7 Things to Do in Island Park

7 Things to Do in Island Park, Idaho (That Aren't Yellowstone): Plan Your 2027 Summer Getaway

Island Park gets treated like a hallway. A lot of people drive Highway 20 straight through on their way to Yellowstone's West Entrance and never stop. That's a mistake. The Henry's Fork starts here, the whole area sits inside the Island Park caldera, and some of the best stops in this corner of Idaho don't need a Yellowstone pass at all.

All seven of these are within driving distance of Island Park KOA Holiday.

1. Big Springs

Big Springs is where the Henry's Fork comes up out of the ground, more than 120 million gallons a day at about 52 degrees all year. Walk out on the bridge and look down. The rainbows and brook trout stacked up in the current are protected, so nobody fishes for them.

A half-mile accessible trail follows the water, and you can spot osprey and bald eagles along it. Johnny Sack's cabin, built in 1929, sits right next to the spring. Big Springs is a National Natural Landmark, too.

2. The Big Springs Water Trail

Got a canoe or kayak? Put in at Big Springs and float about 4 miles down to Mack's Inn. The water is slow and clear. Moose, bald eagles and sandhill cranes all turn up along this stretch, so put somebody in the boat on lookout duty.

3. Upper and Lower Mesa Falls

Upper Mesa Falls drops 114 feet, and it's about 41 minutes from the campground. The visitor center is in the old Big Falls Inn, a log lodge, and from there a short trail and boardwalk lead out to the overlooks. Lower Mesa Falls has its own overlook a bit farther down the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway. Stop at both.

4. Harriman State Park

Harriman State Park is 11,000 acres along the Henry's Fork, and the old Railroad Ranch buildings are still there. One of them, the Honeymoon Hotel, is now the park's Junior Ranger headquarters. Bring bikes or hiking shoes for the trails. If you'd rather be on a horse, the park's riding operator runs one- and two-hour rides for ages 8 and up. There's a per-vehicle entrance fee.

5. Henry's Lake State Park

Henry's Lake is just minutes from camp, and Henry's Lake State Park on its shore makes for an easy half day. Swim, paddle, or put a boat in at the ramp. The park lends out fishing rods, which comes in handy on a lake with a reputation for big cutthroat-rainbow hybrids and brook trout.

6. Sawtell Peak

The road up Sawtell Peak leaves Highway 20 about a mile and a half north of Mack's Inn and climbs roughly 13 miles to 9,866 feet. At the top you get the Island Park caldera, Island Park Reservoir and Henry's Lake in one view. The meadows on the way up fill with wildflowers in midsummer. It's a lot colder up there than it is at camp, so throw a jacket in the car.

7. Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center

OK, this one sits right next to Yellowstone's West Entrance. But it isn't in the park, and it's where you'll get a good look at a grizzly. The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is a nonprofit, accredited wildlife park in West Yellowstone with grizzly bears, wolves, river otters and birds of prey, and it's open every day of the year. West Yellowstone is about 10 miles from the campground.

Book Your Site

Summer weekends near Yellowstone fill up early. Reserve your site at Island Park KOA Holiday for your 2027 trip, and check the Island Park local area guide for more ideas.