Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Chubbuck, Idaho

Located in the Snake River Plain, the city of Chubbuck has experienced steady growth over the past three decades, more than doubling its population since 1990. Although it is a relatively new settlement, with various developments and parks emerging, there are compelling stories to explore. In the mid-19th century, the river valley served as a crucial emigration route, with hundreds of thousands of travelers passing through along the Oregon and California Trails. A replica of the trading post and supply station, Fort Hall, has been established in nearby Pocatello, which lies directly to the south of Chubbuck. Pocatello serves as the county seat, featuring an inviting old downtown area and a wealth of cultural attractions, including the campus of Idaho State University and the impressive Museum of Clean.

1. Bannock County Event Center

Spanning 80 acres of elevated terrain, offering breathtaking views of Chubbuck, Pocatello, and the surrounding mountains, this facility serves as both a recreation center and an event venue. Located just east of downtown Chubbuck, Bannock County received the property as a donation in 2015 from Portneuf Health, featuring accessible facilities for all visitors.

The site boasts a six-acre lake with a designated swimming beach and a healthy stock of trout. Facilities include eleven multi-purpose sports fields, a championship field, volleyball courts, and basketball courts. Additionally, the venue offers 130 horse stalls and an RV park with 122 campsites. On the northern side, the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre stands as a landmark, accommodating up to 11,000 spectators for major events.

2. Stuart Park

In 2017, Chubbuck celebrated the opening of its inaugural splash pad at Stuart Park, adjacent to the Portneuf District Library. The introduction of this popular facility has transformed summer experiences for children, with its captivating array of water sprays originating from the ground.

The splash pad operates daily from 10 am to 9 pm during the summer, featuring another summer staple: outdoor movie screenings held in the evenings.

3. Museum of Clean

The esteemed Idaho entrepreneur Don Aslett, born in 1935 and a founder of the large-scale janitorial firm Varsity Facility Services, dedicated his career to promoting hygiene and cleanliness. In 2011, he unveiled a museum that would find a fitting place in much larger cities.

Employing advanced hygiene practices and energy conservation techniques, the Museum of Clean is situated within a historic 1915 warehouse, exploring the significance of cleanliness through innovative, interactive exhibits and artwork that spans 2,000 years. Notable artifacts include a 1,600-year-old bronze toothpick and a 1902 horse-drawn vacuum cleaner.

This museum houses an extensive collection of vacuum cleaners alongside an array of washing machines, providing a comprehensive retrospective of domestic technology developments since the early 20th century.

4. Old Town Pocatello

The heart of Pocatello boasts one of the most well-preserved and vibrant urban streetscapes in the region, characterized by tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly streets and elegant brick constructions that largely date from the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

Intriguing details abound, including vintage neon signs, historic hand-painted advertisements, and the names of bygone proprietors adorning building facades. More than just an open-air museum, Old Town Pocatello functions as a dynamic commercial area populated by local businesses.

Diverse dining options span various cuisines, alongside galleries, charming gift shops, and establishments specializing in fashion, sporting goods, musical instruments, jewelry, and antiques. The Historic Warehouse District, situated across the tracks, is home to the Museum of Clean, while the grand Union Pacific Depot, built on an ashlar stone base, emerged in 1915 on the Main Street side.

5. Bannock County Historical Museum

Another compelling reason to visit Pocatello is the Bannock County Historical Museum, which serves as the primary repository for the region’s history.

This attraction resides within a small district that encompasses Ross Park, Zoo Idaho, and the Fort Hall replica, a trading post significant to 19th-century emigration.

The museum presents an extensive collection that delves into the archaeology of the Shoshone and Bannock tribes, fur trapping and trading, the Oregon Trail’s significance, the arrival of the railroad, and much more. Visitors can explore detailed replicas of rooms reflecting various stages of the county’s history, including a general store, medical practice, Victorian parlor, and photographic studio, each adorned with authentic period furnishings and equipment.

Exciting artifacts on display include an original stagecoach, an early fire engine, and police evidence from the Prohibition era.

6. Fort Hall Replica

The historical significance of this region cannot be overstated, particularly concerning the settlement of North America’s western territories during the 19th century.

Originally established along the Snake River, approximately 30 miles northwest on the corresponding Indian Reservation, Fort Hall began its operations as a trading post in 1834 and subsequently served as a station on the Oregon and California Trails, which diverged shortly thereafter. An estimated 270,000 immigrants traversed this area in the mid-1800s, a captivating chapter of local history retold through the precise reconstruction of Fort Hall by the Bannock County Historical Museum.

This replica, constructed in the 1960s using historic inventory for reference, includes features such as carpenter and blacksmith shops, a company hall, the factor’s quarters, an Indian Room, and a Frontier Room. Visitors can learn about the trappers, fur traders, immigrants, and gold miners who passed through the area, alongside stories of the Shoshone and Bannock Native Americans.

7. Shoshone Bannock Tribal Museum

Located directly north of Chubbuck, the Fort Hall Reservation, home to the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, merits exploration for several compelling reasons. One key attraction is the Shoshone-Bannock Casino & Hotel, which underwent significant renovations in 2019, transforming it into a comprehensive casino resort that operates 24/7, featuring numerous slot machines, live entertainment, and five dining options.

For those interested in the rich history of the Shoshone and Bannock Tribes, the tribal museum offers an insightful experience. In a spacious octagonal hall, visitors can view displays featuring stone tools, weapons, beadwork, and textiles, accompanied by narratives detailing the tumultuous events of the 19th century, along with a visual history presented through a wall of black and white photographs.

Notable figures represented in the museum include Chief Pocatello (1815-1884), an influential Shoshone leader after whom the neighboring city is named, who guided his people through decades of challenges, including conflict, oppression, and starvation.

8. Idaho Museum of Natural History

The official state museum for natural history is conveniently located just ten minutes away on the Idaho State University campus in Pocatello. Established in 1934, the museum boasts an extensive collection of 500,000 specimens, focusing on life sciences, earth sciences, and anthropology relevant to the Intermountain West.

Visitors can explore diverse exhibits highlighting the flora and fauna of the Snake River Plains, Idaho’s intriguing geological formations, and prehistoric life forms. A permanent exhibit features megafauna from the Ice Age, showcasing impressive mounted skeletons of saber-toothed cats and short-faced bears, alongside a rare helicoprion shark fossil, which dates back 230 million years. The museum also hosts two annual temporary exhibits, which delve into specific topics, from nocturnal animals to the composition of skulls.

9. Palace Playhouse

Situated in the heart of Chubbuck, visitors may be surprised to discover a replica medieval castle, which serves as a dinner theater operated by a talented team dedicated to staging professional Broadway-style performances.

Noteworthy productions from recent seasons at the Palace Playhouse include Roald Dahl’s Matilda, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and the musical version of Legally Blonde. The dinner theater offers a fine dining menu featuring prime rib, stuffed salmon, and family-friendly options such as breaded chicken bites. Special matinée brunch shows are scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays.

10. Geronimo’s Trampoline Park

Located just a short distance from Chubbuck’s new City Hall is an impressive 11,000-square-foot indoor trampoline park, rapidly becoming a favored family destination.

Designed to entertain all age groups, this facility offers numerous activities that provide both fun for children and a robust workout for adults. A designated area is available for younger children to enjoy bouncing in a safe environment.

Additionally, Geronimo’s features an airbag with three lanes for high-flying fun, two slam-dunk lanes, jousting platforms, two dodgeball courts, and an expansive open jump area.

11. Swore Farms

Northern Chubbuck, just off Route 91, is home to Swore Farms, a family-operated farm that produces Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes throughout the summer and into the fall.

Swore Farms also serves as a seasonal attraction, inviting the public to navigate its well-known corn maze, typically beginning in late August. Additional activities include hay wagon rides, a play area, and a vast wheat sandbox. In October, the farm becomes a pumpkin destination, where visitors can choose from a large patch of ripe orange pumpkins as well as unripe green ones offered at a lower price.

12. Brooklyn’s Playground

A significant achievement for the Pocatello-Chubbuck area is Brooklyn’s Playground, located within O. K. Ward Park, just southwest of downtown Chubbuck. Approximately 11% of students in the Pocatello/Chubbuck region are classified as having disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This prompted a community-led initiative to create an inclusive and accessible space for all children in the area, aiding in the development of their cognitive, physical, and social skills. The remaining park area features a softball field, a basketball court, horseshoe pits, a covered pavilion, and utilities for electricity and water hookups.

13. Pebble Creek Ski Area

The mountains surrounding Chubbuck receive ample snowfall during the winter season, with Pebble Creek being the nearest ski area, situated less than a half-hour away by road.

Located on the modest yet unexpectedly steep Mt. Bonneville in the Portneuf Range, Pebble Creek features 54 designated ski runs, primarily catering to intermediate (35%) and advanced (53%) skiers and snowboarders due to its steep terrain. The ski area spans 1,100 acres of skiable land, supported by three triple chairlifts.

For those who cannot visit during the day, night skiing opportunities are available on Fridays and Saturdays from January through March, while on weekends, visitors can relax at the inviting Rock Bottom Saloon after a day on the mountain.

14. Zoo Idaho

Zoo Idaho has been a prominent establishment since the 1930s, distinguishing itself by focusing on species native to the Intermountain West.

The zoo is home to over 40 species, including black bears, bison, pronghorns, wild turkeys, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain goats, mountain lions, and bobcats. In addition to the terrestrial animals, the zoo features a diverse array of waterfowl and birds of prey housed in spacious aviaries, along with a petting area that includes goats, rabbits, cows, and donkeys.

Significant investments have been made in improving the animal enclosures over the past two decades, and visitors are encouraged to consult the zoo’s website for an engaging schedule of keeper talks and activities occurring on weekends.

15. Stephens Center

In 2004, Idaho State University inaugurated a multi-purpose performing arts complex that would be a source of pride for any educational institution worldwide.

Perched on higher ground at the ISU campus in Pocatello, the Stephens Center was built largely with the aid of private donations, totaling $35 million for the project’s actualization. The centerpiece of the complex is the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall, which accommodates 1,200 guests, complemented by additional venues such as the Beverly B. Bistline Thrust Theatre, seating 450 individuals.

The agenda features a diverse array of events, including classical concerts, recitals, musicals, plays, and dance performances, showcasing not only student productions but also prominent touring ensembles and artists.