The beauty of living in Idaho is that every single town has its own special offerings when it comes to outdoor attractions. However, certain towns definitely get a lot more attention as “outdoorsy towns”, and a large portion of Idaho doesn’t get talked about very much. Specifically, a lot of eastern Idaho is vastly underrated when it comes to exploring Idaho’s great outdoors. Well, we wanted to give eastern Idaho a little bit of love by highlighting the most underrated outdoorsy town in our state. If you’re looking for your next adventure destination, this might just be it.
Pocatello may be known as "The Smile Capital of the World", but many people don't realize that this town is actually one of Idaho's best-kept secrets when it comes to outdoor adventure.
Pocatello isn't small. Its population is roughly around 55,000 people, yet few people are aware of all the beauty that awaits you here. It's probably one of the most underrated outdoor destinations in eastern Idaho.
The town was actually just ranked as one of the "Best Mountain Biking Towns In The US" by Singletracks. In their article, they classify Pocatello as "underrated" due to its insanely low cost of living, with the median home price falling somewhere around $127,800.
It seems this is one of those places in Idaho where the word hasn't gotten out quite yet about all there is to see. Pocatello's most impressive outdoor attraction has got to be the City Creek Trail System. The intricate trail system covers thousands of acres of beautiful public land.
The trail system is located right in Pocatello's backyard and offers up dozens of hiking and mountain biking trails. The trails are too numerous to count, but you can rest assured that there is a trail out there that suits your specific desires. The different trails range in skill level and types of scenery, ensuring endless amounts of adventure.
Pocatello is home to several nature areas which make it easy to get a taste of the outdoors without venturing too far out into the wilderness. The Edson Fichter Nature Area pictured below features a community pond for fishing just minutes away from downtown.
This isn't exactly considered a premier ski destination compared to other places in Idaho since the closest ski resort is roughly 20 miles away. However, the mountains around Pocatello actually provide the perfect opportunity for some secluded backcountry skiing.
Located in the heart of the Portneuf Valley, the sense of adventure is alive and well here in Pocatello. The best part of living in Idaho is realizing that wherever you are, adventure is right outside your door!
