The Fish Creek area is the heart of one of eastern Idaho's finest trail networks, tucked into the Big Hole Mountains above Kelly Canyon near Ririe. Mountain bikers know it best, and with reason: the northwest half of the Big Hole range holds one of the best singletrack systems anywhere in the region, and Fish Creek is where much of it comes together, accessible from either Ririe or Rexburg and an easy drive from Idaho Falls.

The riding is the draw and it has real range. The network serves up singletrack climbs, floater jumps, rock gardens and the fast, flowing Fishbone descents that give the area its reputation, along with panoramic summit views once you've earned the top. There are multiple ways to build a day, including the Waterfall Loop, the Fish Creek Loop, and a web of alpine cow-path routes that thread the high open ground. One well-loved stretch is mellow, rolling and scenic before turning rocky and technical near the confluence of South Moody Creek and Fish Creek, which is a fair summary of the area as a whole: it welcomes you in, then asks something of you.

Hikers get the same country with less speed, and the trails work well on foot, particularly in the wildflower weeks of early summer and again when the aspens turn in late September. The high, open ridges deliver views across the Snake River plain toward the Tetons.

Worth knowing before you go: some of these trails are shared with motorcycles and four-wheelers, so expect motorized traffic on parts of the network and take blind corners accordingly. It's a multi-use system rather than a bike park, and courtesy in both directions is what keeps it working.

The season generally runs from roughly June, once the snow clears and the ground firms up, into October. Riding the Big Holes on wet spring soil does real damage to the trails, so waiting for them to dry is the local ethic. Free dispersed camping in the surrounding forest makes a weekend easy to assemble.

Come prepared for mountain country: plenty of water, since the creeks aren't a reliable source, tools and a spare tube, layers for weather that changes fast at elevation, sun protection for the open ridges, and a map, since the network is genuinely complex and cell coverage is thin. For flowing singletrack, big views and a whole range to explore half an hour from Idaho Falls, Fish Creek is the local treasure.