Sawtooth National Forest
2647 Kimberly Road East Sawtooth National Forest comprises more than 2.1 million acres of public land, most of it in south-central Idaho with one unit in northern Utah. The Sawtooth National Forest Headquarters is located in Twin Fails, Idaho. The Forest is made up of five administrative units: the Burley, Twin Falls, Ketchum, and Fairfield Ranger Districts, and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Sawtooth offers a remarkable combination of environmental settings for recreation opportunities. Units of this Forest rise from the salt flats of the historic Great Salt Lake in the south to the 12,076-foot glacially-formed Hyndman Peak in the north. The Forest's 1,100 lakes and more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams provide native trout and annual runs of salmon and steelhead. The major rivers, such as the Salmon, South Fork of the Boise, South Fork of the Payette, and the Wood River, offer experiences ranging from primitive to highly developed water recreation opportunities. The Forest's Redfish Lake is one of the outstanding large mountain lakes accessible by vehicles with first-class family camping opportunities. This Forest provides habitat for 354 wildlife species and 25 species of fish, including runs of steelhead and salmon from the Pacific Ocean. One-third of Idaho's mountain goat population is found here as well as one of the State's most important deer herds. Hunters come here for deer, elk, antelope, mountain goat, bear, and mountain lion. The Sawtooth also offers wing shooting for ducks, geese, chukar and Hungarian partridge, and forest grouse. Sightseers, bird watchers, hikers and riders of horses, trail and mountain bikes add to Sawtooth recreational traffic. So do skiers and snowmobile operators. The famous Sun Valley ski resort is here. Other downhill ski areas on the Forest are Soldier Mountain, Pomerelle, and Magic Mountain. Snowmobile areas are offered on many parts of the Forest. These include the Howell Canyon Snowmobile Area on the Burley Ranger District, Diamondfield Jack Winter Sports Area on the Twin Falls Ranger District, Little Smoky Play Area on the Fairfield Ranger District, Baker Creek/Boulder Flat area and Cape Horn area on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Parking areas and marked, groomed trails are available at some of these locations. Cross-country skiing is a rapidly expanding winter use of Sawtooth's abundant high country snow. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area provides set trails at North Fork and Prairie Creek, and the Ketchum Ranger District hosts the Wood River Trail. On the southern portion of the Forest, cross-country ski trails are located in upper Rock Creek Canyon on the Twin Falls Ranger District and in upper Howell Canyon on the Burley Ranger District. The congressionally designated 754,000-acre Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a part of the Sawtooth National Forest. This area offers outstanding opportunities for recreation and viewing wildlife in a pastoral setting indicative of the old western way of life. All in all, the Sawtooth National Forest is currently providing over two million visitor days of recreation activity each year. The Forest has 193 developed recreation sites. These include ski areas, campgrounds, picnic areas, boat ramps, scenic overlooks, trail heads, interpretive sites, and visitor centers. Developed recreation sites on the Sawtooth National Forest have a total capacity of 24,920 persons at one time. Most of the popular sites, such as the campgrounds at Redfish Lake, are consistently full in July and August. Daily use fees are charged at the more developed campgrounds. Many less developed sites are available without charge. June, July, and August are the busy months for campers. The Forest includes large tracts of undeveloped country. The Sawtooth Wilderness and other high country areas such as the White Clouds, Boulders, Pioneers, and the Smokies, each with its own distinctive characteristics, attract thousands of hikers and riders that annually visit these areas. Backpacking and hiking opportunities are unlimited on the Sawtooth National Forest. Lesser known backcountry areas, like the Smoky and Boulder Mountains, offer recreation experiences similar to those in the more heavily used designated Wilderness areas. Excellent opportunities for hiking and mountain biking are also available on the southern division of the Forest on the Twin Falls and Burley Ranger Districts. Trails into the Ross Falls and Phantom Falls offer easy hiking into waterfalls in the rolling hills south of Twin Falls. Horse mounting ramps for wheelchair users are located at Third Fork and Independence Lakes Trailheads. The Sawtooth Travel Plan map designates which roads and trails are open for use by off-highway vehicles (OHV). Many opportunities exist on this Forest for OHV travel. Sawtooth National Recreation Area Burley Ranger District Twin Falls Ranger District Fairfield Ranger District Ketchum Ranger District Stanley Ranger District
The details, dates, and prices mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication.
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