Poison Flats is a quiet stretch of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest high country in the hills above Kelly Canyon near Ririe, in the popular recreation country east of Idaho Falls. Part of the same well-loved trail system that includes Table Rock and Kelly Canyon, it's an open, rolling area of grassy flats, wildflowers and scattered timber that serves as hiking, mountain-biking and OHV country in the warmer months, an easy escape into the Big Hole foothills close to town.

The area's appeal is its accessibility and its multi-use trails. The Kelly Canyon and Table Rock trail network laces these hills with routes that work for hikers, mountain bikers and ATV riders alike, climbing through open meadows and stands of aspen and pine to views over the surrounding country. Poison Flats sits within that system, offering the same mix of grassy openings dotted with summer wildflowers and partial timber shade that makes the whole Kelly Canyon area such a pleasant, uncrowded local playground.

Access runs through the Kelly Canyon corridor. From the Ririe area, the route toward Kelly Canyon Ski Resort leads into the forest past Heise and the resort, and forest roads branch off toward the Table Rock and Poison Flats country. The nearby Table Rock Campground and the Hawley Gulch and Kelly Canyon trails make it easy to combine a visit here with camping or a longer ride.

This is shared, multi-use forest terrain, so a bit of trail courtesy goes a long way, particularly where hikers, bikes and OHVs mix, and the forest roads in are best driven with a capable vehicle, especially when wet. Mountain weather can shift quickly, and the open flats offer little shelter from sun or storm.

Summer and early fall are the prime season, with wildflowers in the early summer meadows and golden aspens later; snow closes the high country in winter, when the wider Kelly Canyon area turns to skiing and snow play. There's no water or services out here, so come self-sufficient.

Bring plenty of water, sun protection for the open flats, layers for changeable mountain weather, insect repellent in early summer, and a map of the Kelly Canyon and Table Rock trail system. Whether you're hiking, riding a bike or running an OHV through the Big Hole foothills, Poison Flats is a pleasant, uncrowded corner of the Caribou-Targhee country just up the canyon from Ririe.