Winter has come, Upper Mesa Falls is a short sled rids away. Custom prints can be printed to - click on photo for purchase info
Lower Mesa Falls
Island Park is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The city's population was 215 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated by owners of the many lodges and resorts along U.S. Route 20 in 1947 to circumvent Idaho's liquor laws that prohibited the sale of liquor outside of city limits. It is only 500 feet wide in most locations and, at 33 miles claims to have the longest "Main Street" in the world.
From the northern area of Island Park, where Henry’s Lake awaits the trophy trout angler, to the southern area, where there’s Blue Ribbon fly fishing on the Henry’s Fork, Island Park is a rear-round recreation paradise. The Island Park Caldera (volcano cone) is one of the largest calderas in the world. It has a nearly level 20-mile wide circular floor that slopes slightly towards the southeast. The caldera floor is at about 6,000 feet of elevation with the rim generally being several hundred feet higher. The Henry's Lake Flat area, north of the caldera, is a little higher. Henry's Lake is at 6,500 feet with the flats sloping slightly southward towards the caldera.
Ashton Dog Derby
The area sports two Idaho state parks — Henry’s Lake and Harriman, and is surrounded by the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, where you can hike, mountain bike, ride ATV’s, fish, boat, bird watch, do nature photography, and much more.
Island Park Idaho is In the heart of Targhee National Forest, whether you are interested in historical landmarks, fly fishing, hiking, camping horseback riding, hunting, snowmobiling or just on your way through to Yellowstone National Park, Island Park’s natural splendor will captivate you.
Harriman State Park, 4,330 acres of pristine forest land and high-country meadows. Located in the center of a 16,000-acre wildlife refuge, the park is a haven to rare trumpeter swans, numerous waterfowl and elk, deer and other wildlife.
Fly-fisherman, Henry's Fork River, Last Chance Idaho
The world famous fly-fishing stream, the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, winds through the meadows at the park. The Henry's Fork is one of the most famous trout streams in all of the United States. It's legendary hatches and abundant large wild rainbow trout make the Henry's Fork one of America's top fly-fishing destinations. The river flows for approximately 150 miles and within its journey passes some of the more classic dry fly water in the United States. Gentle flowing meadowland, pocket water, and spring creek like sections make up much of this legendary fishery made popular by Avril Harriman the railroad man. The Henry's Fork of the Snake is a spectacular river and fishery. Anglers come from all over the world to this river to fish its diverse and productive waters.
Snowmobiling is big business and big fun in Island Park in Winter.
Snowmobiling is big business and big fun in Island Park in Winter and it’s a snowmobiler’s winter wonderland where you can escape to prodigious hordes of powder and hundreds of miles of groomed trail; horizons of snow-capped peaks beckon, powder blanketed valleys of white entice you off your groomed trail, and breathtaking scenery stops you in your tracks. Each Winter Island Park is the beneficiary of average of 229 inches of snow. Hundreds of thousands of acres of public land are open to snowmobiling and exploring.
Island Park maintains over six hundred miles of groomed snowmobile trails with four full time groomers operating daily to insure smooth riding for the Island Park snowmobiler await both novices and experienced riders alike. Snowmobile in our back yard with fewer restrictions, ride in the shadow of the majestic Tetons Mountains, or play in the hills and meadows within an hour’s drive of our front door. An additional 400 miles of snowmobile trails abut the Island Park snowmobile trail system. Abundant off-trail opportunities exist to challenge all riding experience. Island Park is one of Idaho's least restricted snowmobiling areas.
Most people think of an island as something belonging in an ocean. But deep within the boundaries of the Targhee National Forest lies an almost magical island that offers all of this and more. The same natural forces that made Yellowstone so scenic have made Island Park similarly beautiful - country just made for relaxation and recreation! To fully capture the spirit of the Island Park region, stay in on of the numerous ranches and guest lodges. You can fish in the summer and nordic ski or snowmobile in the winter. And it's just a short jaunt to Yellowstone National Park!
Young photographer Scott Hunter captureing the magic of Upper Mesa Falls
Greater Yellowstone News
Yellowstone in Recovery
In June 2022, unprecedented amounts of rainfall caused substantial flooding, rockslides, and mudslides within Yellowstone National Park. Historic water levels caused severe damage to roads, water and wastewater systems, power lines, and other critical park infrastructure. ......... All you need to know
Backpacking The Thorofare in Yellowstone – The Most Remote Place in the US Lower 48 ~
The logistics of planning a backpacking trip in Yellowstone are a bit tricky but manageable. The biggest challenge is the lack of commercial airline service in Wyoming. Cody, West Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole airports are all extremely expensive, offer few options, and almost always require a connection. Rental car availability and price can also be a challenge in those markets. I have opted for Salt Lake City for all my Yellowstone trips as the logistics, aside from a long drive, are easier to manage at a fraction of the price. ........ Rest of the story
Fire is good;
Yellowstone has long been shaped by fire and not just the cool, creeping ground fires often described as "good" for grass production. The natural history of fire in the park includes large-scale conflagrations sweeping across the park's vast volcanic plateaus. Most Americans steeped in Smokey the Bear's "Only you can prevent forest fires!" mantra, the very thought that forest fires might have a positive side seemed preposterous. We all learned this as children and it is damned hard to change, as our indoctrination to this policy was total. ...... Learn More
A forest reborn
The Greater Yellowstone Bald Eagle:
Bald Eagles are again a common site along the rivers and lakes of the Greater Yellowstone Region, and they always bring a thrill to Yellowstone visitors when they set their eyes on one of these magnificent birds. The thrill of seeing our national bird soar above never fails to awe a spectator........ read more
Is social media ruining our nature excursions?
Social media, the curse and blessing of the twenty-first century. A focus on the evolution of the problem inflicted on nature, ways of to mitigate how it affects our beautiful places, our wildlife, our experience. Dichotomies and conundrums to ponder. Since the advent of the digital photography and its ease of use and economy after initial investment, America and the world have hit the road and the road comes back to us on our social media. .................... rest of article Addendum, this is getting worse than ever.
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Study: More elk killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho:More elk are being killed by cougars than by wolves in Idaho, a study by the state Department of Fish and Game has found.The study found that wolves accounted for 32% of adult female elk deaths and 28% of elk calf deaths, while cougars accounted for 35% of adult female elk deaths and 45% of elk calf deaths. The study also found ............ rest of story
Return of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout by Kelsey Dayton
The water in Atlantic Creek in the remote Thorofare region of Yellowstone National Park was clear. So clear that Dave Sweet could see the fish before he even cast. They were everywhere: dozens of beautiful trout with distinctive red slashes under their jaws. Sweet had journeyed for two days on horseback to the major spawning tributaries of Yellowstone Lake for those fish. Over the next few days he and his daughter would see thousands of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and catch some as long as 25 inches. But just as exciting were the younger, smaller fish. They, Sweet realized, mark a turning point in a battle to save a species..................... Rest Of Story
Huge Yellowstone Cutthroat trout
The Resort Town Curse by Daryl L. Hunter
In 1962 as a child my family went through Carmel California, and after my exclaimation how beautiful the place was, my mother explained to me that it was against the law to cut down a tree in the town and it was so beautiful. I wondered why every town didn't do that. A few years later my hometown, San Luis Obispo, did enact all kinds of restricted zoning like Carmel's as a part of an urban renewal plan, and now I couldn't afford to move back there if I wanted to. This town is now populated with what they call "Grey Gold", rich retired people that ran up the property values so high that native born could no longer afford to live there. I have lived in many resort towns since, and I have noticed a trend. I am attracted to them when they are still little, quaint and undiscovered, but it usually isn't long before word spreads about the next great place. .............. Rest of story
A Protective Firewall For Grizzlies By Daryl L. Hunter
The delisting of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear is imminent and this we should celebrate (''''dancing''''). Now that our happy dance is complete, we must ensure the grizzlies' recovery is permanent. To ensure "continuity of achievement," the grizzlies need a firewall to protect the success of this achievement from human foible.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee was formed in 1983 to help ensure recovery of viable grizzly bear populations and their habitat in the lower 48 states through interagency coordination of policy, planning, management, and research. Many people have been working on this recovery for decades, for some; it has been most of their career. I can understand why the delisting of the grizzly before their retirement is their goal. A metaphorical gold watch if you will.
Many will argue differently,................. Rest of Article
Grizzly 399 and her quadruplets doing their part in Grizzly Recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The Grand Teton Photo and Field Guide is an encapsulation of the flora, fauna, and photography of Jackson Hole Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park. Also included are thumbnails of the history and geology of the valley. This book is for all visitors with a desire to seek out wildlife, photograph the landscape, or merely learn about the history, geology, and lay of the land of Grand Teton National Park. The author provides general overviews including hot links with more in-depth descriptions of subjects of individual interest.
In the “Lay of the Land” section, includes the obvious highlights along the loop through Grand Teton Park. Hot links to side roads will give you more in-depth description of side roads and feeder roads and their highlights. Also included are descriptions of all two-rut roads that are legal to travel on in Grand Teton Park. GPS links to Google Maps are provided throughout.
As a field guide, profiles of most of animals and birds in the area are described. Jackson Hole is full of wildlife but there are places where animals are, and there are places where they are not. It is a waste of time to scrutinize a landscape devoid of what you are looking for, so this guide narrows options down to the hot spots. I provide maps of the likeliest places to find the popular critters of Grand Teton National Park. I also touch on trees, shrubs, and wildflowers with minimal explanations.
Huge Bull Moose, dwarfed by the giant peaks of hte Grand Tetons.
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The grandeur of Grand Teton Park has made it one of the most photographed places in the world. The opportunity to harness multiple juxtapositional elements has drawn photographers for over a century since William Henry Jackson took the first photos here in 1878. Grand Teton Park’s plethora of famous vistas are profiled as well as many which are less clichéd that can bring new perspectives of a well-documented landscape. Grand Tetons’ iconic landscape photo opportunities are described in detail; however, they barely scratch the surface of opportunities as it takes a photographer with an artist’s eye to unveil as they follow their own intuition and vision. The author who shies away from clichéd landscapes provides a chapter of his favorite places that aren’t landscape clichés.
In the photography section the author includes chapters on composition, exposure basics, when to shoot and why. Daryl has summarized what he teaches in his, half day, Grand Teton workshops in a simple concise way.
If you are only in Grand Teton Park for a day there is a chapter called the “Portfolio Packer Morning Trip,” that does just that, all the icons and several favorite places in a five our blitz. But it is better to spend more time and dig deep into the embarrassment of riches of Grand Teton National Park................. More Info
