Places to go to in Island Park, ID besides Yellowstone

Places to go to in Island Park, ID besides Yellowstone

Island Park, ID is know for a great place to stay at just minutes away from Yellowstone National Park, but there are other great attractions that you can see right in Island Park that my husband and I have explored worth talking about. Now there is much more than the 2 places that I am about to talk about but I think these 2 are worth checking out if you have the time.

Part 1: Harriman State Park 

I honestly did not have crazy expectations for this state park but man did it end up blowing me away! This state park has a bird sanctuary that is out of this world!

We did the Golden lake loop trail and added a few extra miles to it from taking a different route down which made the round trip just over 7 miles and only 500 elevation gain so it was definitely a more easy/moderate trail.

But let me tell you! The views insane! The trail goes by 2 lakes and 1 river, an old ranch, horses/cattle, and then into the deep woods. No joke within the first mile we saw 2 bald eagles! 

Once you get past the ranch and cows/horses for the first 1-2 miles; you reach golden lake where the trumpet swans, ducks, and cormorants play. Nick and I stayed at this lake for a good 30-45 min watching these amazing birds. There clearly was some drama going down between the swans so naturally we had to stay and watch the reality show!

We also learned that they’ve been trying to bring back the Yellowstone trout here but other trout have been taking over so they’ve been trying to rebuild them but are struggling.

The lake was just so active and fun to watch, someone also told us you can usually hear/see elk and potentially bears too but we didn’t see any that day.

As you continue your journey you go through more dense woods and eventually land at silver lake which has more pelicans and cormorants. I forgot to mention when you first park there’s a river that has lots of ducks and geese. This trail really has the wildlife that is so much fun to witness.

I would say it’s a great kid friendly and family friendly trail that everyone could enjoy. Even if you just went out to golden lake it’s sooo worth it! Also, if you didn't want to hike it then I would recommend biking too. 

Note: There is a small fee to get into the state park. 

Part 2: Upper and Lower Mesa Falls

After we got done with Harriman State Park we drove over to Upper Mesa Falls! A very popular spot to drive to and witness some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Idaho!

This is paved trail down to the falls where you get amazing views of the falls and Henry fork river. Once you’re done viewing there you can either drive to the lower falls or take their nature trail down which is a 2 mile trail down and back trail. We hiked down to the lower falls but I will say they were much smaller than the upper. Still beautiful as ever though!

This is a very easy spot to go and check out. Definitely recommended for all ages to attend and witness such a beautiful site. There is a small fee to park at the falls just as a heads up.

If you’re needing a little extra bonus while staying in Island Park, add these spots to your list! Xoxo Kimmy