Harriman State Park is a public recreation area situated on the 11,000-acre (4,500 ha) Harriman Wildlife Refuge[4] in Fremont County, located three miles (4.8 km) south of Island Park in eastern Idaho, United States. The state park is located within the Henry's Fork Caldera, which is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It serves as a habitat for various wildlife, including elk, moose, sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, and the occasional black or grizzly bear.[2] Two-thirds of the trumpeter swans that winter in the contiguous United States spend the season in Harriman State Park.[3]
| Harriman State Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
 Henrys Fork in Harriman State Park | |
  Location in Idaho  Location in the United States | |
| Location | Fremont County, Idaho, United States |
| Nearest city | Island Park, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 44°20′10″N 111°27′41″W / 44.33611°N 111.46139°W[1] |
| Area | 11,000 acres (45 km2)[2] |
| Elevation | 6,120 ft (1,870 m)[2] |
| Designation | Idaho state park |
| Established | 1977; opened 1982 [3] |
| Administrator | Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Website | Harriman State Park |
History
editThe park's acreage was owned by Union Pacific Railroad investors from 1902 to 1977, serving as a cattle ranch and private retreat for the Harriman and Guggenheim families.[2] It was deeded to Idaho for free in 1977 by Roland and W. Averell Harriman, whose insistence that the state have a professional park managing service helped prompt the creation of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation in 1965. The park opened to the public in 1982.[3]
Support group
editFriends of Harriman State Park, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 2010 with the aim of supporting community projects that directly benefit Harriman State Park in Idaho. The formation of this organization came in response to an announcement by the State of Idaho regarding the potential complete reduction of park funding and the potential dissolution of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation into another state agency.[5] However, these measures were not implemented.[6]
Activities and amenities
editHenry's Fork, a fly-fishing stream of note, winds through park meadows for eight miles.[7] The park offers trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. In winter, roads and trails are groomed for cross-country skiing.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Harriman State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b c d e "Harriman State Park". Idaho Parks and Recreation. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c "History: State Lands in Idaho". Idaho Museum of Natural History. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- ^ "Harriman Wildlife Refuge". Important Bird Areas. National Audubon Society. September 12, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Friends of Harriman State Park". Friends of Harriman State Park. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ Betsy Z. Russell (July 6, 2015). "Idaho state parks 'do more with less' five years after budget crunch threatened closures". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ Mike Lawson (October 11, 2012). "5 Tips on Fishing the Henry's Fork". Rio Products. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
External links
edit- Harriman State Park Idaho Parks and Recreation
- Harriman State Park and Harriman Wildlife Refuge Boundaries Map Archived July 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Idaho Parks and Recreation
- Friends of Harriman State Park