Targhee National Forest offers a satisfying variety of boating and water sports. Fishing is very popular on the Forest and requires a state license. The Island Park area is world-renowned for its excellent stream and lake fly fishing opportunities. Other parts of the Forest can provide more solitude and similar successes.
Game fish are rainbow, eastern brook, brown, and cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, and whitefish.
Targhee National Forest Rafting, kayaking, and canoeing are popular sports in the Island Park Ranger District on the North Fork of the Snake River. This river offers paddlers challenges on the upper end of the moderate range. Dams, large falls, and irrigation canals present hazards along stretches of quite a few Targhee streams and rivers, so visitors are warned to paddle with care. The Big Springs Water Trail is a National Scenic Water Trail, the first one established by the Forest Service. It's fine for beginners and offers a great opportunity to view wildlife.