Official Government Website
Harriman State Park
PARK UPDATE
- Spring trails are now open; the $6 winter access fee has ended for the season.
- The $7 per-vehicle MVEF (Motor Vehicle Entrance Fee) remains in effect.
- Seasonal trail closures (April 15–June 15) for waterfowl nesting:
- Affected segments run from the North Gate to the John Muir Trail along the Henrys Fork River, near the bird sanctuary.
- Construction notice (May – October):
- Harriman State Park sewer and waterline construction start date: May 22, 2025. Work continues through fall. Although only yurts are available for overnight rentals during this time, day-use facilities and trail access will be open to the public. When in the park, please observe any posted signage, caution tape, construction cones, or directions from Park staff about construction areas. You may be re-routed to access a trail, and parking lot areas may be limited due to the construction.
- Be advised that the primary location for restrooms will remain the Park’s vault toilets, as well as 4 porta-potties. These will be located at the Visitor Center and Boys House in the historic district. As waterlines will be affected by the construction, water fountains will not be operational. Please make sure to bring plenty of drinking water to use while enjoying the park. Thank you for your patience during our improvement to your State Park!
- The Boys House remains open as a family gathering space.
- Dog policy:
- Dogs allowed only in parking lots; no summer‑season trail access.
- Must be on a six‑foot leash and attended at all times; stray or unattended animals may be impounded at owner’s expense (IDAPA 26.01.20.175.09).
- Bear‑aware reminders:
- Make noise, travel in groups, stick to daylight hours.
- Carry bear spray and a bell.
- Follow our Facebook page for the latest trail conditions, upcoming events, and a link to local weather.
Park Reservations
Additional Links
Become a Friend of Harriman State Park, a citizen support group, which serves as a fund raising and volunteer partner for Harriman State Park. FHSP works in cooperation with the park to enhance and preserve the park’s natural and cultural resources and visitor experience. FSHP is a project-driven group. With proceeds from the “Buy a Buck” campaign, the group has replaced the historic jack fence along Highway 20, produced the “Harriman Legacy” DVD, teamed up with Writers at Harriman, and started a native plant garden at the Harriman Visitor Center. They have also written a number of grants for projects that will directly benefit Harriman State Park.
Learn about the History of Harriman State Park and the Historic Railroad Ranch
Writers at Harriman is a one week workshop for high school students held the first week of August every year.
Mountains and Strings is a chamber music camp held for kids in mid July.
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Contact the Park
Address:
Island Park, ID 83429
Phone:
Hours of Operation:
Upcoming Events
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 24 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 Accomodations
- Lodges/Houses
- Yurts
General Information
The Railroad Ranch was the full-time or part-time home of Roland and Gladys Harriman, ranch managers, cattle foremen and cowboys. Now it can be your part-time home, too. Follow the links below for more details on the various lodging opportunities in Harriman State Park. Pets are not allowed on park trails or in any of the buildings or yurts, due to the ranch being on the list of National Historic Places as well as a wildlife refuge.
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
