dust and starlightIsland Park and Sawtell Peak · Weekend trip
A weekend in Island Park
Our own trip, September 19–21, 2026.
A long weekend based in Island Park, Idaho, the third weekend of September 2026. It suits anyone who wants wildlife, easy off-roading and a mountain you can drive to the top of, without fighting Yellowstone's crowds for all of it.
The country outside the park, on the Idaho and Montana sides, is easy to get around and quiet. Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is the pick for wildlife and easy off-roading, and we'd send anyone up Sawtell Peak. We did spend a day in Yellowstone, and getting in on that Sunday morning was crazy, even in late September.
Getting there
We left Salt Lake City at about 8:30 on Saturday morning and took I-15 north through Pocatello, then US 20 up to Island Park. We stopped for barbecue at Lil' Mike's Bar-B-Que in Rigby on the way, and it was super good. On the way home on Monday we stopped in Pocatello to eat.
SaturdaySeptember 19
Over Red Rock Pass into Montana's Centennial Valley
The whole loop of the valley, about 60 miles, over Red Rock Pass (7,163 feet). We'd already driven the Gravelly Range on an earlier trip, so this time we took the rougher north side. That road didn't show on onX, only on Gaia GPS, and it isn't much of a road: it leads to a couple of ranches. A storm came through while we were out there. Don't drive it in the rain. Pronghorn were the find of the day.
Box Canyon and the Buffalo River, at golden hour
Two rivers come together here, the Henrys Fork and the Buffalo River, and both are worth a look. We photographed both.
SundaySeptember 20
Dawn in the fog at Harriman State Park
Thick fog, a lot of birds on the water, and no elk. I was the only one there.
Firehole Canyon Drive, Yellowstone
In through West Yellowstone, then the whole loop: the Firehole, Midway Geyser Basin, West Thumb, Canyon Village, Norris, and back out past Madison.
Bison in the river near Midway Geyser Basin
A mountain goat on the scree near Gibbon Falls
Then out to West Yellowstone for a late lunch.
MondaySeptember 21
Up Sawtell Peak Road, mountain goats in the snags
The summit, with fog over Henrys Lake
The last thing we did before the drive home. We'd recommend it to anyone.
The night
Saturday night was clouded out. On Sunday night a GoPro ran star trails beside the creek behind the resort, from about 9:30 pm until 5:30 in the morning, pointed north. We're still working out what the GoPro's star-trail mode can do.
Where we stayed
Two nights at Blue Buffalo Resort in Island Park. We've stayed there before and loved it. This time was our first hosted stay there: the resort hosted us while Sam made content for them.
Where we ate
There aren't many restaurants around Island Park. The pizza at Blue Buffalo was solid, and we like the food and the bar at Anglers Lodge, on the Henrys Fork. In West Yellowstone we usually go to Firehole Bar-B-Que Co. This time we tried TR's Burgers, named for Teddy Roosevelt, and it lived up to its reviews.
What we'd do differently
Honestly, not much. We liked the whole weekend. The one thing we'd tell a friend: don't take the north side of the Centennial Valley when it's wet.
Access, fees and passes
Access and rules
Sawtell Peak Road (Forest Road 024) turns west off US 20 about 1.5 miles north of Macks Inn and climbs about 13 miles and 3,440 feet to the 9,884-foot summit; the Caribou-Targhee National Forest's Sawtell Peak Road page calls it well maintained, busy and a climb. It's a nice gravel road. You can't go into the radar dome on top, but there's plenty of parking and room to explore around the summit. If you meet mountain goats, Idaho Fish and Game asks you to photograph them from a safe distance, never feed them or let them lick salt or sweat, and scare them off if they come toward you.
Entry and passes
Harriman State Park: $7 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass doesn't cover it.
Passes and fees guideOfficial fees page (parksandrecreation.idaho.gov)
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