Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Photos: Top Ten U.S. Rivers for Rafting

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Quiet, lazy rivers, raging rapids, serene lakes, or a fun-filled day of water-skiing... Targhee National Forest offers a satisfying variety of boating and water sports. Fishing is very popular on the Forest and requires a state license. The Island Park area is world-renowned for its excellent stream and lake fly-fishing opportunities. Other parts of the Forest can provide more solitude and similar successes. Game fish are rainbow, eastern brook, brown, and cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, and whitefish.

Rafting, kayaking, and canoeing are popular sports in the Island Park Ranger District on the North Fork of the Snake River. This river offers paddlers challenges on the upper end of the moderate range. Put-in is at Island Park dam; take-out is at Last Chance. Dams, large falls, and irrigation canals present hazards along stretches of quite a few Targhee streams and rivers, so visitors are warned to paddle with care.

The Big Springs Water Trail is a National Scenic Water Trail, the first one established by the Forest Service. It's fine for beginners and offers a great opportunity to view wildlife. Put-in is at the sign on Highway 84. The Buffalo River offers beginner-level challenges. Paddlers can put in at the Headwaters, and take out at U.S. Highway 20.

The Ashton district boasts a number of boating and paddling venues:

• Henrys Fork. Put in at Last Chance. For paddlers with advanced skills. Take out at Hatchery Ford. Another put-in is at Grandview Campground, with a take-out at Warm River. This section demands "advanced plus" skills, a large raft, and the launch is described as poor.
  
• Grassy Lake. Powerboats are permitted and there's year-round fishing, but no boat ramps.
  
• Lake of the Woods. Powerboats are permitted, but no boat ramps.
  
• Horseshoe Lake. Small boats only, no powerboats, no fishing, no ramps.
  
• Fall River. Put in at Cave Falls Campground. Take out off-forest. This stretch of river requires extremely advanced skills and is very dangerous. Includes portages. Fishing is available.
  
• Warm River. Put in at Bear Gulch. Take out at Warm River Campground. Requires advanced skills of canoeists and kayakers. Beware the poor launch. Fishing is available.