A Busy Weekend in Island Park

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Friday began a busy weekend for Island Park. I dropped in to the Henry’s Fork Days at Last Chance.  An enormous tent had been erected at the sportsman’s access. Inside, a group of dedicated sportsmen were attending the seminar within. Alex Whittier of Fish and Game was manning a Bear Aware booth nearby and a couple of diehard fishermen were fighting the 30 mph winds with downwind casts.

Saturday morning Sheri and I 

attended the Kid’s Fishing Day at Mill Pond. The cloudy morning went unnoticed as a large group of youngsters assisted by attentive parents, cast their lines into the pond. It didn’t take long before the trout began feeding on the worm-laden hooks. 

Excited kids took their trophies to the Fish and Game table where they were allowed to choose a new fishing pole from a large selection donated by local merchants.  The well-stocked pond produced a large number of happy young fishermen.

Dropping in on the Henry’s Fork Foundation festivities, preparations 
were being made for the big dinner under the tent. The calmer weather allowed fly fishermen to wade into the river and present their hand-tied offerings to the native cutthroats.

The next stop was Mesa Falls. The parking fee was waived and guides were available for tours of the geology and flora of the area. Smokey the Bear was greeting visitors at the information center and passing out gifts to the kids. 

Alex and the bear trailer had followed us from the Mill Pond to Mesa Falls where he continued to spread the gospel of being bear aware.

Finally we made our way down to the falls. A short walk on an easy trail led us to the majestic Mesa Falls. The swollen river crashing over the falls was accented by the mist fed green moss growing up the sides of the volcanic canyon.

There are so many opportunities to enjoy nature’s gifts in Island Park and the weekend pointed a few of those opportunities out with the help of many devoted residents. Thank you.