Island Park Idaho

It’s been interesting to see how the economic crisis has slowed the flow of  visitors into Island Park (and everywhere else in the world) this year.  For some that’s a boon.  We have the greatest snow imaginable, hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails, a state park (Harriman State Park) with groomed cross-country ski trails, wildlife, and unequalled natural beauty and we don’t have to share it with hardly anybody.  

Last year they groomed the majority of the trail I ride on Wednesday, and by Friday, they were bumpy again.  This year, it doesn’t seem to matter when you go.  The trails are fresh and ready to go.  You also don’t have to worry so much about who’s going to be coming around the next corner on the verge of out-of-control and you can have more fun than you’ve ever had.  Snowmobiling doesn’t get much better than that.

But on the other hand,  it has been a difficult year in the hospitality industry.  Rooms that were filled last year have gone empty a lot more this year.  Restaurants that had a 30 minute wait last year will seat you right when you walk in today .  While those things might be good for customers in the short run, they are bad for business in the long run.  It’s profit that allows our restaurants to continually upgrade their menus.  It’s profit that allows them to upgrade facilities. It’s profit that allows them to hire the very best help.  When things are slow and profit is marginal, those upgrade have to wait another year.  So it certainly isn’t in anyone’s best interest to have a slow year (except maybe for snowmobiler’s who’d probably rather not share.) 

But what about you?  What does all this mean to you?  It means if you’ve been thinking about coming to Island Park, now’s the time.  You can enjoy all the things you ever did (and more) and do it less expensively, and without 10,000 of your closest friends at your side.  If you’ve never been here when things are slow, you really owe it to yourself to come now.  This is really Island Park at its finest. 

See you here!!!