Harriman State Park
Island Park, Idaho
8.3 miles SW of Island Park, IdahoHarriman State Park is found 38 miles from Yellowstone along Henry's Fork. This 11,000-acre wildlife refuge is open year round for most activities. In addition to having beautiful scenery and wildlife, the area also has several houses that were built when the park was a privately owned ranch. The area is home to one of the best fly-fishing streams in the country, an eight mile portion of Henry's Fork river. There are many activities here including horseback riding, hiking, tours of the ranch, and fly-fishing.
During the summer, the trails through Harriman are a great place to hike and explore. There are plenty of wildflowers growing and the lakes and rivers flow nicely. Visitors will be able to see plenty of small wildlife, including swans on Silver lake, and there might even be a chance to see a moose or a bear. Part of the park crosses into the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Along the river, there are beautiful views of the Tetons and the Yellowstone Plateau.
In the winter, the park is home to more than 24 miles of Nordic ski trails. The trails all vary in level of difficulty and distance. Most of the trails will go around Silver Lake and loop back towards the ranch houses. Other winter activites include fat biking and snowshoeing. The ranch houses are great in the winter because several have large fireplaces to warm up by.
The ranch houses can be rented out by visitors and have different accommodations for each house. Some of the houses include large gathering areas great for large groups of people. During different seasonns of the year the park offers events for the general public including star gazing and music camps.
This is an Idaho State Park and there are day use fees. Passes have reciprocity with Mesa Falls State Park which is only about 20 minutes away.
Lake Marie
Island Park, Idaho
9.7 miles N of Island Park, IdahoLake Marie sits on the North slope of Mount Jefferson in Fremont County, Idaho. The trail to get there cuts back and forth across the Idaho Montana border 4 times. Much of the trail is fairly flat along the ridge of the Continental Divide with mild ups and downs going each way. When the ridge begins to ascend toward Mount Jefferson, the trail vears North as it works it way across Jefferson. You'll go down some switchbacks through the trees which is about the only real shade on the trail. Then you'll travel West through a meadow full of wildflowers of all colors. After the meadow, you'll follow along the rocky trail across the Northern slope until it does a sharp turn to go back East. From there, there are a couple of options but essentially, you just need to head North until you see Rock Creek and ultimately drop in to Lake Marie.
Once you reach the lake, there is a beautiful meadow. with the trickling rock creek coming into it and another small stream leading out of it. Because Lake Marie is so freshly fed by the snowmelt from Mount Jefferson, the size varies dramatically between spring and fall but one thing will be constant: the water is cold.