Real Estate News

Island Park is a small town. Well, by small, I mean it only has a couple of hundred people for its population. The town itself is around 36.8 miles long, boasting the “longest Main Street in America,” while only being from 500 feet to 5000 feet wide. It covers a long strip, all along Highway 20 on the way up to West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park. It may be small, perhaps, but it’s not short on things to do. From sightseeing, hiking, shopping, and theater, Island Park presents the a lot of opportunities, from outdoors to indoors. And, with rental cabins and inns, the town makes a great staging area for whatever you decide to do. The biggest attraction is Yellowstone National Park. This park has it all. Geysers, natural hot springs, hiking, byways, canyons, lakes, wildlife (bison, elk, moose, bears, wolves), and the list just goes on. Old Faithful is always a favorite, and it’s still as faithful as always. Plus, there’s a huge complex around Old Faithful, so you could plan an entire trip around that. Next on the list is Virginia City, Montana. This is a historical town, with history seated deep in the Civil War. At the time of it’s founding, it was an unsafe place to live, but now it’s a living museum. They have an antique locomotive up and running, and you can actually ride it. Plus, there are other steam engines you can visit. Shootouts in the street used to be commonplace, and they have reenactments for you to enjoy. You can also pan for gold. Next up is another piece of history, the Johnny Sack Cabin. It’s located about 5 miles from Mack’s Inn, right next to Big Springs. It was built for its namesake: a German cabinetmaker. He used a unique process when working with wood that kept the bark intact. That touch can be seen in the finish and furniture of the cabin. He was a short man, just under 5 feet tall, and that is apparent in his custom built workspace. The cabin was going to be moved, but was kept as a piece of history and restored. Big Springs, where Johnny Sack Cabin sits, is a wonderfully tucked away place. It’s one of the headwaters for the Snake River, and it’s a fun experience visiting where the water just gushes from the earth. However, that’s not what Big Springs is known for. It’s fish. Huge fish. People come to Big Springs just to feed them, and it’s quite the experience. There’s no fishing allowed, which probably explains why the trout get so large. For a beautiful and eerie destination, Earthquake Lake foots the bill for both. This lake is so named because a massive earthquake at Hebgen Lake created it. This happened in 1959, and claimed the lives of 28 people. The earthquake was so violent it caused a massive landslide that traveled 100 miles an hour. It was over in less than 60 seconds. It cracked the damn in four places, but the damn held. The shoreline of Hebgen Lake sank 19 feet as a result of the earthquake. There are several scenic byways near Island Park, but the most well known takes you to the Mesa Falls. There are two waterfalls: Upper and Lower Mesa Falls. Upper Mesa Falls drops about 110 feet, and Lower Mesa Falls drops about 85 feet. They are truly spectacular and beautiful waterfalls, and there are pathways and viewing platforms that let you get right to the top of them. The waterfalls are otherwise untouched by man, so you can witness nature at its finest. If you like waterfalls, you can also visit Cave Falls. There’s a campground, so you can stay there and explore. If you are more interested in theater, then you should definitely visit the Mack’s Inn Playhouse in Island Park or the Playmill Theater in West Yellowstone. They both put on excellent performances, and the shows vary, so you’ll want to check them out and see what plays they are performing. If you want to experience everything Island Park has to offer, I hope you have a lot of time. That’s just scratching the surface. There’s still fishing, floating, boating, four-wheeling, skiing, horseback riding, camping, and a whole lot more for you to do. That’s the beautiful thing about Idaho. It has a rich, outdoor lifestyle, and there’s literally something for everyone to enjoy.