Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov

Page created by Willard Torres
 
CONTINUE READING
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
Recreation

Rafting on the Payette   Photo courtesy of Jeff Harvey
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
Source: Idaho State Parks and Recreation
        Website: www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

410   IDAHO BLUE BOOK
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
Bear Lake                        Castle Rocks, nestled in Big Cove, at the
Bear Lake State Park is located in a high        base of the 10,339-foot Cache Peak, offers
mountain valley in the extreme southeast         diverse recreational opportunities in a
corner of Idaho. At 5,900 feet elevation, the    magnificent setting. It is a place where
park offers a wide variety of both summer        solitude, natural beauty, and ranching
and winter recreation opportunities. Bear        heritage combine to enrich the visitor’s
Lake itself is 20 miles long and 8 miles         experience. The park is located two miles
wide with half of the lake in Idaho and half     northwest of the village of Almo in southern
in Utah. The lake is a water sports Mecca        Cassia County, Idaho. Until 1999, the
attracting boaters, water skiers, and beach      1,240-acre ranch was privately owned.
lovers from all over the country. All that       The Conservation Fund, and the Access
inviting water is hard to resist. Swimmers       Fund, purchased the property to be placed
will enjoy a two-mile-long beach on the          in public ownership. Congress passed
north end of the lake, plus a 1-1/2 mile         the Castle Rock Ranch Acquisition Act
beach on the east side. The gradual slope        on November 1, 2000. An additional 200
of the lake bottom provides an enormous          acres, connecting the Ranch Unit to the
swimming area. Ramps are available for           base of Cache Peak, was purchased in
boaters and water skiers who want to enjoy       2007. Today, the Idaho Department of
the water, too. Anglers can try for a native     Parks and Recreation (IDPR), Bureau of
cutthroat or lake trout in the summer. In the    Land Management, and the USDA Forest
winter, they can come back with buckets          Service, manage the Castle Rocks area in
and nets when the Bonneville cisco run. The      partnership. Visitors may see remnants of
fish is found nowhere else on Earth.             the ranch that was first homesteaded in
Address: 3rd North 10th East                     1888. The irrigation ditches and pasture
St.Charles, ID 83272                             are still in use today. Efforts are underway
Phone: (208) 945-2325                            to convert the 1912 brick house into a Bed
                                                 & Breakfast. Castle Rocks is a special place

                                                                                                 Recreation
            Bruneau Dunes
The tallest sand dune rises 470 feet above       where time stands still and the user is a
small lakes in the high desert south of          respectful guest.
Mountain Home. The state park includes           Address: 748 East 2800 South
desert, dune, prairie, lake and marsh            Almo, ID 83312
habitat with opportunities to observe            Phone: (208) 824-5901
nocturnal species. Activities include fishing,    City of Rocks National Reserve
birdwatching, camping, hiking, swimming          On his way to California in 1849, emigrant
and viewing the stars at one of only two         James F. Wilkens described the dramatic
public observatories in Idaho. Feel free to      geological area he encountered as “City
climb but no vehicles are allowed on the         of Rocks.” The name remains, as well as
dunes. A visitor center offers information       hundreds of pioneer inscriptions, wagon
on birds of prey, insects, fossils, wildlife     ruts, and journal accounts, testifying to the
and the sand dunes. A variety of gift items      nearly quarter-million people who traveled
are available for purchase. Two cabins are       through here between 1843 and 1869.
available for rent. Also 82 serviced with        Visitors today will see nearly the same scene
W/E and 31 standard sites. The Equestrian        - granite spires and monoliths reaching
Area provides facilities for visitors to camp    60 stories tall. Geologists estimate the
with their horses and there is a 9-mile riding   oldest granite to exceed 2.5 billion years.
trail around the park.                           Established in 1988 as a national reserve,
Address: 27608 Sand Dunes Rd.                    City of Rocks encompasses 14,407 acres of
Mountain Home, ID 83647                          land (about one quarter is privately owned)
Phone: (208) 366-7919                            and is reneowned for its scenic, geologic,
             Castle Rocks                        and historic significance. The City of Rocks

                               CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                    411
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
area was an important landmark on the            The visitor center includes a gift shop and
California Trail. City of Rocks is one of the    an interpretive movie about the history of
finest granite-face climbing sites anywhere.     the Mission and the Coeur d’Alene Indians.
Climbers find the younger granite of the         Location: Cataldo, ID, Northern Idaho,
Almo Pluton to be some of the best rock          one mile east of Cataldo, I-90 off Exit 39
they’ve ever ascended. About 700 routes          Address: Exit 39 I-90; 3172 S. Mission Rd.
have been developed to date. City of Rocks       Cateldo, ID 83810
also has ample access to hiking, mountain        Phone: (208) 682-3814
biking, and horseback riding. The winter                        Dworshak
months provide excellent opportunities for       Dworshak State Park is located among
snowshoeing and skiing.                          trees and meadows on the western shore of
Address: 3035 S. Elba-Almo Rd.                   Dworshak Reservoir. The park is comprised
Almo, ID 83312                                   of three units - Freeman Creek, Three
Phone: (208) 824-5901                            Meadows Group Camp, and Big Eddy Lodge
      Coeur d’Alene Parkway                      and Marina. Camping, boating, fishing,
Walkers, hikers and bikers love this linear      swimming, hiking and water-skiing are just
park that follows the north shore of             some of the many activities that await park
beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene. The Coeur          visitors. A boat ramp and handling dock
d’ Alene Parkway lies along the north shore      provide easy launching most of the year. A
of Lake Coeur d’Alene, following Centennial      fish-cleaning station is nearby to help with
Trail east from Coeur d’Alene to Higgens         the day’s catch.
Point. At Higgens Point there is a boat-         Address: 9934 Freeman Creek
launch facility, a picnic area overlooking the   Lenore, ID 83541
lake, and docks. Over 1,000 feet of public       Phone: (208) 476-5994
shoreline parallels the path. Also available                   Eagle Island
are an exercise court, roadside picnic tables,   Eagle Island is a 545-acre day-use park west
toilet facilities and benches for those who      of Boise that features a popular swimming
wish to stop and enjoy the lake view.            beach, a grassy picnic area, a waterslide
Address: E. Coeur d’Alene Lake Dr.               and more than five miles of equestrian trails
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814                          for those looking for a place to ride horses.
Phone: (208) 699-2224                            Waterslide is open weekends from 12pm - 8
   Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission                   pm during the summer. Horseshoe pits and
The oldest standing building in all of Idaho     a volleyball area complete the park.
is found here, in the Coeur d’Alene’s Old        Address: 165 S. Eagle Island Pkwy
Mission State Park. The Mission of the           Eagle, ID 83616
Sacred Heart or Sacred Heart Mission was         Phone: (208) 939-0696
constructed between 1850 and 1853 by                             Farragut
Catholic missionaries and members of the         Farragut State Park is located 30 miles
Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Listed on the National      north of Coeur d’Alene on the shores of
Register of Historic Places, the Sacred          Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest lake.
Heart Mission and the Coeur d’Alene’s Old        Once the world’s second largest naval
Mission State Park provide an educational        training station, today the 4,000-acre
experience not found anywhere else, giving       park provides a multitude of recreation
visitors an opportunity to examine the           opportunities. To the traditional activities
dynamics and complexities between Jesuit         of picnicking, swimming, boating, hiking
missionaries and the tribal people among         and camping, visitors can add playing disc
whom they settled. The park features the         golf, visiting the Farragut Naval Training
Sacred Heart Mission building, a restored        Center Museum, taking advantage of the
Parish House and an historic cemetery.           orienteering course, model airplane flyer’s

412                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
field, taking the kids to the playground, and   During winter, information on Henrys
using the horseshoe pits and sand volleyball    Lake can be obtained by calling Harriman
courts.                                         State Park.
Address: 13550 E. Hwy. 54                       Address: 3917 E. 5100 N.
Athol, ID 83801                                 Island Park, ID 83429
Phone: (208) 683-2425                           Phone: (208) 558-7532
               Harriman                                         Heyburn
Harriman State Park lies within an              Heyburn State Park is the oldest park in
16,000-acre wildlife refuge in the greater      the Pacific Northwest. Created in 1908,
Yellowstone Ecosystem. Moose, Elk, and          it is comprised of approximately 5,500
Sandhill Cranes are common, as is North         acres of land and 2,300 acres of water.
America’s largest waterfowl, the Trumpeter      The park includes three lakes; Chatcolet,
Swan. Known as one of the best f ly-            Benewah, and Hidden Lakes, with the
fishing streams in the nation, the Henrys       shadowy St. Joe River meandering along
Fork meanders for eight miles through           the eastern boundary of the park. Natural
Harriman. Over 20 miles of trails are           and cultural history is plentiful at Heyburn.
available for hiking, biking, horseback         Before it was a park, the general area was
riding, and cross county skiing. Guided         a gathering place for the Coeur d’ Alene
horseback tours are offered by a park           Indian tribe. In the 1930’s, the park was
vendor, Dry Ridge Outfitters, 208-558-RIDE      a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and
(7433).                                         those hardworking crews built many of the
Address: 3489 Green Canyon Road                 park’s buildings. Heyburn is a natural park
Island Park, ID 83429                           with a variety of different habitats. Large,
Phone: (208) 558-7368                           tall Ponderosa pines tower over grassy
                                                hillsides covered in wildflowers. On shadier
               Hells Gate                       slopes, cedar trees mix with hemlocks and
Hells Gate State Park is the gateway to
                                                huge white pines. On the edges of the lakes,
both Idaho’s Lewis and Clark country and
                                                the wetland/marsh areas are home to many
to Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in

                                                                                                 Recreation
                                                types of wildflowers and plants.
North America. Shady campsites along the
                                                Address: 57 Chatcolet Rd.
Snake River make comfortable base-camps
                                                Plummer, ID 83851
for exploration of the surrounding area. Jet
                                                Phone: (208) 686-1308
boat excursions into Hells Canyon leave on
a regular basis from the park’s docks. The                   Lake Cascade
Nez Perce National Historic Park is only 30     Lake Cascade State Park provides diverse
minutes away. A wide choice of restaurants      and exciting recreational opportunities
and shopping are just minutes away, in          throughout all four seasons. Popular for
nearby Lewiston Idaho.                          all types of boating, prevailing winds on
Address: 5100 Hells Gate Rd.                    the water make it especially well suited for
Lewiston, ID 83501                              sailing and windsurfing. Rainbow trout,
Phone: (208) 799-5015                           Coho salmon, small mouth bass and perch
             Henry’s Lake                       can be caught from the shore or by boat
Located just 15 miles west of Yellowstone       in the summer or through the ice in the
National Park, this high mountain lake is       winter. Hiking, bird watching, photography,
the kind of place fishermen dream about.        mountain biking, all types of boating,
The state park, named after explorer            ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country
Major Andrew Henry, opens the Thursday          skiing, and just plain relaxing are all easily
before Memorial Day and closes mid-             accessible from Lake Cascade State Park.
October, weather permitting. Anglers fish       Lake Cascade offers two group camping
for cutthroat, brook and rainbow-cutthroat      opportunities, including Snowbank group
hybrid trout. The park has a modern             camp and Osprey Point group yurts, 279
fish cleaning station near the boat ramp.       individual campsites in 10 developed
Camping is at one of 44 sites and there         campgrounds (with power, sewer, and
are camping-cabins also available for rent.     water at Poison Creek and Ridgeview), two

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                     413
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
dispersed camping areas with primitive            from hiking and biking trails to motorised
camping, several day use areas, and 6 boat        ATV and Motorbike trails. Camping in the
launch ramps. The various campgrounds             National Forest and BLM lands is varied
and facilities of the park are dispersed          as well with both primitive and developed
around Lake Cascade’s forty-one square            campsites available
miles of surface water and 86 miles of            Address: 24424 Hwy 75
shoreline. The office for the park is located     Challis, ID 83226 (PO Box 1086)
in Cascade near the intersection of Dam           Phone: (208) 879-5244
Road and Lakeshore Drive.                                        Lucky Peak
Address: 100 Kellys Parkway                       Three distinct day-use units can be found
Cascade ID, 83611 (PO Box 709)                    at this state park, near Lucky Peak Lake.
Phone: (208) 382-6544                             Discovery Park is a popular roadside park
              Lake Walcott                        for picnics, walking your pet or fishing in
Lake Walcott State Park is located at             the Boise River. Sandy Point, at the base
the northwest end of the Bureau of                of Lucky Peak Dam is most popular for its
Reclamation’s Lake Walcott Project, a             sandy beach and clear, cool water. Spring
welcome refuge on the edge of Idaho’s             Shores offers lakeside access for water
high desert. Water skiing, power boating,         enthusiasts by providing two boat ramps,
windsurfing, sailing and bird watching            parking, a full-service marina, on-site
are only a few of the activities that will        watercraft rentals and a convenience store.
make your stay at Lake Walcott enjoyable.         Address: 8725 E. Hwy 21
Camping areas with RV hookups are                 Boise, ID 83716
available. Picnickers and tenters enjoy the       Phone: (208) 334-2432
acres of grass beneath groves of stately                     Massacre Rocks
eastern hardwoods. Nearby sites of interest       Oregon Trail emigrants referred to the
include Minidoka Falls near the park,             Massacre Rocks area as “Gate of Death” and
Rupert City Park, and the historic railroad       “Devil’s Gate”, but modern day travelers
community of Minidoka.                            use terms like beautiful, serene, and restful
Address: 959 E. Minidoka Dam                      to describe the park. The park is rich in
Rupert, ID 83350                                  Oregon Trail, geological, and natural
Phone: (208) 436-1258                             histories. Rich in history, pioneers used this
      Land of the Yankee Fork                     area, specifically what is now referred to
The Land of the Yankee Fork State Park            as ‘ Register Rock,’ as a rest stop for years.
brings to life Idaho’s frontier mining history.   Today we invite horse owners to water and
This State Park is part of the larger Land        rest their animals in the corral at Register
of the Yankee Fork Historic Area located          Rock. Many emigrant names are inscribed
in scenic central Idaho. Managed by the           on the large rock, which is now protected
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation,         by a weather shelter. A scenic picnic area
the Salmon-Challis National Forest and            surrounds the rock, creating a desert
the Challis District of the Bureau of Land        oasis for the modern traveler. The site
Management this historic area provides            also includes a horse rest area for highway
unique historical interpretation and many         travelers. Oregon Trail remnants are most
recreational opportunities. At the Yankee         easily seen from highway rest areas in either
Fork Visitor Center near Challis there            end of the park. For additional information
are museum exhibits, a gold panning               on the Oregon Trail visit the Three Island
station, audiovisual programs, and friendly       Crossing State Park page and the Oregon/
personnel to provide information on local         California Trail Center website.
mining history and area attractions. Also         Address: 3592 N. Park Ln.
of interest are the ghost towns of Bonanza,       American Falls, ID 83211
Custer and Bayhorse, the Yankee Fork              Phone: (208) 548-2672
Gold Dredge, the Custer Motorway and the
Challis Bison Jump. Land of the Yankee Fork
provides outstanding trail opportunities

414                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
McCroskey                         high Selkirk peaks, the main body of Priest
This 5300-acre ridgeline park is dedicated      Lake extends north south for 19 miles. A
to pioneer women. McCroskey State               two-mile thoroughfare connects the main
Park’s highlight is an 18-mile skyline drive    lake to the remote Upper Priest Lake that
through the park on unimproved roads            is accessible only by foot, mountain bike,
providing spectacular views of the rolling      or boat.
Palouse country and access to 32 miles of       Address: 314 Indian Creek Park Rd.
multi-purpose trails. Facilities include a      Coolin, ID 83821
group day use shelter, primitive camping        Phone: (208) 443-2200
areas and picnic areas along the road. The                    Round Lake
road is not recommended for large RVs and       Round Lake State Park is situated in 142
may be too rough for your family car.           acres of forest surrounding a 58-acre lake
Address: 1291 Chatcolet Rd.                     at an elevation of 2,122 feet. The lake is
Plummer, ID 83851                               the product of glacial activity dating back
Phone: (208) 686-1308                           to the Pleistocene Epoch. Flocks of Canada
               Ponderosa                        geese pass over towering pine, hemlock
Ponderosa State Park covers most of             and larch as osprey plunge to the lake for
a 1,000-acre peninsula that juts into           trout or perch. Robins and raven inspect the
beautiful Payette Lake near McCall. The         campgrounds while a lake breeze carries
scenic overlook at Osprey Point offers a        campfire smoke up through the canopy of
spectacular view of the lake. The park          ponderosa, western red cedar and paper
offers hiking and biking trails, guided         birch. Close to shore, turtles and frogs,
walks with park naturalists and evening         beaver and muskrat dart about for food
campfire programs. The North Beach Unit         amid the reeds and grasses, red alder,
has a beach and picnic area. The topography     skunk cabbage and water lilies. Along one
ranges from arid sagebrush flats to dense       of three trails, hikers find beaver lodges,

                                                                                                 Recreation
forests. Wildlife that can be viewed at the     dams and ponds and, often, glimpse a
park include Canada geese, osprey, bald         resident moose. With an afternoon breeze
eagles, wood ducks, mallards, songbirds,        stirring the lake’s waters, trout jump after
deer, moose, beaver, muskrats and even          insects as grebe dive under ripples and
bear. Winter activities include Nordic skiing   water ouzel dance on logs. Echoing across
and snowshoeing on groomed trails.              the lake is a strange chorus of bullfrog and
Address: 1920 N. Davis Ave.                     duck calls, red-winged blackbird screeches,
McCall, ID 83638 (PO Box 89)                    odd splashes and plops, and the sound of
Phone: (208) 634-2164                           children playing on the beach.
              Priest Lake                       Address: 1915 Dufort Road
Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles       Sagle, ID 83860
from the Canadian Border, nestled deep          Phone: (208) 263-3489
below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains.         Thousand Springs State Park
Surrounded by the natural beauty of             Thousand Springs State Park, with its
Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains,         five beautiful units and multiple areas, is
Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern   a testament to why the area is called the
shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, over     Magic Valley. Visitors can view wagon
300 foot deep lake. Visitors to the park        ruts and bridge abutments at Kelton Trail,
will enjoy the dense forests of cedar, fir      explore the magnificent Malad Gorge,
and tamarack and will be able to observe        access the riding arena at Billingsley Creek,
the park’s year round inhabitants such as       get writing inspiration at Vardis Fisher, step
the whitetail deer, black bear, moose and       back in time and tour historic structures
bald eagles. Noted for its extremely clear      at Ritter Island and Bonnieview, take in
water, fed by streams cascading from the        the scenery at Earl M. Hardy Box Canyon

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                     415
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
Springs Nature Preserve, view Niagara             Address: 1083 S. Three Island Park Drive
Springs, and fish at Crystal Lake. Day use        Glenns Ferry, ID 83623 (PO Box 609)
opportunities abound within the units of          Phone: (208) 366-2394
Thousand Springs State Park.                         Winchester Lake State Park
Address: 1074 E. 2350 S.                          Winchester Lake State Park surrounds a
Hagerman, ID 83332 (PO Box 149)                   104-acre lake, nestled in a forested area
Phone: (208) 837-4505                             at the foot of the Craig Mountains, just off
       Three Island Crossing                      US 95 adjoining the town of Winchester.
Three Island Crossing State Park is located       Winters at the park are long and cold with
on the Snake River at Glenns Ferry. It            ample snowfall. Four Yurts are available
is home to The Oregon Trail History               for rental all year. Summers are short with
and Education Center where visitors               warm days and cool, refreshing evenings.
can learn about pioneer emigrants and             Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir are the
Native American history. Oregon Trail             predominant vegetation. Fishing for perch,
pioneers knew this spot well. It was one          tiger muskie, bass and blue gill are popular.
of the most famous river crossings on the         Wildlife often seen in the park includes
historic trail. Pioneer travelers used the        white-tailed deer, Canada geese, muskrats,
three-island crossing until 1869, when Gus        Steller’s jay, racoons, osprey, bald eagles,
Glenn constructed a ferry about two miles         and Columbian ground squirrels. The Wolf
upstream. The Glenns Ferry community              Education and Research Center is located
sponsors “Three Island Days”a crossing            one mile from the entrance to the park.
commemoration the second Saturday of              Address: 1786 Forest Rd,
each August. Events often include living          Winchester ID 83555
history presentations and historic skills fair.   Phone: (208) 924-7563

Shoshone Falls                                                    Photo Courtesy of Jeff Harvey

416                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
Alpine Ski Areas
    Bald Mountain Ski Resort                     Brundage Mountain Ski Resort
Managed by the Clearwater Ski Club, a           Located eight miles north of McCall,
local volunteer group, this small resort in     ID, and just two hours north of Boise,
North Central Idaho has been open since         Brundage Mountain Resort features 1500
1959 for skiing and snowboarding in the         acres of wide, elegantly-groomed runs,
Orofino area.                                   abundant powder glades, and is well
Location: 2738 Bald Mountain Road               known for having the Best Snow in Idaho™.
Pierce, ID 83546                                Nestled in the scenic mountains of central
Contact info: Clearwater Ski Club               Idaho, Brundage Mountain Resort offers
PO Box 49                                       the perfect combination of unparalleled
Pierce, ID 83546                                conditions and the lack of crowds. Be sure
(208) 464-2311 at the Hill;                     to take advantage of our comfortable day
(208) 435-4782 in Town;                         lodge which houses a restaurant, retail,
www.skibaldmountain.com                         and rental shop. Enjoy outstanding views
      Bogus Basin Ski Resort                    from our new food and beverage outlet at
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area            the top of the Bear Chair, called the Bear’s
has been the Treasure Valley’s winter           Den. A spacious Kid’s Center hosts day-care
playground for 66 years. Located 16 miles       for children as young as eight weeks old.
north of Boise, Mother Nature blankets the      Our popular ski programs for children go
slopes of Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation       through age 10 with plenty of options for
Area with 150”-200” of natural snow. The        adults and older kids. We offer 325 inches of
result is 2,600 acres of ski-able, snowboard-   the Best Snow in IdahoTM, long wide runs,
able terrain plus more night skiing terrain     and easy access from McCall. The fact that
(165 groomed acres)than any other ski           there is rarely a crowded day at Brundage
area in the northwestern U.S. This family-      will help make your winter mountain
friendly recreation area boasts 8 chairlifts    experience even more enjoyable. Guided

                                                                                                Recreation
covering 3 mountains, 54 groomed runs as        backcountry skiing by snowcat is offered
well as ungroomed glades, 3 terrain parks,      on over 19,000 acres.
day lodges with food & beverage service,        Contact info: 3890 Goose Lake Road
equipment rental shop, a retail store, ski &    McCall, ID 83638
board school and child care. Nordic skiers      Phone: (800)844-3246; 208-624-4151
enjoy 37km of groomed trails with 5km           www.brundage.com
lighted at night as well as a beautiful lodge     Cottonwood Butte Ski Resort
featuring limited food service, lessons, a      The Cottonwood Butte Ski Area is located
rental shop, waxing bench and fireplace.        in the heart of the Camas Prairie near the
Snowshoe trail passes and rentals are also      town of Cottonwood, Idaho where the
available from the Nordic Center. The Pepsi     pleasurable atmosphere on the slopes,
GoldRush tubing hill is open weekends and       courteous management and friendly
holidays. 2-hour ticket includes tube rental.   hospitality is not the exception but the
The 800-foot plunge offers thrills, and         rule. We offer four major groomed runs and
the ride back uphill is relaxing. Advanced      several powder filled trails among the trees
tickets strongly recommended - the 2-hour       that are served by a 3,000 foot long t-bar.
sessions sell out quickly.                      Our 845 foot vertical drop challenges the
Contact Info: 2600 N. Bogus Basin Road          intermediate, advanced and expert skiers
Boise, ID 83702                                 and snowboarders. Our bunny slope offers
Phone: (800) 367-4397; (208) 332-5100           a gentle 30 foot vertical drop served by a
 www.bogusbasin.org                             rope tow for the beginner or less confident
                                                soul. We offer ski and snowboard rentals, a
                                                repair shop, a lunch counter and ski lessons.
                                                Night skiing on Fridays is offered during the

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                    417
Rafting on the Payette - Idaho.gov
month of January. So take a little drive and       telemark nights. It is run by volunteers
escape to the Cottonwood Butte!                    whose goal is the development of skiing and
Contact info: 490 Radar Rd                         snowboarding as lifetime sports for all ages.
Cottonwood, ID 83522                               This community-supported ski area offers
Phone: (208) 962-3624;                             something for everyone, with Nordic Skiing
www.cottonwoodbutte.org                            at Bear Basin and 405 vertical feet of alpine
      Grand Targhee Ski Resort                     terrain at the Little Ski Hill!
Grand Targhee Resort is nestled on the             Location: Southwestern Idaho, 3 miles NW
west side of Wyoming’s majestic Teton              of McCall
Mountains and receives 500 inches of snow          Address: 3635 ID 55
annually. Famous for spectacular snow and          Contact Info: Box 442
magnificent scenery, Grand Targhee offers          McCall, ID 83638
skiers two mountains totaling 2400 acres!          Phone: (208) 634-5691;
Four chairlifts on Fred’s Mountain gives           www.littleskihill.org
access to 1500 acres and 2200 vertical feet.              Lookout Pass Ski Area
A high-speed quad on Peaked Mountain               Lookout Pass, Idaho’s original ski area,
accesses open bowls, groomed runs and tree         opened in 1935. The ski area has tripled
skiing with an additional 602 acres reserved       in size since 2003 with the addition of
for snowcat skiing. Tubing, snowshoeing,           2 new chair lifts. A new lodge addition,
sleigh ride dinners, and spa services make         food court, and the new “Loft” Pub & Grub
for a complete winter vacation. Lodging is         where added in the past couple of years.
available slopeside, as well as off-site in Alta   The region’s Favorite Family Ski Area has
and in Driggs.                                     easy access and great snow - averaging
Location: Alta Wyoming via Driggs Idaho            400 inches per year means there’s always
Contact Info: 3300 Ski Hill Road                   great powder skiing with some of the
Alta, WY 83414                                     best tree skiing glades in the west. A new
Phone: (307) 353-2300                              front side terrain park, “Exit 0”, with rails,
www.grandtarghee.com                               banks, mounds and launches has also been
      Kelly Canyon Ski Resort                      added. A world-class terrain park featuring
This eastern Idaho resort founded in 1957          nine notorious 20-foot hits along with a
features intermediate terrain, a ski school,       1,100-foot long, non-conforming halfpipe,
equipment rentals and four lifts serving           and acres of expert tree skiing await your
640 skiable acres. It provides the only night      enjoyment. Lookout’s famous FREE SKI
skiing in eastern Idaho. Terrain is described      SCHOOL for kids starts early January and
as 35% beginner, 45% intermediate and              runs through mid-March. Visit the website
20% advanced. Events are held on the               for the Events Calendar including our
mountain throughout the year.                      annual Winter Carnival and The Pacific
Location: Eastern Idaho, 25 mi. NE of              Northwest Wife Carrying Contest. Location:
Idaho Falls                                        Northern Idaho, 12 miles E. of Wallace on
Contact Info: 5488 E. Kelly Canyon Road            I-90
Ririe, ID 83443                                    Address: 1-90 Exit 0
Phone: (208) 538-6251; www.skikelly.com            Contact info: Box 108
                                                   Wallace, ID 83873
              Little Ski Hill                      Phone: (208) 744-1301
McCall’s Little Ski Hill is one of the oldest      www.skilookout.com
ski areas developed in Idaho, preceded only
by Sun Valley and Lookout Pass. The Payette
                                                      Lost Trail Powder Mountain
                                                   Located north of Salmon on Hwy. 93 at the
Lakes Ski Club has maintained a non-profit
organization status for the Little Ski Hill        Montana border, Lost Trail Ski Area has
since 1937, when it was used for jumping.          excellent runs for all levels. This ski area is
Night skiing is available on the weekends          well known for its consistent good base and
with Friday family nights and Saturday             light snow. Cafeteria, rentals and ski lessons

418                                 IDAHO BLUE BOOK
are available at the day lodge and overnight   (Declo/Albion exit #216) then via Idaho
lodging is available in Salmon, Idaho.         77, Pomerelle is a relaxed, fun-filled,
Location: Idaho-Montana border, north          personalized day resort nestled in the
of Salmon                                      Sawtooth National Forest. With an annual
Address: 9485 US-93                            snowfall of 500”, it is usually one of the first
Sula, MT 59871                                 Idaho ski resorts to open and you will enjoy
Contact Info: PO Box 311                       virtually no lift lines during the season.
Conner, MT 59827                               Pomerelle offers 24 daily groomed ski runs
Phone: (406) 821-3211;                         plus gladed tree skiing and caters to family-
www.losttrail.com                              oriented ski/boarding enjoyment. The Ski
     Magic Mountain Ski and                    School specializes in teaching toddlers
                                               and family members of all abilities and is
        Summer Resort                          a PSIA member school. Kids 6 and under
This small ski area near the Twin Falls area   ski free with a paying parent. Day Lodge
features great snow, a four-lane tubing hill   offers Cafeteria, Rental Shop for both
with a lift, a 700 ft. vertical drop, a day    alpine/snowboard equipment, Accessory
lodge with a cafeteria, equipment rental       Shop and Ski Patrol. Terrain park features
and a lounge. Lodging is available in Twin     and competitive events are scheduled
Falls. The lodge is available for wedding      throughout the winter season. USFS cross
receptions, reunions and other events.         country nongroomed/nonpatrolled trails/
Location: South Central Idaho, 28 miles        loops are located adjacent to the resort;
south of Hansen on Rock Creek Road             complimentary usage.
Address: 319 Orchard Drive                     Location: South Central Idaho, near
Contact Info: PO Box 1241                      Burley, 25 miles off I-84, exit 216, Hwy 77
Twin Falls, ID 83301                           Address: 961 E. Howell Canyon Rd
Phone: (208)736-7669                           Malta, ID 83342
www.magicmountainresort.com                    Contact info: PO Box 158

                                                                                                  Recreation
     Pebble Creek Ski Resort                   Albion, ID 83311
Pebble Creek is a vertical playground that     Phone: (208) 673-5599;
attracts skiers of all abilities. Located 20   www.pomerelle.com
minutes south of Pocatello in the Caribou
Targhee National Forest, Pebble Creek
                                                 Schweitzer Mountain Resort
                                               With a dazzling view of Lake Pend Oreille,
boasts 2200 vertical feet, 1100 skiable
                                               Schweitzer Mountain Resort lies high in
acres, 54 runs, virtually non-existent
                                               the Selkirk Range of the Northwest Rocky
lift lines and terrain for all levels from
                                               Mountains, where abundant snowfall
beginners to those demanding an honest
                                               buries the slopes in more than 300 inches
challenge. Terrain is considered 12%
                                               annually. With 2,900 skiable acres,
beginner, 35% intermediate and 53%
                                               Schweitzer is larger than Sun Valley, Alta,
advanced.
                                               Crested Butte and Snowbird. Facilities
Location: Southeastern Idaho, SE of
                                               include a day lodge, outdoor apparel and
Pocatello
                                               gift shops, a general store, restaurants,
Contact Info: 3340 E Green Canyon Rd,
                                               pubs, cafes, several full bars and a chapel.
Inkom, ID 83245
                                               A ski school, day care, special children’s
Phone: (208) 775-4452
                                               programs and rental services are available.
www.pebblecreekskiarea.com
                                               Snowboarding, cross-country ski trails, cat
Email: info@ pebblecreekskiarea.com
                                               skiing, snowmobiling and tubing are also
       Pomerelle Ski Resort                    available. On-mountain lodging includes
Pomerelle Resort welcomes guests with          the European-style Selkirk Lodge, the
great snow, affordable rates, smiles and       luxurious White Pine Lodge and numerous
service. Located just 25 miles off I-84        condo units - affordable studios to superior

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                      419
quality six-bedroom jacuzzi units                 sun deck, a ski shop and a ski school. New
Location: Northern Idaho, 11 miles north          at Snowhaven: Snow tubing, with two runs
of Sandpoint                                      780 ft. long with a vertical drop of 150 ft.
Contact info: 10,000 Schweitzer                   Location: North Central Idaho, SE of
Mountain Road                                     Lewiston
Sandpoint, ID 83864                               Contact info: 225 W North
Phone: (208) 263-9555                             Grangeville, ID 83530
www.schweitzer.com                                Phone: (208) 983-3866;
Silver Mountain Ski, Golf and                     grangeville.us/snowhaven-ski-and-tubing-hill
Waterpark Resort                                    Soldier Mountain Ski Resort
Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho          When you ski Soldier Mountain, you go back
receives over 300” of famously light snow         to simpler, less-crowded times. Backcountry
and offers a big-mountain experience on           skiing or catskiing is incredible. The
2,200 vertical feet of exciting terrain. The      mountain offers great low prices and
ski area spans two mountains - Kellogg Peak       awesome snow with 36+ runs and an
and Wardner Peak - three bowls, 73 named          enhanced snowboard terrain park. Soldier
runs plus extensive off-piste, terrain park,      Mountain is one of Idaho’s hidden gems, an
and is home to some of the best tree skiing       easy-going resort located in the picturesque
in the country. Our high speed gondola            Sawtooth National Forest, halfway between
whisks visitors from Gondola Village              Boise and Sun Valley.
which is located just ¼ mile off I-90. The        Location: Central Idaho, 10 miles north of
Village consists the Morning Star Lodge,          Fairfield
Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark, shops,            Contact info: 1043 N Soldier Rd
restaurants and a day spa. Silver Rapids is       Fairfield, ID 83327
Idaho’s largest indoor waterpark and offers       Phone: (208) 764-2526;
a FlowRider(tm) continuous surf wave,             www.soldiermountain.com
warm pools, hot tubs, a lazy river, slides,               Sun Valley Ski Resort
kid’s play area and much more. The Galena         It’s easy to imagine the reaction of the skiers
Ridge Golf Course offers an exceptional           who first gazed out onto the awe-inspiring
golf experience. Whether you’re a weekend         Sawtooth Range. Sun Valley is a downhill
enthusiast, a seasoned pro, or a first timer,     paradise with more than 3400 vertical feet
the stunning beauty will elevate your game.       and over 2000 acres of varied terrain. In
Bike Country USA! Silver Mountain has             fact, Sun Valley offers something special
epic downhill mountain biking offering an         to skiers and boarders of all ages and skill
extensive network of trails. Gondola Village      levels on not just one mountain, but two-
serves as a trailhead to the Trail of the Coeur   Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain. Bald
d’Alenes and just up the road from Silver         Mountain features the consistency of pitch,
is the “must ride” Route of the Hiawatha.         no lift lines and a variety of terrain and a
Location: North Idaho, 30 miles east of           super pipe that have earned it a reputation
Coeur d’Alene on I-90                             as one of the world’s finest ski mountains.
Contact info: 610 Bunker Avenue                   Dollar Mountain is the perfect place to get
Kellogg, ID 83737                                 acclimated to downhill sports featuring
Phone: (208) 783-1111; (866) 344-2675;            high speed quads, a tubing hill and a new
www.silvermt.com                                  full-featured terrain park. We also boast
       Snowhaven Ski Resort                       a world-class SnowSports school. Since
Snowhaven is a small ski resort near              1936, the Sun Valley Lodge has welcomed
Grangeville with 7 runs served by a T-bar         visitors with elegant amenities and old-
and rope tow. Ski and snowboard terrain           world charm. Great on-site restaurants,
includes 40 acres with a vertical drop of 440     hot pools, apres ski entertainment and
ft. It offers a day lodge with a snack bar and    boutique shopping abound here. But what

420                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
keeps guests coming back are the congenial      Contact info: PO Box 10
smiles that greet you no matter where you       Sun Valley, ID 83353
stay. From our hotels and cozy cottages to      Phone: (208) 622-4111; (888) 490-5950;
comfy condos, you’ll find lodging that meets    www.sunvalley.com
your liking in Sun Valley.
                                                Source: Idaho Department of Commerce;
Location: Central Idaho, at Ketchum             www.visitidaho.org
Address: 1 Sun Valley Road

                                  Nordic Skiing
Idaho’s unique terrain of mountain valleys,     throughout the state. There are also
broad sweeps of gently rolling hills and        several tour operators who offer Nordic ski
a rugged backcountry that includes the          packages, including backcountry touring,
largest wilderness in the continental U.S.,     hut to hut skiing, or groomed trails for
offers the Nordic ski enthusiast a very         easy touring. Numerous Forest Service
special experience. Nordic ski instruction      and privately groomed trails from 5 to 60
and rentals are available at most ski resorts   kilometers are found throughout the state.

                            Park N’ Ski Program
         The Idaho Department of Parks          shops, state parks offices, U.S. Forest Service
and Recreation operates a unique program        ranger stations and chambers of commerce.
called Park N’ Ski through four separate        In addition to the Park N’Ski areas, Farragut
trail systems and four state park ski areas.    State Park, Priest Lake State Park, Round
Many trails are groomed on a regular basis      Lake State Park and Winchester State Park
and provide amenities such as restrooms,        have cross-country ski trails available for
warming shelters and backcountry huts/          use. For more information, contact the
yurts. The program offers a season pass         Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation,
and a three-day temporary permit. Permits       PO Box 83720, Boise ID 83720-0065, (208)
may be purchased at a variety of places         334-4199.
throughout the state, including sports

Snowboarding, Grand Targhee Ski Resort                    Photo Courtesy of Idaho Tourism

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                      421
Snowmobiling
Idaho has over 7,200 miles of snowmobile      details that may help you plan an enjoyable
trails in 29 grooming programs located        ride. Many county snowmobile programs
throughout the state. Millions of acres of    also provide trail maps of the areas that
open riding exist on Forest Service, Bureau   are groomed. For more on where to ride in
of Land Management, State and private         Idaho, contact the Department of Parks and
land. The Forest Service and BLM can          Recreation at (208) 334-4199.
provide information that identifies open
and closed areas, closure dates and other     Source: Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation;
                                              parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/

Silver City Masonic Temple                    Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Historical Society

422                             IDAHO BLUE BOOK
Bureau of Land Management
The BLM manages 11.9 million acres of          tal, historical, recreational, and economic
public land in Idaho, most of which is         values. These lands, with historical features
concentrated in the southern part of the       that include some of the best remaining
State. Every Idaho county contains some        original ruts of the Oregon Trail, will attract
BLM-managed land, which accounts for           millions of recreational visits. Many of these
36 percent of the total Federal acreage        visits will be made by the outdoor sports-
within Idaho’s borders. Idaho’s public lands   men of Idaho, where about one of every
feature alpine forests, rolling rangeland,     three persons owns a fishing or hunting
and spectacular canyonlands with premier       license. BLM-managed lands also support
desert white-water streams—the Owyhee,         the traditional commodity activities of
Bruneau, Jarbidge, and Lower Salmon.           grazing, mining, and timber production,
                                               which are vital to Idaho’s rural economies.
Idaho’s public lands are rich in environmen-

                      BLM Districts and Field Offices
BOISE DISTRICT
3948 Development Avenue                        CHALLIS FIELD OFFICE
Boise, Idaho 83705                             721 E Main Ave Ste 8
Information: (208) 384-3300                    Challis, Idaho 83226
                                               Information: (208) 879-6200
BRUNEAU FIELD OFFICE
3948 Development Avenue                        POCATELLO FIELD OFFICE
Boise, Idaho 83705                             4350 Cliffs Drive
Information: (208) 384-3300                    Pocatello, Idaho 83204
                                               Information: (208) 478-6340
FOUR RIVERS FIELD OFFICE
Snake Rivers Birds of Prey National            SALMON FIELD OFFICE

                                                                                                 Recreation
Conservation Area                              1206 South Challis Street
3948 Development Avenue                        Salmon, ID 83467
Boise, Idaho 83705                             Information: (208) 756-5400
Information: (208) 384-3300
                                               UPPER SNAKE FIELD OFFICE
OWYHEE FIELD OFFICE                            1405 Hollipark Drive
20 First Avenue West                           Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
Marsing, Idaho 83639                           Information: (208) 524-7500
Information: (208) 896-5912
                                               TWIN FALLS DISTRICT
COEUR D’ALENE DISTRICT                         2878 Addison Ave. East
3815 Schreiber Way                             Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815                     Information: (208) 735-2060
Information: (208) 769-5000
                                               BURLEY FIELD OFFICE
COEUR D’ALENE FIELD OFFICE                     15 East 200 South
3815 Schreiber Way                             Burley, Idaho 83318
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815                     Information: (208) 677-6600
Information: (208) 769-5000
                                               JARBIDGE FIELD OFFICE
COTTONWOOD FIELD OFFICE                        2878 Addison Ave. East
2 Butte Drive                                  Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
Cottonwood, Idaho 83522                        Information: (208) 735-2060
Information: (208) 962-3245
                                               SHOSHONE FIELD OFFICE
IDAHO FALLS DISTRICT                           Craters of the Moon National Monument
1405 Hollipark Drive                           400 W F Street
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401                       Shoshone, Idaho 83352
Information: (208) 524-7500                    Information: (208) 732-7200

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                     423
National Forests and Grasslands in Idaho
The National Forest system is responsible       juggle several competing uses including
for administration of over 21 million acres     mining, recreation, logging, camping,
of Idaho’s forested land. This land serves a    wilderness, watershed protection, and
multiplicity of uses. The Forest Service must   scientific research, to name a few.
BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST*                     PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST
1801 N. 1st Street                              500 W. Mission St.
Hamilton, MT 59840                              Building 2
(406) 363-7100                                  McCall, Idaho 83638
                                                (208) 634-0700
BOISE NATIONAL FOREST
1249 Vinnell Way, Suite 200                     SALMON - CHALLIS NATIONAL FORESTS
Boise, ID 83709                                 1206 S. Challis Street
(208) 373-4100                                  Salmon, Idaho 83467
                                                (208) 756-5100
CARIBOU-TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST*
1405 Hollipark Drive                            SAWTOOTH NATIONAL FOREST*
Idaho Falls, ID 83401                           2647 Kimberly Road East
(208) 557-5900                                  Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
                                                (208) 737-3200
CURLEW NATIONAL GRASSLANDS
1405 Hollipark Drive                            WALLOWA-WHITMAN NATIONAL
Idaho Falls, ID 83401                           FOREST*
(208) 557-5900                                  PO Box 907, 1550 Dewey Avenue Ste A
                                                Baker City, Oregon 97814
IDAHO PANHANDLE NATIONAL                        (541) 523-6391
FORESTS - COEUR D’ALENE, KANIKSU,
and ST. JOE NATIONAL FORESTS*                   UINTA-WASATCH-CACHE NATIONAL
3815 Schreiber Way                              FOREST*
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815                         3285 East 3300 South
(208) 765-7223                                  Salt Lake City, UT 84109
                                                (801) 466-6411
NEZ PERCE-CLEARWATER
NATIONAL FOREST
903 3rd Street
Kamiah, Idaho 83536                             * Unit is in two or more states
(208) 935-2513                                  Source: US Forest Service, www.fs.fed.us

               Major Land Areas, Sites and Rivers
               Designated by the U.S. Government
National Parks and Monuments                    are designated by Congress to conserve,
The first National Park (Yellowstone) was       protect, enhance, and manage public
designated in 1872. The National Park           land areas for the benefit and enjoyment
Service was created in 1916 to advance a        of present and future generations. NCAs
new concept of land use to conserve the         feature exceptional natural, recreational,
scenery, natural, historic, and wildlife in     cultural, wildlife, aquatic, archeological,
perpetuity for the benefit and enjoyment of     paleontological, historical, educational or
the people. The U.S. Congress establishes       scientific resources.
these Parks and Sites.                              National Recreation Areas
  National Conservation Areas                   Congress in 1962 passed the National
National Conservation Areas (NCAs)              Recreation Area Act to help preserve and

424                               IDAHO BLUE BOOK
expand outdoor recreation opportunities                 Wild and Scenic Rivers
throughout the nation.                           In 1968, Congress authorized the Wild
          Wilderness Areas                       and Scenic Rivers System Act which
In 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act      permits State Legislatures and the U.S.
to set aside certain lands from development      Congress to designate certain rivers as
and to preserve their natural character. The     wild and scenic to preserve outstandingly
Wilderness Act defines wilderness as an          remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic,
area of undeveloped Federal land, usually        fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other
5,000 acres or more, in a substantially          similar values in a natural and free-flowing
natural condition. It is without permanent       condition for the benefit and enjoyment of
improvements or human habitation, and            present and future generations.
has outstanding opportunities for solitude            National Natural Areas &
or a primitive and unconfined type of                       Landmarks
recreation. Such an area may contain             In 1972 Congress directed the Secretary of
ecological, geological, or other features or     Interior to investigate and inventory areas
scientific, educational, scenic, or historical   which could be designated National Natural
values.                                          Landmarks and for possible inclusion into
                                                 the National Parks System.

          National Parks, Monuments and Reserves
 City of Rocks National Reserve                  and Preserve contains three major lava
Established: 1988. “We encamped at the city      fields covering almost half a million acres.
of the rocks, a noted place from the granite     These remarkably well preserved volcanic
rocks rising abruptly out of the ground,”        features resulted from geologic events that
wrote James Wilkins in 1849. “They are           appear to have happened yesterday and
in a romantic valley clustered together,         will likely continue tomorrow. 18 miles W
which gives them the appearance of a city.”      of Arco on Hwy 20.

                                                                                                   Recreation
Wilkins was among the first wagon travelers      Address: 1266 Craters Loop Road
to fix the name City of Rocks to what looked
                                                 Contact Info: PO Box 29
like “a dismantled, rock-built city of the
Stone Age.” California Trail pioneers were       Arco, ID 83213
leaving civilization as they knew it in the      Phone: (208) 527-1335
East for new lives in the West. Some wrote               Hagerman Fossil Bed
their names in axle grease on rock faces,                National Monument
and their signatures can be seen today. No       Established: 1988. Hagerman Fossil Beds
doubt thirsty on this northern edge of the       contains the largest concentration of
Great Basin Desert, one emigrant saw the         Hagerman Horse fossils in North America.
distant rocks in August like “water thrown       The Monument is internationally significant
up into the air from numerous artificial
hydrants.” Beginning in 1843, City of            because it protects the world’s richest
Rocks was a landmark for emigrants on the        known fossil deposits from a time period
California Trail and Salt Lake Alternate Trail   called the late Pliocene epoch, 3.5 million
and later on freight routes and the Kelton,      years ago. These plants and animals
Utah to Boise Idaho stage route.                 represent the last glimpse of time that
Contact Info: 3035 S Elba-Almo Rd                existed before the Ice Age, and the earliest
Almo, ID 83312                                   appearances of modern flora and fauna.
Phone: (208) 824-5901                            Contact Info: PO Box 570
  Craters of the Moon National                   Hagerman, ID 83332
    Monument and Preserve                        Phone: (208) 933-4105
Established: 1924. A sea of lava flows             Nez Perce National Historical
with scattered islands of cinder cones and         Park - Spalding Visitor Center
sagebrush describes this “weird and scenic       Established: 1965. For thousands of years
landscape” known as Craters of the Moon.         the valleys, prairies, mountains, and
Craters of the Moon National Monument            plateaus of the inland northwest have

                               CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                      425
Idaho Falls City Building                        Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Historical Society

been home to the Nimi’ipuu or Nez Perce          that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and left a
people. Explore these places. Learn their        caldera 30 miles wide by 45 miles long. That
stories. Treat them with care. The 38 sites      climactic event occurred about 640,000
of Nez Perce National Historical Park are        years ago, and was one of many processes
scattered across the states of Idaho, Oregon,
Washington and Montana and have been             that shaped Yellowstone National Park—a
designated to commemorate the stories            region once rumored to be “the place where
and history of the Nimiipuu and their            hell bubbles up.” Geothermal wonders,
interaction with explorers, fur traders,         such as Old Faithful, are evidence of one
missionaries, soldiers, settlers, gold miners,   of the world’s largest active volcanoes.
and farmers who moved through or into            These spectacular features bemused and
the area.
Contact Info: 39063 US Hwy 95                    befuddled the park’s earliest visitors, and
Lapwai, ID 83540                                 helped lead to the creation of the world’s
Phone: (208) 843-7009                            first national park.
                                                 Contact Info: PO Box 168, Yellowstone
    Yellowstone National Park
                                                 National Park, WY 82190
Established: 1872. Idaho contains a portion
                                                 Phone: (307) 344-7381
of the nation’s oldest and most famous
national park. A thin strip totaling 31,488             Hells Canyon National
acres (of the park’s 2 million plus acres)                Recreation Area
make up part of Idaho’s eastern border.          Established:1975. Hells Canyon, North
Long before any recorded human history           America’s deepest river gorge, encompasses
in Yellowstone, a massive volcanic eruption      a vast and remote region with dramatic
spewed an immense volume of ash that             changes in elevation, terrain, climate and
covered all of the western U.S., much of the     vegetation. Carved by the great Snake
Midwest, northern Mexico and some areas          River, Hells Canyon plunges more than a
of the eastern Pacific. The eruption dwarfed     mile below Oregon’s west rim, and 8,000

426                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
feet below snowcapped He Devil Peak of            the most breathtakingly beautiful spots in
Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountains. There are         Western America. Three classic mountain
no roads across Hells Canyon’s 10-mile wide       ranges with 40 peaks of 10,000 feet or
expanse, and only three roads that lead to        higher provide scenic landscapes in every
the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam          direction. More than 300 high mountain
and the Oregon-Washington boundary.               lakes are within the SNRA and hundreds
                                                  of sparkling streams with the clarity of
Contact Info: 1550 Dewey Ave Ste A
                                                  crystal. Headwater creeks of the Salmon
(PO Box 907)                                      River converge in the Sawtooth Valley to
Baker City, OR 97814                              form this legendary “River of No Return.”
Phone: (541) 523-6391                             Although the heartland of the SNRA is a
         Sawtooth National                        217,000-acre wilderness, it is only part of
          Recreation Area                         the total 756,000-acre SNRA.
Established: 1972. The SNRA, a part of            Contact Info: 2647 Kimberly Road East,
the Sawtooth National Forest, is one of           Twin Falls, ID 83301
                                                  Phone: (208) 737-3200

                           Wild and Scenic Rivers
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers               currant, sedges and grasses. Battle Creek is
System was created in 1968 by Congress.           not floatable, but provides a beautiful hike
Designation as a wild and scenic river            for those floating the Owyhee River.
is not designation as a national park.
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act does not
                                                             Big Jacks Creek
                                                  Designated Reach: March 30, 2009. Big
generally lock up a river like a wilderness
                                                  Jacks Creek from the downstream border of
designation, the goal is to preserve the
                                                  the Big Jacks Creek Wilderness in Section
character of a river. Uses compatible with
                                                  8, Township 8 South, Range 4 East, to the
the management goals of a particular
                                                  point at which it enters the Northwest 1/4

                                                                                                 Recreation
river are allowed; change is expected to
                                                  of Section 26, Township 10 South, Range 2
happen. Development not damaging to
                                                  East, Boise Meridian.
the outstanding resources of a designated
                                                  Classification/Mileage: Wild — 35.0
river, or curtailing its free flow, are usually
                                                  miles; Total — 35.0 miles.
allowed. The term “living landscape” has
                                                  Big Jacks Creek flows through Big Jacks
been frequently applied to wild and scenic
                                                  Creek Wilderness. Enveloped by sheer and
rivers. Of course, each river designation
                                                  terraced canyon walls, this perennial stream
is different, and each management plan
                                                  is surrounded by riparian vegetation.
is unique.
                                                  Redband trout are found in the creek, and
              Battle Creek                        bighorn sheep inhabit the canyon. There are
Designated Reach: March 30, 2009. Battle          few trails that access this area.
Creek from its confluence with the Owyhee         Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management
River to the upstream boundary of the                           3948 Development Avenue
Owyhee River Wilderness.                                        Boise Idaho 83705
Classification/Mileage: Wild — 23.4
miles; Total — 23.4 miles.
                                                              Bruneau River
                                                  Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.
Battle Creek f lows through a narrow,
                                                  The Bruneau River from the downstream
extremely meandering 200 foot deep
                                                  boundar y of t he Br uneau-Jarbidge
canyon. The canyon consists of nearly
                                                  Wilderness to its upstream confluence with
continuous vertical walls of rhyolite which
                                                  the West Fork of the Bruneau River.
are about 1/8 mile apart. Over the next 20
                                                  Classification/Mileage: Wild — 38.7
miles the canyon widens to no more than
                                                  miles; Recreational — 0.6 miles; Total —
3/8 miles across and deepens to as much
                                                  39.3 miles.
as 500 feet. Tucked between the cliffs and
                                                  Nearly 40 miles of the Bruneau River’s
stream channel is a lush riparian area of
                                                  50-mile total length is designated as wild,
willow, chokecherry, dogwood, alder, rose,

                                CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                   427
with a six-tenth-mile stretch at the Indian      Classification/Mileage: Wild — 54.0
Hot Springs access point designated              miles; Recreational — 131.0 miles; Total
recreational. The Bruneau/Jarbidge River         — 185.0 miles.
System flows north from the mountains            The Middle Fork Clearwater includes
of northern Nevada through the beautiful         the Lochsa and Selway Rivers, premier
basalt and rhyolite canyons of the Owyhee
                                                 whitewater rivers. Part of the exploration
Uplands to the Snake River in southern
Idaho. The combination of sparkling water,       route of Lewis and Clark follows the Lochsa
steep multi-colored cliffs, and an interesting   River. Most of the Selway lies in Idaho’s
association of plants and animals make           Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. These rivers
this desert canyon one of superior natural       offer clear, clean water, beautiful scenery
beauty and recreational appeal. The              with great plant diversity, and abundant
Bruneau River also provides challenging          wildlife.
whitewater as it flows through this deep,        Contact Info: Nez Perce - Clearwater
wild and remote desert canyon.                                National Forest
Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management                          903 3rd Street
              3948 Development Avenue
                                                                 Kamiah, ID 83536
              Boise Idaho 83705
West Fork of the Bruneau River                                Bitterroot National Forest
Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.                             1801 North 1st Street
The West Fork of the Bruneau River                            Hamilton, Montana 59840
from its confluence with the Jarbidge
River to the downstream boundary of the
                                                          Cottonwood Creek
                                                 Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.
Bruneau Canyon Grazing Allotment in the
                                                 Cottonwood Creek from its confluence
Southeast/Northeast quadrants of Section
                                                 with Big Jacks Creek to the upstream
5, Township 13 South, Range 7 East, Boise
                                                 boundary of the Big Jacks Creek
Meridian.
                                                 Wilderness.
Classification/Mileage: Wild — 0.4 miles;
                                                 Classification/Mileage: Wild — 2.6
Total — 0.4 miles.
                                                 miles; Total — 2.6 miles.
The West Fork Bruneau River joins with the
                                                 Cottonwood Creek has dense riparian
Jarbidge River to form the Bruneau River
                                                 vegetation and tight meanders. Redband
about 24 miles north of the Nevada border,
                                                 trout are found in the creek, and mule
just upstream of Indian Hot Springs. The
                                                 deer are common in the area. Access to
canyon opens up at this portion of the river
                                                 the area is difficult.
through the designated 0.3 miles and then
                                                 Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management
becomes narrower as the Bruneau River
                                                                3948 Development Avenue
flows north.
                                                                Boise, Idaho 83705
Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management
              3948 Development Avenue                         Deep Creek
              Boise, Idaho 83705                 Designated Reach: March 30, 2009. Deep
                                                 Creek from its confluence with the Owyhee
          Middle Fork of the                     River to the upstream boundary of the
          Clearwater River                       Owyhee River Wilderness in Section 30,
Designated Reach: October 2, 1968. The
                                                 Township 12 South, Range 2 West, Boise
Middle Fork from the town of Kooskia
                                                 Meridian.
upstream to the town of Lowell. The Lochsa
                                                 Classification/Mileage: Wild — 13.1
River from its confluence with the Selway        miles; Total — 13.1 miles.
River at Lowell (forming the Middle Fork)        Deep Creek car ves an extremely
upstream to the Powell Ranger Station.           meandering, vertical walled canyon to its
The Selway River from Lowell upstream            confluence with the Owyhee River. Deep
to its origin.                                   Creek can be kayaked or canoed in the early

428                                IDAHO BLUE BOOK
spring when flows reach into the hundreds       the upstream boundary of the Bruneau-
of cubic feet per second from snowmelt.         Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness.
Later in the spring, and again in the fall,     Classification/Mileage: Wild — 28.8
Deep Creek provides outstanding hiking          miles; Total — 28.8 miles.
and backpacking opportunities.                  The Jarbidge River joins with the West
Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management         Fork Bruneau River to form the Bruneau
             3948 Development Avenue            River about 24 miles north of the Nevada
             Boise, Idaho 83705                 border, just upstream of Indian Hot Springs.
         Dickshooter Creek                      The Jarbidge River provides challenging
Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.               whitewater during the spring, with
Dickshooter Creek from its confluence           stretches reaching Class V and VI difficulty.
with Deep Creek to a point on the stream        This river lies within a canyon with steep
1/4 mile due west of the east boundary of       walls and statuesque rock formations.
Section 16, Township 12 South, Range 2          Golden eagles are commonly seen, and
West, Boise Meridian.                           chukars are abundant.
Classification/Mileage: Wild — 9.3 miles;       Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management
Total — 9.3 miles.                                            3948 Development Avenue
Dickshooter Creek flows south, and the                        Boise, Idaho 83705
stream cuts a narrow, deep gorge through                  Little Jacks Creek
the rolling plateau landscape until it joins    Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.
with Deep Creek. The waters of Dickshooter      Little Jacks Creek from the downstream
cease to flow by late-spring to early summer,   boundar y of the Little Jack s Creek
leaving behind only isolated pools in the       Wilderness upstream to the mouth of OX
gravel streambed. This canyon provides          Prong Creek.
outstanding hiking and backpacking              Classification/Mileage: Wild — 12.4
opportunities.                                  miles; Total — 12.4 miles.

                                                                                                  Recreation
Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management         Surrounded by the Little Jacks Creek
              3948 Development Avenue           Wilderness, Little Jacks Creek is an attractive
              Boise, Idaho 83705                stream with excellent opportunities for
            Duncan Creek                        viewing wildlife. Bighorn sheep are one
Designated Reach: March 30, 2009.               of the main attractions. Little Jacks Creek
Duncan Creek from its confluence with Big       lies within a multi-tiered, 1,000 foot deep
Jacks Creek upstream to the east boundary       canyon system. The stream has dense
of Section 18, Township 10 South, Range 4       riparian vegetation and provides habitat
East, Boise Meridian.                           for Redband trout. Spring is an opportune
Classification/Mileage: Wild — 0.9 miles;       time to hike in this area.
Total — 0.9 miles.                              Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management
Duncan Creek has dense riparian vegetation                    3948 Development Avenue
and tight meanders. Redband trout are                         Boise, Idaho 83705
found in the creek, and mule deer are                        Owyhee River
common in the area. Access to the area is       Designated Reach: March 30, 2009. The
difficult.                                      Owyhee River from the Idaho-Oregon State
Contact Info: Bureau of Land Management         border to the upstream boundary of the
             3948 Development Avenue            Owyhee River Wilderness.
             Boise, Idaho 83705                 Classification/Mileage: Wild — 67.3
                                                miles; Total — 67.3 miles.
            Jarbidge River                      The Owyhee River Canyon consists of
Designated Reach: March 30, 2009. The           steep, rhyolite walls ranging in height
Jarbidge River from its confluence with         from 250 feet to over 1,000 feet near the
the West Fork of the Bruneau River to           Oregon border. The west end of the river

                              CHAPTER 12: Recreation                                      429
You can also read