BY GABE ELSETHAGEN
Many places in Idaho have shaped who I am. The Sawtooth Mountains with their sharp peaks, the rolling farmland of the Palouse, and the rivers and forests scattered across the state all have their own kind of beauty. But one place in particular stands out to me when I think about where I really learned to appreciate Idaho’s public lands and the traditions that go along with them.
Harriman State Park sits just north of my hometown of Idaho Falls, not far from West Yellowstone. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever spent time, and it’s tied to some of my earliest memories. When I was growing up, my family went there often. The park has more than twenty miles of trails, and some of my first experiences hiking and mountain biking happened there.
The Cygnet, Ermine, and Wyethia yurts became familiar places over the years. They’re simple and a little rustic, but that’s part of the appeal. We’d bring our baseball mitts, fishing poles, bikes, and we’d spend the nights surrounded around a campfire. Being out there, surrounded by open meadows, forests, and the river, always felt calm in a way that’s hard to put into words.
Sometimes we’d just drive up for a quick hike around Silver Lake. On days when school ended early, a few friends and I would drive up to Harriman and walk the Silver Lake loop so we could catch golden hour. Watching the sun drop lower over the lake and seeing the light reflect across the water and the trees made it one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever witnessed.
Memorial Day weekend trips almost always meant rain. We’d end up huddled around the table playing long games of Monopoly or Risk and arguing about the rules. Nothing about those moments seemed especially important at the time, but looking back, they’re the memories that stuck with me the most. Being together somewhere quiet, surrounded by Idaho’s landscape, is what made those trips special.
Experiences like those are also why conversations about public lands matter so much to me now. Places like Harriman exist because Idaho has chosen to keep certain lands protected and open for everyone. Families can hike, fish, camp, and build traditions there without needing to own the land themselves.
That’s why legislation like Senate Bill 1300 stands out to me. The bill deals with how public lands can be exchanged or transferred, which might sound technical on the surface, but decisions like that can shape what access to these places looks like in the future. When I think about Harriman, I think about how important it is that places like it remain protected and accessible to the public. The trails, rivers, and quiet campsites that meant so much to my family should still be there for future generations to experience as well.
For me, Harriman isn’t just a beautiful park. It’s a reminder of why Idaho’s public lands matter in the first place. They hold memories, traditions, and experiences that shape people’s lives. Protecting them means making sure those opportunities don’t disappear for the next generation.
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