-andpop shops, and amenities galore can be found around every corner in Rexburg. Down the road, rev up your enjoys and explore the great outdoors in St. Anthony where sand dunes, trails, rushing waters, and scenic hikes are waiting to be discovered.

Home to the third-largest university in the state, BYUIdaho, Rexburg combines city activities—thanks to its growing downtown and vibrant campus communities—with small town life and access to outdoors. These two towns are the places for an adventure-packed Eastern Idaho vacation and a quaint getaway all in one trip.

There aren’t many towns where, in one day, you can feed a baby bear and see a ballet. But that’s what Rexburg is all about! Family fun and ample attractions bring visitors no matter the season. Dive into the city’s rich history at the Museum of Rexburg. Explore military and civilian aircrafts and other aviation artifacts at the Legacy Flight Museum. The area around Rexburg claimed a piece of Idaho history in 1976 when the newly built Teton Dam collapsed, sending roaring flood waters onto the unsuspecting valley below. Visit the Teton Flood Museum in Rexburg to relive the event. Reach new heights on a day spent at the Gravity Factory, which features 25,000 square feet of trampolines, ninja warrior courses, and fun for all. Cool off at the Rexburg Rapids Water Park.

Tour the Rexburg Idaho Temple Grounds of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a striking landmark adjacent to campus and visible for miles along U.S. Highway 20. The public garden area is the perfect spot for a quiet stroll or moment of reflection. A unique attraction located just south of Rexburg— Yellowstone Bear World, the Greater Yellowstone’s only drivethrough wildlife preserve—let’s you see wildlife up close.

A short fifteen-minute drive away on U.S. Highway 20, your journey resumes at the best “living sand dunes” in the Intermountain West near the small town of St. Anthony. With 10,600 acres of clear, shifting, white quartz sand, the St. Anthony Sand Dunes are the perfect place to spend the day enjoying the unparalleled thrills and excitement of riding in an ATV.

There’s so much to see and do in Rexburg and St. Anthony. Whether an art lover, adrenaline seeker, or history buff, you are sure to be delighted by these favorites. But no matter where your trip takes you, you’re bound to leave ready for more!

Where Potential Is Realized

Talent and community have always been a winning combination at Brigham Young University-Idaho. This four-year school enrolls nearly 20,000 students, hailing from all 50 states and 60 foreign countries, ready to realize their potential and launch their careers. The 400-acre campus offers many cultural opportunities, including a planetarium, demonstration gardens, art exhibits, and more.

Music, drama, and dance productions are presented by both students and touring companies at BYU-Idaho. The Center Stage Performing Arts Series features concerts and entertainment for BYU-Idaho students, residents of Rexburg and surrounding communities, and visitors. For tickets or information on the series, visit byui.edu/center-stage.

HISTORICAL & CULTURAL FAVORITES

Rexburg is teeming with historical wonders, both cultural and natural. A longstanding favorite, the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra, sometimes called the Rexburg Symphony, is a musical delight. This 90-piece, city-run orchestra performs at the historic Tabernacle Civic Center in Rexburg that is worth a visit in and of itself. The Italianate Romanesque-style Rexburg Tabernacle, finished in 1911 at a cost of only $33,000, was designed to seat 1,400 faithful Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints churchgoers. Fully restored after sustaining major damage during the Teton Dam Flood, it’s also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Tabernacle is owned by the city and plays host to a number of special events, the Teton Flood Museum, and a massive pipe organ.

Rexburg has something sure to peak the interest of all history buffs. Don’t miss the Legacy Flight Museum that offers visitors the chance to get up close to some of the machines that have served our country, including several “Mustangs,” a rare King Cobra, and many other military planes. The museum is full of both antique and modern airplanes. Not to mention, all of the planes are airworthy! (Goose and Maverick would no doubt approve!) Open Monday through Saturday in summer and Saturdays only in winter, let intrigue take flight at this stellar spot.

A sight to see and a story to match, the Civil Defense Caves get their name from the Cold War era when the natural tubes were seen as a potential civil defense advantage for storage, bomb shelters, military prisons, and more. The large tubes formed from lava that snaked underground for thousands of feet. No matter the season, they are chilly and often encircled with ice. While the caves were never needed for civil defense, they are an exciting natural wonder to explore. To visit the caves from Rexburg, go north on the Salem Highway about 16.5 miles from the north Rexburg interchange. On the right side of the road you will spot a yellow cairn (pile of rocks) indicating where to turn. When visiting, travel in a vehicle that can handle bumpy roads, bring adequate footwear and clothing, and a flashlight. And remember, leave no trace and leave it better than you found it. Check in with the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce for directions and details prior to setting out.

Gem State Gems

They don’t call it the Gem State for nothing. Opals found in Clark County rival those found anywhere for their beauty and stability. Spencer, on the Lost Gold Trails Loop, boasts several businesses that specialize in creating jewelry with opals found nearby. Many of these entrepreneurs do their own mining by hand, on decades-old, family-run claims. Spencer Opal Mines and Opal Country Cafe has on-site digging open to the public at its mini-mine; rules regarding tools and eye protection apply.

MUST SEE!

ST. ANTHONY SAND DUNES

The St. Anthony Sand Dunes consists of clear, shifting, white quartz sand. Dunes can reach up to 400 feet high and are constantly moving and changing.

For the thrill of a lifetime, there’s nothing to match racing over the open sands of the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, the ultimate playground for off-road vehicle enthusiasts. This 41,000-acre treasure consists of rolling hills of white sand, with some 10,000 acres open to recreationists of all types—not just ATV and dunebuggy drivers, but motocross bikers, equestrians, campers, and hikers. In fact, thousands enjoy the dunes every year!

The hills were formed when quartz sand found along ancient rivers and lakeshores was deposited here by the prevailing winds; today the sands are still actively shifting. The hills range in height from 200 to 400 feet above the 4,900-foot valley floor. They stretch about 35 miles in length, and from one to five miles in width. In mid-summer, although the sand gets hot, the temperature rarely tops 90 degrees. The dunes gain in size to a certain point, depending on the intensity of the prevailing winds as they creep slowly north. The area is also critical winter range for some 1,500 deer and 2,500 elk. To protect them, some sections are closed to human activity between New Year’s Day and May 1 by the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the dunes.

Green Canyon Hot Springs

Green Canyon Hot Springs, operated by the Neibaur family for more than five decades, offers a big pool, small pool, and cold pool along with a snack bar. Fishing, hiking, bicycling, and camping are also available. To visit, head east of Rexburg on ID 33; turn south at mile marker 116. Stay at the adjacent campground for a weekend or sooth your muscles during a winter soak.

Idaho Art Lab

Learn, create, and inspire in St. Anthony. A growing artist community, St. Anthony is home to Idaho’s largest visual art maker space, the Idaho Art Lab. The Idaho Art Lab, located at 2355 S. Yellowstone Hwy., is a do-it-yourself makerspace and fabrication lab, fine art and craft supply store, art gallery and artist residency. Enjoy ongoing classes for artists of all ages and mediums, as well as special events. Twice a year the Lab hosts the free, family friendly event, BIG ART EXPO. The Lab fills with demonstrating artists with some offering make-and-takes for you. BIG ART EXPO is the third Saturday of March and September from 2:00pm - 5:00pm.