Visitor Guide
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ayette National Forest VISITOR GUIDE Deep Canyons, Deep Wilderness, Deep Snow Twenty Mile Lake (© Mezzotint) Mezzotint) (© Big Horn Bridge, Big Creek Backcountry skiing opportunities abound on the What’s Inside Payette National Forest Special Places.......................... 2 Scenic Byways......................... 4 Winter Recreation................ 5 panning seasons in a day, Forest Map ...............................6 visitors can explore the contrasts Campgrounds..........................8 of the Payette National Forest. Activities.................................10 S Know Before You Go........ 11 From warm, deep canyons to Contact Information..........12 crisp alpine lakes, the forest Fast Forest Facts is the centerpiece for outdoor recreation in Idaho’s Heartland. This spectacular Acres: 2.3 million land is bordered by two of the deepest canyons Species of mammals & birds: in North America: the Salmon River Canyon on Over 300 the north and Hells Canyon of the Snake River Deepest Canyon in North on the west. To the east lies the Frank Church- America: Hells Canyon at 8,000’ River of No Return Wilderness, one of the largest Backcountry Airstrips: There congressionally designated Wilderness areas in the are six airstrips on the Payette lower 48 states. National Forest Come see for yourself! This Visitor Guide provides the information you need to make the most of your Payette National Forest experience. G et to Know Us Lava Butte rock formations Special Places ver 120 million years Rapid River Oago, the lands of the Payette National Forest were Especially popular in the spring for early hiking and beachfront property on biking, and in the fall for hunting, the Rapid River the western edge of North area offers excellent opportunities for a more primitive America. It took eons of recreation experience. Multiple trails present hikers and collisions, subductions, mountain bikers the chance to view wildlife, wildflowers, melting, folding, and tilting and amazing scenery. for west-central Idaho to Rapid River is a appear as it does today. The designated Wild and waterfront edge now forms Scenic River for its the backbone of Marshall entire length and is Mountain and War Eagle important habitat for Mountain, while Goose Creek Canyon shows off threatened Chinook a subduction zone. Molten rock rose into the overlying salmon, steelhead, and rocks and formed the Idaho Batholith, a colossal granite bull trout. Within body underlying most of the central portion of the forest. the Rapid River area, Black Lake is a popular recreation onnected with other public lands, the forest is part destination. ofC an expansive, uninterrupted landscape that provides superb habitat for an exceptional array of big game, Rapid River upland birds, and other wildlife. Over 300 different species of wildlife make their home on the Payette National Forest. Some are common and easily spotted from roads and trails, while others are more reclusive and require perseverance to see. Sheep Rock Sheep Rock is a scenic overlook and interpretive t is an area nationally recognized for dramatic trail in a fairly remote area on the Idaho rim of Hells Ilandscapes, from craggy mountain peaks and shimmering Canyon. At an elevation of 6,847 feet, the overlook lakes to plummeting river canyons. Vast expanses provides visitors with an up-close, birds-eye-view of of unroaded backcountry provide solitude, although one of the greatest lava extrusions of geologic time. facilities and amenities are nearby. Far reaching trails Your journey to Sheep Rock takes you through some support incredible winter sports, destination hunting, and of central Idaho’s most amazing country. Broad vistas traditional gathering of forest products. of jagged mountains and open spaces awash with wildflowers accentuate your trip. Birds of prey and the possible sighting of bighorn sheep or mountain goats will thrill the wildlife viewer. Sheep Rock is recognized as a National Natural Landmark. Its trail is designated a National Recreational Trail. Great grey owl © David P Lewis © David (P. Klasner) Whatever your particular interest, you are bound to leave the Payette National Forest with a keener Sheep Rock Interpretive Site sense of the earth’s landscape and your place in it. © Timothy Epp 2 Smith Mountain Special Places Special Places Wilderness In the high country are Wilderness is an area of federal land that is free from the towering modern human manipulation, is undeveloped and natural, peaks, and and provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and a alpine lakes primitive type of recreation. of the Seven Devils Mountain The Payette National Forest has portions of two Range—said to congressionally designated wilderness areas. The Hells be named for a Canyon Wilderness (administered by the Hells Canyon vision of seven National Recreation Area and Wallowa-Whitman National dancing devils Forest) is 214,944 acres of high mountain peaks, ominous that appeared canyon rim-rocks, and quiet solitude. Split by the Snake to an Indian Snake River flowing through Hells Canyon River, the Hells Canyon Wilderness straddles the Idaho and lost in the area. Oregon state boundary. At lower elevations, dry, steep slopes For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/hellscanyon/. break over into the Snake River canyon. The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness (administered by four national forests in central Idaho) is a place of steep, rugged mountains, deep canyons, and wild, whitewater rivers. The Salmon River Mountains, located south of the Main Salmon and west of the Middle Fork, are the most massive range, and dominate the Wilderness. North of the Main Salmon River are the Clearwater Mountains, and east of the Middle Fork are the Bighorn Crags. For more information on the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, go to www.fs.fed. us/r4/sc/fcronr/fcronrindex.shtml. Explore these Wilderness areas alone, or contact the forest for information on the numerous outfitters and guides that can assist you with your adventure. For more information on the Big Creek in the Frank Church- National Wilderness Preservation River of No Return Wilderness System, visit www.wilderness.net. Heritage Resources Chinese coins Today, the Warren Waiting silently in the canyons and mountains of Mining District remains as an important the Payette National Forest are reminders of vestige of ethnic heritage, and several sites in the centuries-old relationships between people the district are listed on the National Register and the land. There is a rich history of cultural of Historic Places. At the Chinese Cemetery at diversity here with a story to tell. Warren, interpretive signs lead visitors through this historic site. Many American Indians were the first to call southwestern Idaho home. They continue their From 1933 to 1941, the Civilian Conservation traditions today through fishing, hunting, and Corps (CCC) were major contributors to the gathering. Lewis and Clark’s explorations, Oregon development of the Payette National Forest, Trail emigration, and gold discoveries brought where four camps were in operation. The people from all over the world to Idaho. On the buildings at the McCall District Administrative Payette National Forest, the remains of mining Site and the towns and cemeteries give voice to some of the Paddy Flat thousands of Chinese immigrants who arrived Administrative after the California Gold Rush of 1848, seeking Site are visible fortunes in the gold fields, railroad camps, fish reminders of their canneries, and on the great agricultural ranches accomplishments. of the southwest. As they ventured into the Idaho wilderness, they brought their cultures and customs into these remote areas, creating a society within the existing Euro-American Chilean mill at culture. Venable Mine Snowshoe Mine 3 G et to Know Us Special Places Fire Lookouts Sturgil Fire Lookout, built in 1934 The lookouts are staffed through the summer Fire protection has long and fall months, and personnel are usually been a integral part of available to give you a glimpse at an era of the Forest Service, and fire detection that is rapidly being replaced by the Payette National more modern fire-spotting techniques. Forest has been home ¢ Krassel Ranger District: Sheepeater to as many as 70 fire (within the Frank Church-River of No lookouts in its past. Only Return Wilderness), Williams Peak, 13 remain that are still Miners Peak staffed; most have been removed, burned over ¢ McCall Ranger District: Pilot Peak, in a fire, or have melted Carey Dome, Brundage Mountain, War into the landscape. Eagle Six lookouts are on the National Historic ¢ New Meadows Ranger District: Granite Lookout Register. There Mountain, Pollock Mountain, Lick Creek are examples of several styles of construction still ¢ Council Ranger District: Horse visible, from a single steel Mountain, Indian Mountain tower to early wooden For more information, visit the Forest Fire Lookout ¢ Weiser Ranger District: Sturgil structures. Association at: www.firelookout.org Mountain Payette River Scenic Byway Length: 112 miles/179 km Time to Allow: 2.25 hours From the junction of Idaho 44 and Idaho 55 west of Boise, this byway heads north on Idaho 55 to Rainbow Bridge over the Payette River Horseshoe Bend where it meets the (© Aldis Garsvo) Payette River. From there it passes South Fork of the Payette River (© Lee O’Dell) through the Boise and Payette National Forests and the towns of Cascade and McCall before reaching the northern end at New Meadows. Hells Canyon Scenic Byway or motorists, it can be a distracting F ells Canyon Scenic Byway winds its way along drive as the river crashes and tumbles H Length: 22 miles/35.2 km the east side of the massive rift created by the its way over the rocks through Time to Allow: 3 hours round Snake River. Today, the walls of the canyon this narrow river valley. There are trip from Cambridge are like a museum, where pictographs and occasional pull-offs where you can petroglyphs display evidence of early people. view the wilder parts, and treat your senses to the sight, sound, smell, and The immense Snake River dividing Oregon and rhythm of Idaho’s whitewater.