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Harriman State Park
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Harriman State Park lies within an 11,700-acre wildlife refuge in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Known for its beautiful scenery and wildlife, Harriman State Park offers 22 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails that slink through meadows, meander along river banks, and through lush evergreen forests. Some of the best fly fishing waters in the nation flow through eight miles of Harriman State Park, known by anglers all over the world as “the Ranch.” Moose, elk, and Trumpeter Swans, the world’s largest waterfowl species, are a common sight at Harriman.
Owned by Union Pacific Railroad investors from 1902 to 1977, the park acreage served as a cattle ranch and private retreat for the Harriman and Guggenheim families. Today, Harriman State Park provides visitors a perfect setting to enjoy the unique history and natural beauty of the area.
Visitors can stay overnight in Harriman’s unique overnight facilities, such as the rustic Yurts or the Ranch Manager’s House. Harriman’s rental facilities are perfect for family events, weddings, retreats, and learning conferences. During the summer, our knowledgeable park rangers offer tours of the historic Railroad Ranch buildings and interpretive nature programs on weekends and holidays. Winter activities include over 33 miles of groomed Nordic skiing trails, snowshoeing, and fat biking. The historic Jones House serves as a warming hut (CLOSED winter 2022) on weekends, offering views of Henrys Fork and its wintering wildlife. This park is generously supported by the Friends of Harriman State Park.
Harriman History
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).
Watch Historic Harriman Videos
- Hike
- Bike
- Horse
- ADA Restroom
- ADA Trail
- ADA Yurt
- Boat Ramp/Launch
- Fire Rings
- Group Picnic Shelter
- Horse Rental
- Picnic Areas
- Vault Toilets
General Accommodations
- Lodges/Houses
- Yurts
Visitors to Harriman State Park during the winter season can enjoy numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation, lodging, photography, and wildlife viewing. The park offers 24 miles of groomed trails for a variety of winter activities.
- classic cross country skiing
- skate skiing
- snowshoeing
- fat-tire biking
Location Map for Premium Nordic Area
Connector Map for Harriman / Brimstone Ski Area
Wildlife Refuge Boundary Map (B&W)
Become a Friend of Harriman State Park, a citizen support group, which serves as a fundraising and volunteer partner for Harriman State Park.
Learn about the History of Harriman State Park and the Historic Railroad Ranch
Contact Information
Street Address:
Island Park, ID 83429
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3489 Green Canyon Rd, Island Park, ID, 83429
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