Payette National Forest

The Payette National Forest contains some of the largest remaining blocks of undeveloped land in the United States, including 800,000 acres of classified wilderness and approximately 650,000 acres of roadless land. About 850,000 acres of land, which provide a variety of forest recreation opportunities, can be accessed by roads. The forest contains about 2,800 miles of roads and 2,125 miles of trails. The Payette National Forest covers much of west-central Idaho, and is virtually surrounded by other National Forests and lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

Located in west-central Idaho and northwest of Boise, the Forest offers many recreation opportunities in conjunction with its outstanding physical settings and visual resources. It is bordered on the north by the Salmon Wild and Scenic River, on the west by the Snake River, on the east by the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, and on the south by the Boise National Forest. Pristine high mountain lakes lie along the ridge between the South Fork Salmon River and the North Fork Payette River drainages. Lakes grace the Lava Ridge Hard Butte area east of the Little Salmon River drainage.

Wilderness has been established to satisfy primitive recreational, scientific, biological, and cultural needs of our society. The Payette National Forest contains portions of two designated wildernesses. The forest administers about 784,000 acres of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, the largest designated wilderness outside Alaska. Approximately 24,000 acres of the Hells Canyon Wilderness are also within the forest boundary. Two miles southwest of Cottonwood on Keuterville Road, you'll come across the Historical Museum of St. Gertrude's. Located on the grounds of the Monastery of St. Gertrude's, the museum is worth the stop—over 12,000 artifacts reveal the complexities of early pioneer history in this region.

Small towns and communities adjacent to or within the forest boundary and 19 Forest Service campgrounds can accommodate many visitors.

Climate is a dominant factor changing the landscape and determining the flora and fauna supported on it. Annual precipitation on the forest varies from 12 inches at lower elevations to over 60 inches in the high country. Above 4,000 feet, most of the annual precipitation occurs as snow. Elevations on the forest range from 1,500 feet in Hells Canyon to over 9,500 feet in parts of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. Summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit at the lower elevations; winter temperatures can drop to -40 degrees. Geology and topography play an important role in determining resource management on various parts of the forest. For example, the presence of valuable minerals, scenic beauty of the landscape, and different soil conditions all are influenced by geologic factors.

The forest supports sizable big game herds, game bird populations, and a wide variety of non-game species. The forest provides fishing, hunting, hiking, backpacking and camping, picnicking, pleasure driving, sightseeing, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle driving, nature study, and forest product gathering (e g., firewood, berries, and mushrooms) spring through fall. The heavy winter snowpack is popular for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snow play. Two downhill ski areas are located on the Payette: the Payette Lakes and Brundage Mountain ski areas near McCall.

About 20 state-licensed outfitters hold permits to provide recreation activities for the enjoyment of the forest's users. These activities include hunting, fishing, backpacking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and nature study. They occur mainly in the wilderness and roadless areas of the forest.

Nearby towns include Lewiston, Moscow, McCall, Cottonwood, and Riggins. Riggins lies deep in a canyon and calls itself the "narrowest little town in the country."