island park , idah o
In many respects, Island Park is truly an island. Whether you enter Island Park south of West Yellowstone, or by ascending the sloping sides of the ancient caldera outside Ashton, Idaho, you’ll immediately find yourself in a unique setting of lakes, woods, rivers, meadows and mountains lightly sprinkled with ranches, summer homes and fishing lodges. The fishing in Island Park is legendary, and the Henry’s Fork of the Snake is the crown jewel. Other bodies of water include Henry’s Lake and the Island Park Reservoir. In the winter, locals and the increasing number of visitors trade their fishing tackle for snowmobiles to explore the hundreds of miles of forest and trails. Bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, rodeo, cross-country skiing, hunting and touring Island Park’s scenic and historical sites are some of the other popular activities. Perhaps not surprisingly, the proximity of Yellowstone National Park has been an important element in the development of Island Park. From the earliest days, travelers passed through by stagecoach on the multiple-day trip to the west gate of the nation’s first national park. Later, around 1909, the railway to the west gate of Yellowstone and the new town of West Yellowstone, Montana, brought more visitors and the advent of Island Park’s first logging and tourist booms. In the post World War II years, Island Park earned renown for having the longest Main Street in America, a 33-mile narrow, incorporated strip on either side of the “Old” Hwy 20. This anomaly was created by local businessmen to circumvent a “no-gambling-outside-incorporated-cities-and-towns” law that threatened their lively slot machine business and ability to serve alcoholic beverages. The advent of the railroads also led to the creation of one of Island Park’s greatest lasting legacies, Harriman State Park of Idaho, a.k.a. the Railroad Ranch. Owned by such East Coast notables as the Harriman and Guggenheim families, operating practices at the Railroad Ranch balanced conservation, ranching 24 | Destination Yellowstone Guidebook 2013
and the needs of the small number of summer guests. Their concern for preservation of the prime wildlife habitat was a major reason for the Harrimans’ decision to donate the 15,000-acre ranch to the State of Idaho. The Henry’s Fork is a fly fishing-only area within the park. In a rush to the more famous west gate, many people forget that Island Park is extremely convenient to the forgotten southwest Bechler entrance to Yellowstone. The Bechler is home to the park’s greatest number of waterfalls and some of its best hiking. Cave Falls is a popular destination for families, offering the perfect opportunity to experience firsthand the roar and spray of a waterfall and an escape from the heat on a hot summer’s day. Nearby Upper and Lower Mesa Falls Scenic Byway on Idaho 47 offers dramatic glimpses of the Island Park caldera’s edge, dropping 114 feet and 65 feet, respectively. This dramatic drop was created between 600,000 and 2 million years ago when an immense shield volcano exploded repeatedly, finally collapsing and leaving behind the world’s largest caldera. Accessed by turning off of Hwy 20 onto Idaho 47 and then following the signs, the setting of the falls is a perfect location for a picnic or short hike. Big Springs, the source of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, is also well worth a visit. Although the Big Springs area is protected from fishing, the constant 52-degree temperature and even crystal-clear flow makes the Henry’s Fork a favorite early in the fishing season when other nearby rivers are cold and muddy from the sediment picked up by the melting snow. Big Springs is also near the beginning of a beautiful five-mile canoe or boat trip along a stretch of a National Scenic Water Trail. Other activities in Island Park include a bicycle ride or hike on the Old Union Pacific railroad bed, a game of golf at the Island Park Resort, a horseback trail ride or a visit to Johnny Sack’s cabin. The longer you stop and linger in Island Park, the more difficult you may find it to leave and the more you’ll want to come back. destinationyellowstone.com
Photo on this page taken by Johnny Ziem/circumerrostock.com.
Whether you are interested in historical landmarks, fishing or snowmobiling, Island Park’s natural splendor will captivate you.