Editing Island Park, Idaho

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| official_name      = Island Park, Idaho
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_map          = File:Fremont County Idaho Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Island Park Highlighted 1640600.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Location of Island Park in Fremont County, Idaho.
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Idaho]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Idaho|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Fremont County, Idaho|Fremont]]
| subdivision_type3  = 
| subdivision_name3  = 
<!-- Government ----->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3  = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_16.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 9, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 16.03
| area_land_km2      = 15.75
| area_water_km2     = 0.28
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6.19
| area_land_sq_mi    = 6.08
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.11
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of   = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
| population_est     = 266
| pop_est_as_of      = 2019
| population_footnotes = <ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 286
| population_density_km2 = 16.89
| population_density_sq_mi = 43.74
<!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone           = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
| utc_offset         = -7
| timezone_DST       = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -6
| coordinates        = {{coord|44|29|59|N|111|22|20|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 6359
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 83429, 83433
| area_code          = [[Area code 208|208]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 16-40600
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2410121<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410121}}</ref>
| website            = 	
| footnotes          = 
}}
 
'''Island Park''' is a city in [[Fremont County, Idaho|Fremont County]], [[Idaho]], United States. The city's population was 286 at the [[United States Census, 2010|2010 census]], up from 215 in 2000. The city was incorporated by owners of the many lodges and resorts along [[U.S. Route 20]] in 1947, primarily to circumvent Idaho's liquor laws that [[Prohibition in the United States|prohibited]] the sale of liquor outside of city limits. It is only {{convert|500|ft|m}} wide in most locations and at {{convert|33|mi|km}}, claims to have the longest "Main Street" in the world.

Island Park is part of the [[Rexburg, Idaho|Rexburg]] [[Rexburg micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==Geography==

===City geography===
Island Park is located at an [[elevation]] of {{convert|6293|ft}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]], making it the highest city in Idaho.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010085041/http://maps-n-stats.com/us_id_elevation.html|archive-date=2011-10-10|url=http://maps-n-stats.com/us_id_elevation.html|title=Idaho cities by highest elevation|publisher=Maps-n-Stats}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.77|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|6.64|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.13|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-12-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-07-02 }}</ref>

===Regional geography===
The area was known as Island Park long before the {{convert|33|mi|km|adj=on}}-long town was incorporated.<ref>Dean H. Green, A History of Island Park, 1990, p. 6.</ref> The area known as Island Park is mostly a large crater or [[caldera]] named the [[Henry's Fork Caldera]] that was created by the same [[Yellowstone hotspot|hotspot]] that created the earlier [[Island Park Caldera]] and the later [[Yellowstone Caldera]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Yellowstone map |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3024/press-images/fig_03_yellowstone_map.jpg |website=USGS Publications Repository |access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>
[[Image:IP Place Names.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Upper [[Henrys Fork (Snake River)|Henrys Fork]] drainage]] 
In addition to the portion which lies on the Henry's Fork Caldera, about a third of what is known as Island Park is north of the caldera, extending across Henry's Lake Flat and Henry's Lake towards the Idaho/Montana border. Henry's Lake Flat is a flat bottomed valley between high mountain ranges, with [[Henrys Lake]] at the northwest end of the flats.  [[Mount Jefferson (Bitterroot Range)|Mount Jefferson]], south of Henry's Lake, is {{convert|10203|ft}} high and Targhee Peak, north of Henrys Lake is {{convert|10240|ft|0}} high. The most famous of Island Park's peaks, however, is the {{convert|9886|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Sawtell Peak]], south of Henrys Lake near Mount Jefferson. The peak is known for its beauty and is named for a perceived resemblance to a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] chief's profile while napping. The peak has also been called Chief Rains in the Face. Sawtell Peak is topped by a [[FAA]] radar dome and is visible from nearly anywhere in Island Park.

Although much smaller than either the Island Park Caldera or the Yellowstone Caldera, the Henry's Fork Caldera is still one of the largest calderas in the world and is the only large caldera in the Yellowstone region that is plainly visible.<ref>Wood and Kienle, 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: Cambridge University Press, 354p., p.263-267</ref>  It has a nearly level {{convert|20|mi|km|adj=on}} wide circular floor that slopes slightly towards the southeast. The caldera floor is at about {{convert|6000|ft|-1}} of [[elevation]] with the rim generally being several hundred feet higher. The Henry's Lake Flat area, north of the caldera, is a little higher. Henry's Lake sits at about {{convert|6500|ft|-1}}, with the flats sloping slightly southward towards the caldera.

The Island Park area is mostly forested with many meadows and grasslands. It is mostly level, but is surrounded by forested hills and high mountains in the north. The [[Henrys Fork (Snake River)|Henrys Fork]] of the Snake River meanders through Island Park with its headwaters at Henry's Lake and at [[Big Springs (Idaho)]]. The Henry's Fork is impounded by [[Island Park Dam]] to form Island Park Reservoir outside the north rim of the caldera. In fact, the entire south bank of Island Park Reservoir is formed by the northern slope of the caldera. The Henry's Fork crosses through the caldera and then cascades off from it at [[Upper Mesa Falls|Upper and Lower Mesa Falls]].

[[Image:JeffersonFlowers.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Mount Jefferson (Bitterroot Range)|Mt. Jefferson]] and [[Castilleja|Indian Paintbrush]]]][[File:Meadow in Island Park, Idaho.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Meadow in Island Park revealing flat bottom of caldera floor, [[Teton Range]] in background]]
The geography of Island Park is actually unique and distinctive. It is largely flat and it has unusually high precipitation. Island Park is at the same {{convert|6000|ft|-1}} elevation as Teton Valley, Idaho, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, or the Centennial Valley, Montana; yet while these nearby areas are semi-arid prairie or even desert areas receiving less than {{convert|12|in|cm}} of precipitation annually, Island Park is forested and green with many streams, ponds, lakes, and meadows. Island Park receives well over {{convert|30|in|cm|0}} of precipitation annually, with parts receiving over {{convert|50|in|cm|0}}. That is, Island Park has three times the rainfall and snowfall as nearby areas of the same elevation.<ref>NOAA annual precipitation map maker http://nationalatlas.gov/natlas/Natlasstart.asp {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211122853/http://nationalatlas.gov/natlas/NatlasStart.asp |date=2008-12-11 }}</ref>

The [[Snake River Plain]] that was also formed by the Yellowstone [[hotspot (geology)|hotspot]] aligns with the gap between the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] and [[Cascade Range|Cascade]] mountain ranges along the [[West Coast of the United States]] so that there is a [[Snake River Plain#Effects on climate|moisture channel]] that extends from the distant [[Pacific Ocean]], between the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, through the [[Rocky Mountains]] to Island Park.

This abundant precipitation in Island Park falls on the relatively level floor of the caldera, where it forms numerous meandering streams, ponds, marshes, and meadows. It also falls on the higher areas to the east along the Yellowstone Park border, where it percolates though the granular volcanic deposits to emerge as some of the largest springs in the world. [[Big Springs (Idaho)|Big Springs]], Buffalo River Springs, and Warm River Springs all are [[Spring (hydrosphere)#Classification|1st Magnitude springs]], and they form some of the crystal-clear meandering streams that the area is famous for.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1930= 50
|1960= 53
|1970= 136
|1980= 154
|1990= 159
|2000= 215
|2010= 286
|2020= 193
|footnote=source:<ref>Moffatt, Riley.  ''Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990''.  [[Lanham, Maryland|Lanham]]: Scarecrow, 1996, 94.</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-12-18}}</ref> of 2010, there were 286 people, 122 households, and 74 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|43.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 692 housing units at an average density of {{convert|104.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.7% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.6% of the population.

There were 122 households, of which 19.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 2.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.3% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 45 years. 19.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 34.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.5% male and 46.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 215 people, 90 households, and 57 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|34.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 425 housing units at an average density of {{convert|68.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.81% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.93% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.93% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.19% of the population.

There were 90 households, out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $30,000. Males had a median income of $22,292 versus $16,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,617. About 21.0% of families and 23.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 37.9% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

==Climate==
Island Park has a [[humid continental climate]] ''(Dsb)'', bordering on a [[subarctic climate]] ''(Dsc)''. Summer days are usually warm, with nights dropping to temperatures around 40, while winters are very cold, with massive yearly snowfall averaging {{convert|215|in|cm}}. It is the site of Idaho's lowest recorded temperature, {{convert|-60|F|C}}, on January 18, 1943.

{{Weather box 
|location = [[Island Park Dam]], Idaho, 1991&ndash;2020 normals, extremes 1937&ndash;present
|single line = Yes
|collapsed   = yes
|Jan record high F = 49
|Feb record high F = 55
|Mar record high F = 62
|Apr record high F = 76
|May record high F = 84
|Jun record high F = 91
|Jul record high F = 97
|Aug record high F = 96
|Sep record high F = 91
|Oct record high F = 82
|Nov record high F = 68
|Dec record high F = 56
|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 40.7
|Feb avg record high F = 43.8
|Mar avg record high F = 53.3
|Apr avg record high F = 64.5
|May avg record high F = 75.2
|Jun avg record high F = 81.8
|Jul avg record high F = 87.7
|Aug avg record high F = 87.8
|Sep avg record high F = 82.8
|Oct avg record high F = 70.9
|Nov avg record high F = 54.4
|Dec avg record high F = 40.7
|year avg record high F =

|Jan high F = 26.5
|Feb high F = 29.7
|Mar high F = 38.6
|Apr high F = 47.4
|May high F = 59.2
|Jun high F = 67.3
|Jul high F = 77.1
|Aug high F = 77.2
|Sep high F = 68.0
|Oct high F = 51.3
|Nov high F = 35.6
|Dec high F = 25.5
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 16.2
|Feb mean F = 18.6
|Mar mean F = 26.5
|Apr mean F = 35.3
|May mean F = 45.4
|Jun mean F = 52.6
|Jul mean F = 60.0
|Aug mean F = 58.6
|Sep mean F = 50.1
|Oct mean F = 37.7
|Nov mean F = 25.0
|Dec mean F = 16.0
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 5.9
|Feb low F = 7.5
|Mar low F = 14.5
|Apr low F = 23.1
|May low F = 31.5
|Jun low F = 37.8
|Jul low F = 42.8
|Aug low F = 40.0
|Sep low F = 32.2
|Oct low F = 24.1
|Nov low F = 14.3
|Dec low F = 6.4
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -22.7
|Feb avg record low F = -19.2
|Mar avg record low F = -9.8
|Apr avg record low F = 6.1
|May avg record low F = 20.1
|Jun avg record low F = 27.3
|Jul avg record low F = 32.9
|Aug avg record low F = 29.5
|Sep avg record low F = 21.4
|Oct avg record low F = 9.0
|Nov avg record low F = -8.9
|Dec avg record low F = -19.3
|year avg record low F = -28.1

|Jan record low F = −60
|Feb record low F = −54
|Mar record low F = −36
|Apr record low F = −18
|May record low F = 7
|Jun record low F = 20
|Jul record low F = 25
|Aug record low F = 17
|Sep record low F = 8
|Oct record low F = −17
|Nov record low F = −34
|Dec record low F = −51
|year record low F=

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.53
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.64
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.05
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.37
|May precipitation inch = 2.99
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.63
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.17
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.14
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.66
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.09
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.54
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.01
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 12.9
|Feb precipitation days = 10.1
|Mar precipitation days = 9.2
|Apr precipitation days = 8.4
|May precipitation days = 8.4
|Jun precipitation days = 8.7
|Jul precipitation days = 5.0
|Aug precipitation days = 5.3
|Sep precipitation days = 5.2
|Oct precipitation days = 6.2
|Nov precipitation days = 8.5
|Dec precipitation days = 13.3

|Jan snow inch = 54.2
|Feb snow inch = 36.1
|Mar snow inch = 27.1
|Apr snow inch = 17.7
|May snow inch = 2.7
|Jun snow inch = 0.3
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.2
|Oct snow inch = 7.9
|Nov snow inch = 26.7
|Dec snow inch = 61.4
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 13.0
|Feb snow days = 10.0
|Mar snow days = 7.9
|Apr snow days = 5.3
|May snow days = 1.1
|Jun snow days = 0.2
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.2
|Oct snow days = 2.4
|Nov snow days = 7.6
|Dec snow days = 13.5

|Jan snow depth inch = 44.2
|Feb snow depth inch = 51.9
|Mar snow depth inch = 52.1
|Apr snow depth inch = 37.1
|May snow depth inch = 10.3
|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0
|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0
|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0
|Sep snow depth inch = 0.1
|Oct snow depth inch = 3.7
|Nov snow depth inch = 12.6
|Dec snow depth inch = 33.7
|year snow depth inch = 52.6

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00104598&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Island Park, ID
|access-date = November 29, 2022
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=pih
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Pocatello
|access-date = November 29, 2022
}}
</ref>
}}

==Assimilated communities==
In addition to the former [[Unincorporated area#United States|unincorporated community]], Island Park,<ref>{{gnis|396695|Island Park}}</ref> for which the incorporated city was named, the city either originally included, or subsequently added, several other formerly unincorporated communities:

* [[Flat Rock, Idaho|Flat Rock]] (also known as Macks Inn)
* [[Lake, Idaho|Lake]]
* [[Last Chance, Idaho|Last Chance]]
* [[Staley Springs, Idaho|Staley Springs]]
 
==Transportation==

===Airport===
Island Park is served by [[Henry's Lake Airport]], which is not located within the city limits, but just west and south of the northern end of the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.airnav.com/airport/U53|title=U53: Henry's Lake Airport, Island Park, Idaho, USA|website=airnav.com|publisher=AirNave, LLC|date=April 23, 2020|access-date=May 3, 2020}}</ref>

===Roads===
Island Park is currently served by one [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. Highway]] and one [[State highway#United States|state highway]]; and was previously served by another U.S. Highway and another state highway:
;Current highways
* {{jct|state=ID|US|20}}, which runs north–south through most of the city
* {{jct|state=ID|SH|87}}, which begins in the northern part of the city and runs northwest through the northern part of the city and on to [[Montana]]
;Former highways
* {{jct|state=ID|US 1961|191}} (1926–1981), the former routing of this highway follows the current route of US-20 this part of Idaho; in 1981 with the completion of [[Interstate 15]], US-191 was rerouted such that it no longer enters Idaho 
* {{jct|state=ID|SH 1970|84}}, formerly ran the length of South Big Springs Loop (from US-20 in the [[Flat Rock, Idaho|Flat Rock]] area of the city [also known as Macks Inn] easterly to [[Henrys Fork (Snake River tributary)|Henrys Fork]]);<ref>{{cite map|url=https://www.mapquest.com/search/result?query=Island%20Park,%20ID&boundingBox=44.503729132253305,-111.28759860992432,44.48646398548002,-111.24682903289795&page=0&mqId=282022103&index=0|title=Island Park, ID|publisher=[[MapQuest]]|access-date=3 May 2020}}</ref> this route has since been decommissioned

==See also==
{{portal|Idaho}}
* [[List of cities in Idaho]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Island Park, Idaho}}

{{Fremont County, Idaho}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Island Park, Idaho| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Idaho]]
[[Category:Cities in Fremont County, Idaho]]
[[Category:Rexburg, Idaho micropolitan area]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Idaho]]