START WITH HOME,
ESPECIALLY IF IT’S IDAHOME
Before heading out on our grand adventure, we headed home. Idaho holds both our favorite places and our most beloved people. Although we didn’t have time to see them all, we managed to get a good dose of family time before we left.
Island Park
Anyone who has been to Island Park knows it is magical. Our favorite places to play in Island Park include Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, the Outlet from Henry’s Lake, nearby Wade and Cliff Lakes (actually in Montana), and at our cabin – the place that holds decades of memories.
A couple of notes about our favorites . . .
- Floating Henry’s Fork has become incredibly popular in recent years. For the best float, start early, like 9am. The put in is well signed from Big Springs road. There are two parking lots before you reach the river, but you can pull up to the launch to unload. Make frequent stops to explore, as the float is fairly short (between two and four hours depending on your stops). There is no fishing on the first section, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the clear water coming from the springs just above you. The water in this section is very cold and you should be prepared to hop out once or twice in the shallow spots to pull yourself along.
- Fishing this year was great on the outlet and less great in the river. The outlet produced nice, big cutthroat. The river seemed overrun by white fish. Hopefully the situation at the river is temporary. We are worms people. We try fly fishing at each spot, but usually revert to tried and true worms.
- Wade and Cliff lakes are about 40 minutes from Island Park, with 20 minutes of that drive on dirt roads. It’s an amazing oasis. I can’t tell you more, there are already too many people there.
Yellowstone National Park
Why is Yellowstone in a post about Idaho? Our family’s cabin in Island Park is only 19 miles from the West Entrance to America’s best national park. So although it’s technically in Wyoming (with small parts in Montana and Idaho), we feel at home in Yellowstone. We couldn’t leave the U.S.A. without saying goodbye to our favorite park.
A day in Yellowstone ALWAYS includes buffalo, some hiking, and ice cream. The Old Faithful Inn (fun fact: my grandpa was a bartender there in his youth) was closed due to COVID, so we had to settle for ice cream in West Yellowstone. And we always stop by the Madison River on the side of the road for a picnic.
A couple of notes about our favorites:
- Old Faithful seems less and and less faithful these days. Be patient. It’s something you have to see. Then move on. The network of trails beyond Old Faithful is incredible. If you are lucky, you might catch one of the other geysers erupting. A must do is ice cream and/or coffees on the deck of the Old Faithful Inn. it’s a great place to sit and people watch while you wait for the next eruption. The building is amazing. Do not miss.
- Crowds are crazy the last few years. While it’s great that more people are enjoying the park, it’s also sad to see hats blown into paint pots or trash left in picnic spots. Please leave no trace. And to avoid the crowds, go early. We love 6am in the park, no joke.
- Hiking is the best way to skip the crowds in the park. Pick up a trail guide at my favorite bookshop in West Yellowstone (the Book Peddler) and hit the trails.
And finally, we said goodbye
While we had a great time visiting part of Idaho’s mountains, our real reason for the trip was to say goodbye. We are going to miss a year of birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations with the ones we love. We didn’t get to see everyone, but we did get to see the grandparents that we are going to rely on to keep our stateside lives running while we are gone. They are storing our stuff, caring for our pup, and helping with all the outstanding paperwork we left behind. More importantly, they have been totally supportive and excited for us, which is what we really needed. Thank you. We love you. We will miss you. We will be back.
“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye,
life will reward you with a new hello.”– Paulo Coelho