Palisades Area Boating

Swan Valley and the Snake River offer excellent fishing and boating opportunities, as well as rafting, canoeing and numerous trails for hiking, biking, horseback and ATV riding. Fall Creek Falls is 20 miles away (see Swan Valley Area Hiking) and the Fall Creek area has hundreds of miles of such trails.

The USDA describes the Palisades reservoir as nestled in a scenic valley with forested hillsides rising from the water to towering snowcapped mountains that form the backdrop.

The reservoir has about 70 miles of shoreline with six access roads. Public-use facilities include five picnic areas and six boat ramps. Two boat clubs have facilities on the reservoir. Fishing, motorized and non-motorized boating are popular activities on the lake. Swimming, tubing, waterskiing and windsurfing are also enjoyable.

Calamity public boat ramp is located along the Snake River drainage at the north end of beautiful Palisades reservoir at an elevation of 5,700 feet, just 55 miles east of Idaho Falls, Idaho. A mixed forest of lodgepole pine, spruce, fir, aspen and maple trees partially shade the area, while summer wildflowers dot the landscape.

The reservoir offers excellent boating, water skiing, swimming and canoeing. Lake and shore fishing are very popular here as well (see Swan Valley River Fishing), with wild and stocked cutthroat trout as the predominate species. Kokanee salmon, brown and Mackinaw trout can also be found. A boat ramp and large parking area are located on-site.

PineBay Boat Club is located at 4255 Swan Valley Highway, and the Alpine Boat Landing is located two miles west of Alpine, Wyoming on the south side of Highway 26 just before the bridge crossing the South Fork Snake River.

The Alpine area is near the southeast end of Palisades Reservoir. Water is shallow along the shoreline. Restrooms are provided. Activities in the area include lake fishing, swimming, boating, white water rafting and horseback riding. Alpine Mountain Men Days is a popular event.

Highlights