IDAHO TRAILS: Where to wander in Harriman State Park

With more than 20 miles of hiking, biking and horseback trails compared to 1 mile of roads, Harriman State Park “is a place for wandering,” said Kyle Babbitt, the park’s office specialist.

The park has been managed as a wildlife refuge since Roland and Gladys Harriman donated 11,000 acres to the State of Idaho in 1977.

“Harriman has trails for everyone who would come here,” said Babbitt.

For the past 19 years, Laura Lenhart of Rexburg has rented historical cabins for a week at Harriman with her family and friends. They have mountain biked, hiked and cross country skied in the park.

“It is just a marvelous place for regular people to enjoy,” said Lenhart after a week stay in late July. “We hiked, mountain biked and floated the river. For the money, it is as good as it gets.”
One of Lenhart’s favorite trails is the Golden Lake Loop Trail, which is rated as moderate with wildflowers decorating the meadows and trumpeter swans on the lake. Elk graze along the water’s edge, and moose feed in the shallows. This trail is mostly for mountain biking, as it is 9.5 miles long.

Assistant Park Manager Bert Mecham enjoys a trail that features two areas with ominous names: Coronary Bypass and Heart Attack Hill. Only expert bikers should attempt to ride them, but experienced hikers can also enjoy the trail.

“I love the Ridge Trail because it is so challenging for a mountain biker, and I usually see a lot of animals,” said Mecham. “But there are trails for all skill levels from flat land to mountains, and all are well maintained.”
One of the most popular combination loops is the River Trail and the Ranch Loop. This 2.4-mile loop is rated as easy with a variety of habitat including meadows, sage flats, the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, the east side of Silver Lake and the historical buildings from the past. Moose, swan, waterfowl, bear, coyotes, elk, terns and songbirds are regularly seen along this route.

And if you especially want to see elk, take the 2.5-mile Meadow Loop during the fall when 300 elk begin their rut and are bugling. You can stop at the Thurmon Overlook and possibly watch bull elk as they challenge each other for a group of cows. Russ Little of the Dry Ridge Outfitters offers early morning three-hour horseback trips into the area of bugling elk. Reservations a day in advance are needed for these early-morning trips.

But the park has a lot of history as well as nature. The half-mile John Muir Interpretive Trail and the Ranch Loops tell the stories of the Harriman and Guggenheim families, who used the park as a summer retreat. Nineteenth-century naturalist John Muir visited Mary Harriman at the then-named Railroad Ranch 102 years ago, and his 10-day stay is documented along the trail named after him. This trail was finished this summer from funds donated by the Friends of Harriman. It is ADA-compliant, as it is paved all the way to the river.

As you take the trails of Harriman State Park and sit down on a log for a quiet rest and reflection, do not be surprised if an elk, bear, hummingbirds or swans disrupt the solitude.

You are, after all, in the wild.

“Remember this is a wildlife refuge, and it is their right to live here,” said Babbitt. “But it is also our right to visit and enjoy the experience of being in the wild, so be prepared.”

If you are going to hike in Harriman, take water and snacks, wear good shoes, dress for the weather, and carry bear spray.

And whatever you do, don’t take only one trail.

“Don’t do just a loop. Take several. Tie them together and enjoy what the park has to offer,” Babbitt said.