Caribou-Targhee National Forest

The majority of the forest lies in eastern Idaho and the remainder in western Wyoming. It encompasses part or all of seven subsections:

• Lemhi/Medicine Lodge
• Centennial Mountains
• Island Park
• Madison Plateau
• Teton Range
• Big Hole/Palisades Mountains
• Caribou

Lemhi/Medicine Lodge - This subsection includes the Lemhi Mountains and the Medicine Lodge/Beaverhead Mountains. A variety of vegetation exists with dominant communities of mostly Douglas-fir and limber pine. Sagebrush/bunchgrass and mountain mahogany communities are common on the lower elevation and strong southerly exposures. Limber pine communities and alpine meadows exist at the high elevations. This subsection is rich in mining history with old mining sites and remnants of town sites. Located in the Birch Creek Valley are four preserved brick adobe Charcoal Kilns. Sixteen were originally built to furnish charcoal to the Nicholia Mine. This area also has a National Scenic Trail, a recommended wilderness (Italian Peaks), and most big game species.

Centennial Mountains - This subsection covers the Centennial Mountains between the east fork of Irving Creek and Reas Pass to the east. The Centennials, which form part of the Continental Divide, are a scenic mountain range with high mountain meadows scattered through spruce/fir and Douglas-fir forests. At lower elevations sagebrush/grasslands grade into Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine forests. Lionhead, in the northeast portion of the subsection, is a recommended wilderness in Montana. The major travel corridors are Highways 20 and 87, and a portion of Interstate 15. The Yale-Kilgore road is a secondary travel route connecting Island Park to Kilgore and Dubois. In the northeast portion of the subsection is Henry's Lake, a world renowned fishery. The western part is the Red Conglomerate range, home to at least one endemic sensitive plant species.

Island Park - This subsection includes the west half of Island Park, Ashton, and the northwest portion of Teton Basin Ranger Districts. The landscape of this subsection features a large caldera. Highway 20 is the only major highway that travels through this subsection. Among the many scenic attractions are Upper and Lower Mesa Falls, the last major undisturbed falls on the Columbia River system. The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, established in1989, provides motorists with a breathtaking view of the Teton Mountain Range and accesses the two falls. The Island Park subsection offers excellent trout fishing at Island Park Reservoir and along the Henry's Fork, Buffalo River, Warm River, Fall River, and Bitch Creek. The Island Park subsection is also known for its snow machine trails and cross-country ski trails and summer home concentrations. The area shows signs of large scale timber harvesting due to the mountain pine beetle epidemics in the 1960's and 1970's. Harriman State Park lies in the heart of the Harriman Wildlife Refuge, with 16,000 acres of forest, meadows, lakes, and streams.

Madison Plateau - The largest portion of the Madison Plateau Subsection is actually in Yellowstone National Park. The section on the Forest falls within the Island Park and Ashton Districts next to Yellowstone National Park. The Jedediah Smith and Winegar Hole Wildernesses lie within this subsection, as does the recommended Idaho wilderness portion of Winegar Hole. The Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road and Fish Creek Road are the major access routes in this area. Grassy Lake is a 320-acre lake created when a dam was built by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1937 to 1939. Grassy Lake as well as other lakes and streams in the area are popular fishing areas and are accessed by the Flagg Ranch road. Several organized youth camps exist throughout this subsection. The Cave Falls road is the only motorized access to the southwest portion of Yellowstone Park.

Teton Range - This area encompasses the west slope of the Teton Mountains. The Teton Range is a spectacular line of high peaks rising abruptly along the west side of Jackson Hole. The vegetation is a diverse mix of forested and nonforested plant communities. The Jedediah Smith Wilderness traverses the upper portions of the west slopes of the Teton Mountains. The Grand Targhee Ski Resort is a major tourist attraction within the subsection. Two organized youth camps are present. This area is known for its many backcountry trails which are accessible by horse or foot.

Big Hole/Palisades Mountains - This subsection takes in all National Forest lands between Highway 33 in Idaho and Highway 22 in Wyoming on the North and the South Fork of the Snake River to the south. Several major highways provide access: Idaho Highways 26, 31, and 33, and Highway 22 in Wyoming. Highway 31 is a State Scenic Byway over Pine Creek Pass. Vegetation consists of mountain brush, grass/forb openings, aspen, and forests of Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine. The area has a variety of recreational opportunities including Kelly Canyon Ski Resort and backcountry hiking. Palisades Reservoir and the South Fork of the Snake River are used by water sports enthusiasts.

Caribou - This subsection is the portion of the Caribou National Forest administered by the Targhee National Forest. It lies south of the South Fork of the Snake River. Steep mountain slopes and canyons dominate the landscape. The Palisades Reservoir is shared by this subsection and the Big Hole/Palisades Subsection. Vegetation in this subsection forms a patchwork of tall sage/grass openings, aspen, and mixed Douglas-fir/lodgepole pine forests. Recreation use is very similar to the Big Hole/Palisades Subsection with high trail and backcountry use as well as hunting, fishing, and water sports both on the reservoir and the Snake River. This area has several summer home divisions and two organizational camps.