Favorite Activities in Island Park Idaho, West Yellowstone Montana, and Yellowstone National Park
The Island Park Idaho and Yellowstone area is a magical place full of adventures to captivate everyone. Check out some of my favorite things to do in the area:
Mesa Falls
Don't miss this one! There are upper and lower waterfalls, and the upper falls are the ones you have to visit! $3 entry fee per vehicle. The visitor's center is very interesting and has a room that children love with lots of animal pelts! I never tire of these beautiful waterfalls , no matter how many times I see them. The road to Mesa Falls is off of Hwy 20 in Island Park Idaho, near mile marker 380.
Macks Inn Dinner Theatre:
This summer stock theatre does a wonderful job -- you can go for dinner and the play, or just the play. The cast is made up mostly of college students, and dinner is served before the play. The dinner delicious -- your choice of prime rib or chicken. The plays for 2010 are: "Robin Hood - Tales of Rotting Ham" and "Pirates of the Car-rib-eee-an Yo ho ho and a bottle of fun". Plays usually begin Memorial Day Weekend and continue through Labor Day.
Johnny Sack Cabin at Big Springs:
Johnny Sack Cabin is a very i unique historical spot , and a tour of the cabin is available. Turn east on S. Big Springs Loop Rd at Macks Inn, near mile marker 392 on Hwy 20 in Island Park Idaho. Big Springs is the headwaters of Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. In the evening, moose can often be seen walking in the stream, and trout and muskrats like to play under the bridge. The trout are the biggest ones I've ever personally seen! You can bring bread for the ducks and geese , and quarters for trout food. The interpretive walk along the river is beautiful
Sawtelle Peak:
This is a great drive and has sweeping views. From the top of Sawtelle you can see into Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and into the border of Yellowstone.  Nice place for a picnic. Turn left at the Subway (about 11 miles north of the start of Island Park in Last Chance) and proceed all the way up to the top of the peak! If you enjoy hiking, there is a trail to Marie Lake that is located near the top of Sawtelle peak. Marie Lake is almost 5 miles away, and I have never gone that far, but we did hike in a mile or so and it's perfectly beautiful - I noticed 28 different wildflower species! Remember to take your bear spray and be noisy ...it's all bear country here!
Biking, ATV'ing and Snowmobiling
Island Park has over 500 miles of groomed trails for fun all year long. Maps are provided at the cabins, or can be found at the gas stations or Forest Stations. Sled during wintertime up to Two Top to see the renowned snow ghosts, ride from Two Top over to West Yellowstone and then to Yellowstone (you have to pick up an approved snowmobile and a guide at that point), or do some serious "marking" up Mt. Jefferson! The trail riding is awe-inspiring in the winter in Island Park! These same trails are available in the summer for ATV's.
Cross Country Skiing:
There are plenty of locations in Island Park to back-country ski but for those of you who love a nice groomed trail, some great options exist. Harriman State Park has several picturesque trails that pass by the river or lakes and are variable in length and ability.
Island Park Reservoir:
Island Park Reservoir makes for great skiing and boating, and is never very crowded. Launch your boat at the Island Park Reservoir boat launch, or Buttermilk Campground. The boat launch is located on Island Park Dam Road, which is just a little ways north of Pond’s Lodge, on the west side of the highway. Look for the brown sign. This area has nice sandy beaches (okay, not like Bermuda sands, but pretty good considering this whole area is one big volcano waiting to erupt….). Shallower water to the sides of the boat docks makes for good swimming for the kids. There is also a restroom, the "campground pit toilet" variety.
Henry’s Fork Fishing:
Fishermen come from all over the globe to fly-fish this part of the Snake River. Island Park has fishing guides for all the major rivers and still waters of the area, including the Snake River, the Madison River, the Gallatin River, Henry's Lake, and Hebgen Lake.
Henry’s Lake:
This is the place to land the trophy trout. People arrive from many parts of the world even to fish this famous lake, but if you plan on eating them, the fish taste best here in the spring, before mid-June. Still fun to catch a big one in the summer and have it mounted! There are a couple of different boat launches here. One is the state park at the south end, and another is a park at the north end. A few miles south of the lake is Redrock Road, which winds around the lake. A dirt road just to the west of the RV park along this road takes you down to a public, unmaintained boat launch, which is free.
River Float Trips:
Macks Inn has a float trip that starts about 3 miles upriver, and they rent rafts, but the current is so slow that most of the time frequently you all but have to paddle to go downstream, and occasionally you hit low spots you have to pull the boat over. My favorite float puts in at the fisherman's boat launch just below Island Park Reservoir Dam. It's approximately a 45 minute trip , about, very scenic, just swit enough in a few spots to get the inexperienced rafter's adrenaline going a bit. When you start to see the houses on the east bank of the river, you will know the float is almost over. After the cluster of houses, you will see a clearing, and a boat ramp on the left-hand side . Tell your group to stay to the left. We always park a car down here (The parking lot field just northwest of Angler's Lodge in Last Chance)..
Golfing:
It's a little swampy at times, and Surely not an Arnold Palmer course, but the price is right and the vistas are great at Island Park Village Resort Golf Course. The clubhouse sports a swimming pool, raquetball court, ping-pong table, tennis court, and water aerobics, and they now offer a reduced rate for non-members.
Quake Lake:
An earthquake hit here, buried the campground and formed a natural dam on the river. There is a visitor center at the site and a few lookout points -- quite interesting -- and further up the river is the "ghost town" --- old houses that were swept away at the time of the dam creation and flood and deposited on the river banks. To get there, take Hwy 87 toward Ennis, past Henry's Lake, and turn right (east) on hwy 287 to the lake. You can continue on 287 after the visitors’ center to the ghost town and Hebgen Lake and into West Yellowstone.
Yellowstone Rodeo:
Half-way between Island Park and West Yellowstone is the prettiest location for a rodeo ever. The Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo runs from June through August. From Island Park, head further N/NE on Hwy 20 over the pass into Montana. The rodeo is merely a couple of miles ahead on the south side of the Hwy, just 6 miles from West Yellowstone
West Yellowstone
Shops in West Yellowstone make for a fun day, and although I've never been, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center and Imax Theatre in West Yellowstone are favorites of many (I need to get out more…). Of course, my favorite West Yellowstone shop involves candy, at the Rustic Candy Shop on Canyon Street. There are also many wonderful restaurants. The Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone offers live theatre, and they do a great job!
Favorite Places in Yellowstone:
I don’t think I could ever get enough Yellowstone in a lifetime. If you have the time, hiking in Yellowstone National Park can’t be beat – it’s a scary but magical experience (I have grizzly-phobia), but if you are brave enough, well worth it. The park has some great info on hiking trails, and the rangers can steer you away from the trails with high grizzly activity. The locations below, however, are right along the main routes and aren't scary even for those most grizzly-phobic among you. I usually try to stick to one quadrant of the park a day, so I don’t feel hurried. If you don’t have that much time, divide the park into north and south for 2 days of exploring.
Canyon:
Artist point is a must, but most people don't check out the falls from some of the alternative vista points. One of my favorites is Uncle Tom's Trail -- a whole lot of steps (300, I think) going down to a nice view toward the bottom o the falls. There is also a nice trail right around Grand View and Lookout point that takes you to the very top of the falls which is a bit scary and absolutely wonderful. I could spend a whole day exploring the many trails at these fantastic falls. If you can make it to the falls in the morning, sunup intensifies the already incredible colors of the canyon walls.
Mammoth area: Terrace Falls used to be my absolute favorite place, but recent seismic activity has dried most of it up. Still interesting, and we always go into Mammoth and get ice cream at the cafe and eat it on the lawn area across the street. Mammoth is fun because there are frequently herds of elk hanging out at the village.
Tower Falls:
To see bears and wolves: Take the Tower Route on your way home from Mammoth if you have time. Evening is the best time to spot bears. normally you need a spotting scope to see wolves, but last time I went I saw 5 bears, just right by the road. We were able to get out of our cars from a safe distance and watch. The place to see them is near Tower -- not actually at Tower, but the drive between Canyon and Mammoth. Wolves can sometimes be spotted in Lamar Valley as well, but they are elusive – be prepared to sit with a scope a long time.
UPDATE: I visited the park about the 4th week in April, 2010, and it was wonderful! I were able to watch a grizzly up close for about 30 minutes, and then a wolf for about the same amount of time. We stayed pretty much in the car, as the grizzly got closer and closer, to the point where he was about 10 feet away and crossed the road in front of us. He was huge! The wolf we watched from about 30 feet away. He was diggin in some snow for a rodent. Both animals were toward the west entrance of the park, near Madison Junction. We also got to softly pass some Bison in the road that were shedding their winter coat. They were taller than my minivan! The animal babies weren't born yet... that's usually May. So if you ever have an opportunity, consider visiting the park in April or May.
Norris Geyser Basin and Artist’s Paint Pots
These are very nice walking tours, and the colors of the paint pots are so incredible. It's hard to believe these hues exist naturally!
Old Faithful:
What would a trip to Yellowstone be without Old Faithful? But to be honest the of Old Faithful is really  the 3 mile hike around the other, smaller geysers. The map only shows a couple of them, but there are actually many.  One of my favorites is the "Grotto Geyser". Plan to spend time on this easy hike -- it will be well worth your time!
Firehole Drive:
There is actually a swimming hole here. People like to walk along the boulders to the start of a rushing current, fling themselves in the current and float downstream a ways. Or, for the more timid, stay downstream and cool off in the swimming hole. As you drive along Firehole Loop, just follow the crowds of people to the swimming hole! Be heedful– the current is strong! If crowds scare you, you may not want to go here on a hot day...crazy with crowds of people!
Where to stay?
There are many hotels in West Yellowstone and in Island Park. West Yellowstone has some cabin rentals for those who like more seclusion and a "homey" cabin experience, but the bulk of the cabins available for Yellowstone lodging are Island Park Idaho rentals, ranging in size from small cozy cabins to luxury lakefront homes.There are also large cabins for family reunion groups and corporate retreats. Island Park is 15-45 minutes from the west entrance, depending on where you stay. The west entrance to the park affords the most convenient entrance by far, as it is only 14 miles in to the first major junction that spllits off to the most interesting attractions. The west entrance is toward the center of the park in lattitude , which makes it easy to travel in any direction once you get to Madison Junction. This saves a lot of drive time over staying in Jackson or Gardiner. Major airports are in Bozeman and Salt Lake City.