Set in one of the state’s finest outdoor classrooms, Harriman State Park
of Idaho is one
of 30 state parks managed by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
(IDPR). The
department’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Idaho through outdoor
recreation and resource stewardship. Located in the eastern Idaho
between Ashton and Island Park on State Highway 20, Harriman is a 14,000-acre
wildlife refuge in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and is managed as a natural
and historical site. The park is described in superlatives—views of the Teton
Mountain Range are spectacular; crystal lakes, sage meadows, and verdant pasture
land dominate the landscape; birding is outstanding; the wild flowers are
breathtaking; and Henry’s Fork, which meanders for 8 miles through the park, is
one of the best fly-fishing streams in the nation. Moose, elk, deer, sandhill
cranes, and the spectacular trumpeter swan can be seen in the park, particularly
in the early morning or evening. More than 20 miles of trails are available for
hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
It is the writer’s privilege to help man endure by
lifting his heart.
–William Faulkner
–William Faulkner
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, together with
private funds from the Scovel estate, has invested more than $3 million in
the new Laura Clark Scovel Center at Harriman, a facility designed for educational programs
such as Writers @ Harriman. Once owned by Union Pacific Railroad investors (1902
to 1977), the park was the private retreat of the Harriman and Guggenheim
families. Today, Harriman State Park retains many of the turn-of-the-century
buildings, and significant renovation projects are underway.
Within the park is Railroad Ranch, 30 buildings that were used by the Harriman family which have names such as Harriman Cottage, Dining Cottage, and the Boys' House. IDPR's restoration of these structures makes them today much the same as when they were built, providing a romantic glimpse into the lives of the Harrimans and their guests. Each June for 40 years, Roland and Gladys Harriman left their home in Manhattan, boarded their private Union Pacific Railroad cars with their butler and chef, and travelled cross-country to Idaho to live at the ranch for three months. Railroad Ranch, originally a dairy farm, was then a working ranch populated by cowboys, ranch hands, horses and cattle. Lest Mrs. Harriman be pictured a lady of leisure, one should know that she rode along with the cowboys when they rounded up the cattle.
The ranch was given to the people of Idaho by the Harriman family for use as a state park. They also gave a park which bears their name to New York state.
Within the park is Railroad Ranch, 30 buildings that were used by the Harriman family which have names such as Harriman Cottage, Dining Cottage, and the Boys' House. IDPR's restoration of these structures makes them today much the same as when they were built, providing a romantic glimpse into the lives of the Harrimans and their guests. Each June for 40 years, Roland and Gladys Harriman left their home in Manhattan, boarded their private Union Pacific Railroad cars with their butler and chef, and travelled cross-country to Idaho to live at the ranch for three months. Railroad Ranch, originally a dairy farm, was then a working ranch populated by cowboys, ranch hands, horses and cattle. Lest Mrs. Harriman be pictured a lady of leisure, one should know that she rode along with the cowboys when they rounded up the cattle.
The ranch was given to the people of Idaho by the Harriman family for use as a state park. They also gave a park which bears their name to New York state.
Harriman State Park
Writers @ Harriman is a week-long workshop for Idaho’s best young writers, held for the second time August 1 through 7, 2010, at Harriman State Park (map). Imaginative writing and natural history are the focus for Writers @ Harriman. With the guidance of teaching writers and naturalists, high school students will experience the best of both worlds.
Writers @ Harriman is a week-long workshop for Idaho’s best young writers, held for the second time August 1 through 7, 2010, at Harriman State Park (map). Imaginative writing and natural history are the focus for Writers @ Harriman. With the guidance of teaching writers and naturalists, high school students will experience the best of both worlds.