Spring 2024 Update:
Spring is slowly finding its way into Harriman State Park of Idaho. The snow is melting and wildlife is beginning to awaken. Spring Trail Closures are now in effect April 15-June 15. The John Muir, River Loop and Big Bend trails are closed for Waterfowl Nesting. The remainder of the trails are open for walking and still some snowshoeing. All snowshoe and ski rentals have ended for the season.
Harriman is now participating in the Idaho Fish and Game loaner fishing rod program. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, we will begin loaning out Spin Rods with lures for use at East Harriman Fishing Pond. ** Please note that the following are the only nearby locations for Year Round Spin Fishing:
East Harriman Fish Pond; Henrys Lake; Sawtell Fish Pond. Idaho Fishing License is required for all Idaho fishing (including with loaner rods). They can be purchased at many fly shops and locations nearby. Please note Harriman State Park does NOT sell fishing licenses. A reminder that fishing on the Henrys Fork in Harriman State Park and at Osborne Bridge does not open until June 15th. Fishing on the Henry’s Fork is fly fishing only (no bait).
There is a $7 Motor Vehicle Entrance Fee (MVEF) per vehicle to visit the Park. You can purchase a 2024 Annual MVEF Pass for $80 at the Park Headquarters. Vehicles registered in the State of Idaho can purchase a $10 Idaho State Park Passport from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Daily entrance fees can be paid at the Visitor Center during the hours of 9-5 or at the main entrance outside of Visitor Center hours.
Attention: Dogs are only permitted in parking lots. There are no summer trails for use with dogs. Dogs cannot be left unattended and must always be on a six-foot leash. Department employees may impound or remove any stray or unattended animals at the owner’s expense. (IDAPA 26.01 20.175. 09)
As Spring approaches, the bears are beginning to awaken. Follow all steps to be Bear Aware! Remember to make noise; travel in groups only hike/bike during daylight hours. Always carry bear spray.
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**Note: If you do not have a Facebook account, please use your phone or browser, and scroll to the very bottom of this page. There you can see the latest Harriman State Park posts, including conditions updates.
Harriman State Park’s history is a lengthy one–reaching far back into the 1800s, when it was incorporated as the Island Park Land and Cattle Company. This land was purchased by James Anderson, Silas Eccles, and William Bancroft, of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The Guggenheim family (Daniel, Murray, and Solomon) also purchased shares in the ranch early on. Because of the owners’ heavy involvement in the railroad industry, Island Park Land and Cattle was given the nickname “Railroad Ranch.” In 1908, Murray Guggenheim decided to sell his shares to Edward H. Harriman of New York. Harriman was the Chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad and purchased the shares, sight unseen, after receiving a letter from Eccles, who boasted of the land’s beauty and refuge.
Harriman himself passed away before making it out to Railroad Ranch, but his honor and legacy lived on through his family. Harriman’s wife, Mary, visited the property with their three children: Carol, Averell, and Roland and shortly afterward, purchased another Guggenheim share. For decades, they used the ranch as something of a getaway. While predominantly for cattle, the land was expansive and beautiful, filled with wildlife, trails, and excellent fishing. Roland Harriman and his wife Gladys were frequent patrons and spent most of their time hiking and fishing.
Conservationist John Muir, was a family friend of the Harrimans and held heavy influence on the Harrimans’ decision to donate the land to the state of Idaho. They wanted the land and wildlife to be protected, so the gift came with stipulations. The land was to be managed as “man being in harmony with nature,” thus forming a 16,000-acre wildlife refuge around the land that was managed in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service. What’s more, is that to further the land deed also required that the people who managed the land would be professionally chosen rather than politically. This regulation aided in the formation of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
The land was a fully operational cattle ranch up until the day it was turned over to the state. “On April 1, 1977, Railroad Ranch became Harriman State Park of Idaho (used to distinguish from the Harriman State Park in New York, which was also donated by the Harrimans). In 1982, the park officially opened to the public” (100 Years of Idaho and Its Parks).
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Current Conditions
Address: 3489 Green Canyon Rd
Island Park, ID 83429
Phone: (208) 558-7368
Hours of Operation: Day-use locations within state parks are open from 7 am to 10 pm, per Idaho state code 26.01.20 (5). Day-use hours may change based on park manager discretion.
