ISLAND PARK, Idaho — Island Park relies on Yellowstone National Park to provide tourism, but this unique Idaho community features a lot of attractions on its own.
Island Park only has around 200 full-time residents, but it features the longest main street in the country, as Highway 20 runs 33 miles through this tourist destination with several different hubs in that stretch.
At one of the hubs, I stopped with a bunch of other people to watch a moose in the Buffalo River. It might have been too far away to get the best picture, but it's also important to keep your distance from wildlife, as moose can be aggressive and mean.
"It chased us back to the truck," said Pat, who told me about a previous experience he had with a moose. "They are pretty scary when they are nice and close."
Pat and his family are visiting the Yellowstone region from Ohio. Like many others, Pat's family is driving through Island Park so they can visit Yellowstone National Park.
"Yeah, I love the mountains, we try to get out here every couple of years," said Pat. "We will spend two to three days in Yellowstone, then get back on a plane and fly back to Ohio."
Island Park has places to camp and places to stay for a jumping off point into America's first national park, but it also provides a bunch of activities and places to visit, including two Idaho state parks.
On the other side of the bridge, Idaho Fish and Game stocked the Buffalo River with rainbow trout, and I think Pat enjoyed that more than seeing the moose.
"It was pretty neat," said Pat. "I often wondered how they did that, I like to see how things work, and I got to see that."
Island Park also features the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, as this area is a destination for anglers, floaters, and it also features a variety of hikes and waterfalls. Those include the majestic Upper and Lower Mesa Falls.
As the tourism season ramps up, this area sees a lot of traffic. The speed limit on Highway 20 is 65 miles per hour, but it drops down to 45 in each hub. It's a good place to take your time and enjoy the scenery.
