Located just 15 miles west of Yellowstone National Park, this high mountain lake is the kind of place fishermen dream about. The state park, named after explorer Major Andrew Henry, opens the Thursday before Memorial Day and closes October 31st, weather permitting. The park offers campfire programs and a Junior Ranger program. Anglers fish for cutthroat, brook and rainbow-cutthroat hybrid trout. The park has a modern fish cleaning station near the boat ramp. Camping is at one of 44 sites and there are camping-cabins also available for rent. During winter, information on Henrys Lake can be obtained by calling Harriman State Park.
The Park Today
The park is now open for the 2009 summer season. Fishing on Henrys Lake opens on the following Saturday, the 23rd of May. Due to changes in the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Reservation System, 2009 reservations for Henrys Lake State Park and other Idaho State Parks will not be able to be made until the spring of 2009. This inconvenience is for the 2009 season only. For information on Henrys Lake State Park during its winter closure, please call Harriman State Park at 208-558-7368.
Park Conditions
July 3, 2009
Henry's Lake State Park is alive with anglers of all sizes and we will welcome the Henry's Lake Foundation to the park tomorrow for their annual meeting. The campground is full so if you are planning a trip make a reservation to ensure a site or call ahead for availability. Please be mindful of the Henry's Lake mosquitoes and the West Nile virus they can carry. You can combat these by using a deet-based spray or a variety of other applications. The fishing has picked up from the shore and is steady on the lake. The fish seem to have gone deeper. It is very green with many wildflowers, including mountain dandelion, sticky geranium, lupine, larkspur, and phlox, blooming. Animals spotted along the Howard's Slough Trail include a couple of cow moose with their calves and a doe mule deer and her fawn. Many different species of birds are also in the area for your viewing pleasure. The Aspen Loop Trail is a beautiful walk and can be accessed from the wood gate on the hill above the entrance station. A boat wash station is provided at the boat launch at Henrys Lake State Park. Invasive species stickers are now manditory on all vessels, motorized and non-motorized, and can be purchased at all state parks. Profits go to fund the Idaho invasive species program. Lets keep Henrys Lake and the Henrys Fork River clear of invasives - It's in our hands.
The season is short but productive at Henrys Lake State Park. This high mountain lake is considered one of the finest trout fisheries in the west and produces catches worth bragging about. The park is conveniently located a short 15 miles from West Yellowstone, Montana, the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
The park's 44 campsites and 3 camping cabins put you right on the shoreline of the 6,000-acre Henrys Lake. In addition to camping, the park offers 2 day-use areas, hiking, interpretive trails, wildlife viewing, boating, and beautiful views of this broad mountain valley.
Park Maps
Campground Map
Trail Map - Topo/Color
Trail Map - Aerial/Color
Trail Map - Black & White
Henry's Lake Fishing Guide This guide can be purchased on waterproof paper for $2.50.
Fishing
Cutthroat trout, averaging three to five pounds; cutthroat-rainbow hybrids of up to 12 pounds; and brook trout up to three pounds abound in the waters of Henrys Lake. This provides a sport fishery that challenges the float-tuber and is equally exciting for a 10-year old dunking a worm over the side of the family boat. A modern fish-cleaning station is located near the boat ramp. Excellent stream fishing can also be found in the nearby Henrys Fork, Madison and Gallatin rivers.
Boating
A boat ramp and launching docks are available in the park. Boaters should be cautious of the lake's unpredictable weather. Winds can make the surface choppy