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104-703: Beginning near 7,902-foot (2,409 m) Monumental Peak in the Boise National Forest , the river flows generally north to its confluence with the Salmon near Mackay Bar, about 135 miles (217 km) above the larger river's mouth on the Snake River . About midway along its course, it is joined by its two main tributaries – the East Fork South Fork Salmon River from the east and the Secesh River from

208-410: A difficult start as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise , disenfranchisement of Mormon polygamists upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1890, and a federal attempt to split the territory between Washington Territory, which gained statehood in 1889, a year before Idaho, and the state of Nevada which had been a state since 1864. Idaho

312-442: A maximum of 346,500 acres (1,402 km ) in 2007 and a minimum of 152 acres (0.62 km ) in 2008. For example, in 2012 there were 26 fires started by people and 109 started by lightning, which together burned a total of 152,000 acres (620 km ). The Trinity Ridge Fire alone burned 146,800 acres (594 km ) over two months, although it was not confined to Boise National Forest lands. The revised 2010 forest plan recognized

416-476: A sensitive species in the forest. The few amphibians present in the forest include the Rocky Mountain tailed frog , long-toed salamander , and Columbia spotted frog , which has been listed as a sensitive species. Common snakes include bullsnakes , garter snakes , and rubber boas . Boise National Forest's 2010 forest plan recognizes that fire and other disturbances play important roles in maintaining

520-576: A separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory . The state was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state . Forming part of the Pacific Northwest (and the associated Cascadia bioregion ), Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions. The state's north,

624-482: A shift to higher shrub and tree densities. An estimated 14 percent of the land in Boise National Forest has been affected by fires since the early 1990s, and about 10 percent of the land capable of timber production was burned so severely that land cover shifted from forest to grass and shrubland (as of 2010). Between 2004 and 2013 an average of 74,325 acres (300.78 km ) were burned by fires per year with

728-747: Is Borah Peak , 12,662 ft (3,859 m), in the Lost River Range north of Mackay . Idaho's lowest point, 710 ft (216 m), is in Lewiston , where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River and continues into Washington. The Sawtooth Range is often considered Idaho's most famous mountain range. Other mountain ranges in Idaho include the Bitterroot Range , the White Cloud Mountains ,

832-446: Is a plant species endemic to central Idaho, including parts of Boise National Forest, being found nowhere else in the world. Only about two dozen populations of the plant are known to exist, and three-quarters of these are in Boise National Forest. It is usually found at elevations ranging from 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to 9,500 feet (2,900 m) above sea level and produces white flowers shortly after snowmelt. Boise National Forest

936-523: Is bull trout because they are sensitive to habitat changes and depend on specific habitat conditions. Sockeye salmon are native to the Salmon River watershed in the northern part of the forest, but dam construction on the Columbia and Snake rivers has hampered the migration of this anadromous fish and caused its population to collapse. Warm Lake supports the forest's only native population of Kokanee salmon,

1040-640: Is directed by the U.S. Forest Service to "control the establishment, spread, or invasion of non-indigenous plant species in otherwise healthy native vegetative ecosystems." The forest's plan addresses the need to control invasive plants , and management efforts include chemical, mechanical, and biological control methods . Invasive plants that are of particular concern in Boise National Forest include spotted knapweed , yellow star-thistle , rush skeletonweed , and leafy spurge , among others. The warmest, driest forested areas occur on south-facing slopes from 3,000 feet (910 m) to 6,500 feet (2,000 m). Due to

1144-482: Is forest, which according to the Forest Service is considered land capable of supporting trees on at least 50 percent of its area. The forests are primarily coniferous evergreens , dominated by Douglas fir and ponderosa and lodgepole pines at lower elevations and Engelmann spruce , subalpine fir , and whitebark pine at higher elevations. Grand fir and western larch (a coniferous deciduous tree) grow in

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1248-534: Is generally open from April through November. The forest's Trinity Mountain Recreation Area includes the highest drivable (4-wheel drive recommended) road in Idaho, which ascends to the Trinity Mountain Lookout at an elevation of over 9,400 feet (2,900 m). In 2013 revenues from recreation and special use fees amounted to $ 454,635, while expenses totaled US$ 352,550 ; the difference is allocated to

1352-453: Is least prominent in the state's eastern part where the precipitation patterns are often reversed, with wetter summers and drier winters, and seasonal temperature differences are more extreme, showing a more semi-arid continental climate . Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over 98 °F (37 °C) are rare, except for the lowest point in elevation, Lewiston , which correspondingly sees little snow. Hot summer days are tempered by

1456-466: Is managed by a district ranger, while forest headquarters are located in the city of Boise . Congress proclaimed 2,648,273 acres (10,717.18 km ) of Idaho part of Boise National Forest, but the forest manages only 2,203,703 acres (8,918.07 km ). The proclaimed boundary is set and can only be changed by Congress whereas the administered boundary can be shifted among adjacent national forests without congressional approval. For management (and from

1560-702: Is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as five units: the Cascade , Emmett , Idaho City , Lowman , and Mountain Home ranger districts. The Idaho Batholith underlies most of Boise National Forest, forming the forest's Boise , Salmon River , and West mountain ranges; the forest reaches a maximum elevation of 9,730 feet (2,970 m) on Steel Mountain . Common land cover includes sagebrush steppe and spruce-fir forests ; there are 9,600 miles (15,400 km) of streams and rivers and 15,400 acres (62 km ) of lakes and reservoirs. Boise National Forest contains 75 percent of

1664-487: Is now Boise National Forest was sparsely inhabited by Native Americans, and several archaeological sites, including campsites, rock shelters, burial grounds, and pictographs have been found along rivers in the area. Trappers and fur traders of European descent first arrived in the area in the early 1800s, starting with John Jacob Astor 's Pacific Fur Company in October 1811. Donald Mackenzie and Francois Payette trapped in

1768-542: Is of European descent. Most of Idaho's white residents trace their ancestry to the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, or Poland. There are also small numbers of Native Americans, Asians, and African Americans in the state. In 2018, the top countries of origin for Idaho's immigrants were Mexico , Canada , the Philippines , China and Germany . There are five federally recognized Native American tribes in

1872-434: Is predominant. Lodgepole pine and quaking aspen may be found alongside Douglas fir in cooler areas, both moist and dry, but particularly where frost pockets form. Understories in this forest type are dominated by mountain maple , mountain ash , and blue huckleberry in moister areas and white spirea, common snowberry, elk sedge, and pinegrass in drier areas. Between 3,400 feet (1,000 m) and 6,500 feet (2,000 m) in

1976-634: Is signed as the Banks-Lowman Road. The Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway is a 130-mile (210 km) road between Stanley and Boise following Idaho State Highway 21 . This route passes over Arrowrock Reservoir and through Idaho City and Lowman, where it connects with the Wildlife Canyon Byway. North and east of Lowman the byway partially follows the South Fork of the Payette River before ascending to

2080-509: Is stocked with coho salmon and steelhead, the anadromous form of rainbow trout. Over 270 bird species have been observed in central Idaho, including 36 accidental species – those that are not normally found in the region but have been observed on at least one occasion. Golden eagles and greater sage-grouse can be found over sagebrush steppe, whereas bald eagles can be seen along rivers. The Forest Service has listed northern goshawks , flammulated owls , and white-headed woodpeckers as

2184-744: Is the Snake River, a major tributary of the Columbia River. The Snake River flows from Yellowstone in northwestern Wyoming through the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho before turning north, leaving the state at Lewiston before joining the Columbia in Kennewick . Other major rivers are the Clark Fork / Pend Oreille River , the Spokane River , and, many major tributaries of the Snake River, including

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2288-400: Is the country's largest Department of Energy facility. Idaho's agricultural sector supplies many products, but the state is best known for its potato crop , which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield. The official state nickname is the "Gem State". The name's origin remains a mystery. In the early 1860s, when the U.S. Congress was considering organizing a new territory in

2392-597: Is the state's predominant language. Minority languages include Spanish and various Native American languages . Idaho's gross state product was $ 118.8 billion in 2023 and the state's per capita income that year was estimated to be $ 59,035. As of 2016, the state's total employment was 562,282, and the total employer establishments were 45,826. Important industries in Idaho are food processing, lumber and wood products, machinery, chemical products, paper products, electronics manufacturing, silver and other mining, and tourism. The world's largest factory for barrel cheese,

2496-707: Is to the north of Boise National Forest. In 1933 the Boise Basin Experimental Forest was created on 8,740 acres (35.4 km ) of the forest near Idaho City to study the management of ponderosa pine . The Lucky Peak Nursery was established in 1959 to produce trees for planting on burned or logged lands on the national forests of the Intermountain region . After the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933, nine camps and eight subcamps were set up in Boise National Forest, but

2600-822: Is within the Idaho Batholith ecoregion , which is a level III ecoregion in the larger level I Northwestern Forested Mountains . In addition to species listed or proposed for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act , the Forest Service maintains an independent listing of sensitive species for which it is directed to "develop and implement management practices to ensure that species do not become threatened or endangered because of Forest Service actions." As of February 2013 there were 27 species in Boise National Forest listed as sensitive species: 6 mammals, 1 amphibian, 1 fish, 13 birds, and 6 plants. An estimated 76 percent of Boise National Forest

2704-843: The Clearwater River , the Salmon River , the Boise River , and the Payette River . The Salmon River empties into the Snake in Hells Canyon and forms the southern boundary of Nez Perce County on its north shore, of which Lewiston is the county seat. The Port of Lewiston , at the confluence of the Clearwater and the Snake Rivers is the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast at 465  river miles from

2808-523: The Garden Valley system in the Emmett Ranger District and several Mongolian-style yurts available for rental in winter. Boise National Forest is home to three of Idaho's scenic byways, all of which are paved highways accessible to roadworthy vehicles. The Payette River Scenic Byway is an 80-mile (130 km) route between Eagle and McCall on Idaho State Highway 55 . The route follows

2912-614: The Lost River Range , the Clearwater Mountains , and the Salmon River Mountains . Salmon-Challis National Forest is located in the east central sections of the state, with Salmon National Forest to the north and Challis National Forest to the south. The forest is in an area known as the Idaho Cobalt Belt, which consists of a 34 miles (55 km) long geological formation of sedimentary rock that contains some of

3016-886: The Oregon Trail , and many settlers chose to settle the area rather than risking the treacherous route through the Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range to the west. The western region of the plain is known as the Treasure Valley , bound between the Owyhee Mountains to the southwest and the Boise Mountains to the northeast. The central region of the Snake River Plain is known as the Magic Valley . Idaho's highest point

3120-470: The Rocky Mountains , the name "Idaho" was suggested by George M. Willing , a politician posing as an unrecognized delegate from the unofficial Jefferson Territory . Willing claimed that the name was derived from a Shoshone term meaning "the sun comes from the mountains" or "gem of the mountains", but it was revealed later that there was no such term and Willing claimed that he had been inspired to coin

3224-472: The Rocky Mountains . The United States Forest Service holds about 38% of Idaho's land, the highest proportion of any state. Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism. Several science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there, and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory , which

South Fork Salmon River - Misplaced Pages Continue

3328-507: The Snake River , which itself is a tributary of the Columbia River in the Pacific basin . Daily high temperatures range from 9 to 29 °F (−13 to −2 °C) in winter to 80 to 90 °F (27 to 32 °C) in summer, while lower elevations can experience conditions over 100 °F (38 °C). Idaho's mountain ranges can block Arctic air in the winter, but when cold air masses do enter

3432-581: The seventh-least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states . For thousands of years, and prior to European colonization, Idaho had been inhabited by native peoples . In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country , an area which was disputed between the U.S. and the British Empire . Idaho officially became a U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846 , but

3536-430: The 1990s but have not progressed. Of the 28 fish species present in the forest, 11 are not native and have been introduced by humans. Rainbow trout , chinook salmon , westslope cutthroat trout , bull trout , and mountain whitefish are all native to some of the forest's waterways, while brook trout are a common invasive species that compete with the forest's salmonids . The forest's management indicator species

3640-605: The 7,037-foot (2,145 m) Banner Creek Summit at the forest's boundary with Salmon-Challis National Forest. Idaho Idaho ( / ˈ aɪ d ə h oʊ / EYE -də-hoh ) is a landlocked state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West subregions of the Western United States . It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to

3744-614: The Association of Religion Data Archives revealed Mormons remained the largest with 462,069, followed by Catholics (203,790), and non-denominational Protestantism (98,996). In 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute's American Values Survey estimated altogether, 72% of the population was Christian, 26% were religiously unaffiliated, and 3% were New Agers. Of its Christian population, 37% were Protestant, 24% Mormon, 9% Catholic, and 2% Jehovah's Witnesses . English

3848-773: The Boise City-Nampa, ID Metropolitan Statistical Area) is Idaho's largest. Other metropolitan areas, in order of size, are Coeur d'Alene , Idaho Falls , Pocatello and Lewiston . According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 1,998 homeless people in Idaho. According to the 2017 American Community Survey , 12.2% of Idaho's population was of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race: Mexican (10.6%), Puerto Rican (0.2%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.3%). The five largest ancestry groups were: German (17.5%), English (16.4%), Irish (9.3%), American (8.1%), and Scottish (3.2%). The majority of Idaho's population

3952-613: The Middle Fork of the Salmon River and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Motorized boating is permitted on Anderson Ranch Reservoir , Deadwood Reservoir , and Warm Lake . During winter, visitors to the forest can participate in activities including snowmobiling , snowshoeing , and downhill and cross-country skiing . The Bogus Basin ski area is located within the forest north of Boise and has 7 chairlifts and 53 runs on 2,600 acres (11 km ) of skiable terrain. There are 137 miles (220 km) of groomed snowmobile trails in

4056-684: The North Fork Range are subranges of the Salmon River Mountains within Boise National Forest. The Boise Mountains cover much of the southern portion of the forest and contain the forest's highest point, Steel Mountain, but the range's highest point, Two Point Mountain , lies outside of the forest's boundary. The Trinity Mountains are a subrange in southeastern part of the Boise Mountains that reach their peak at 9,451 feet (2,881 m) on Trinity Mountain . The westernmost portion of

4160-525: The North West Company in 1813, after which the post was abandoned. The first organized non-indigenous communities within the present borders of Idaho were established by Mormon pioneers in 1860. The first permanent, substantial incorporated community was Lewiston, in 1861. Early in its history, Idaho saw a large influx of Chinese immigrants , who by 1870 made up about 28.5% of the territory's population. Idaho achieved statehood in 1890, following

4264-563: The Pacific at Astoria, Oregon . The vast majority of Idaho's population lives in the Snake River Plain, a valley running from across the entirety of southern Idaho from east to west. The valley contains the major cities of Boise , Meridian , Nampa , Caldwell , Twin Falls , Idaho Falls , and Pocatello . The plain served as an easy pass through the Rocky Mountains for westward-bound settlers on

South Fork Salmon River - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-401: The Payette River between McCall and Horseshoe Bend , but the majority of the highway does not pass through Boise National Forest; only a small portion north of Horseshoe Bend is in the Emmett Ranger District. Over half of the 35-mile (56 km) Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway, which travels between highway 55 and Lowman, passes through the forest, parallels the South Fork of the Payette River, and

4472-608: The Stibnite area became the country's largest producer of tungsten and second largest source of mercury. The most important known placer deposit of niobium and tantalum in the United States is located in Bear Valley. From 1953 until 1959, dredges there produced $ 12.5 million ($ 131 million today ) in niobium, tantalum, and uranium . Other minerals mined in the forest include antimony and molybdenum . Boise National Forest

4576-843: The Trinity Mountains, Warm Lake, and Deadwood and Sage Hen reservoirs. As in most national forests, the majority of the land in Boise National Forest is open to dispersed camping (outside of developed campgrounds). One of the forest's fire lookouts, Deadwood Lookout, is now available as a cabin for the public to rent, among other sites. Bicycles are allowed on forest roads and on more than 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of multiple-use trails, whereas over 1,200 miles (1,900 km) of trails are open to motorized recreation. The Danskin Mountains Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System contains 150 miles (240 km) of motorcycle and ATV trails on 60,000 acres (24,000 ha) of land that

4680-589: The Trinity and West mountains. Annual water yield on the forest is estimated at 4.1 million acre-feet (5.1  billion cubic meters ). The southern portion of the forest is drained by the Boise River, the central and western portions by the Payette River , northeastern portion by the Salmon River , and far western portions of the Emmett Ranger District by the Weiser River . All four rivers are tributaries of

4784-631: The aquatic habitat in the South Fork drainage is considered good, some tributaries have been damaged by logging, mining, and road-building activities, which has increased the sediment load in the river. About 340 miles (550 km) of backcountry roads in the drainage have been decommissioned and are undergoing restoration by the U.S. Forest Service . Plant communities in the South Fork drainage range from grassland and shrubland, Ponderosa pine , Douglas fir and Grand fir forests at lower elevations, to subalpine fir , lodgepole pine , whitebark pine and aspen at mid to high elevations. Among large mammals,

4888-566: The area of Boise National Forest in 1819. By 1840, the fur trade was coming to an end, but the westward migration on the Oregon Trail , which passed south of the forest, was beginning. The first settlers moved into the mountains in the 1860s after gold was discovered in Idaho, which forced many of the Shoshone out and led to conflicts throughout the state, including the Bannock War in southern Idaho. Prospectors George Grimes and Moses Splawn were

4992-584: The area that became the U.S. state. Humans may have been present in the Idaho area as long as 14,500 years ago. Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America. American Indian peoples predominant in the area included the Nez Percé in the north and the Northern and Western Shoshone in

5096-522: The area, they sometimes stagnate in the Snake and Salmon river valleys, causing very cold temperatures to persist. Summer and fall are generally dry, while intense short-duration thunderstorms can occur in late spring and early summer as atmospheric moisture interacts with warm temperatures and steep topography via orographic lifting . During winter, warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean often brings rain at lower elevations in addition to snowfall throughout

5200-461: The areas that are south of the ice sheet. An early presence of French-Canadian trappers is visible in names and toponyms : Nez Percé, Cœur d'Alène, Boisé, Payette . Some of these names appeared prior to the Lewis and Clark and Astorian expeditions, which included significant numbers of French and Métis guides recruited for their familiarity with the terrain. Idaho, as part of the Oregon Country ,

5304-703: The authority of the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1849. With the passage of the Transfer Act of 1905 , forest reserves were transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the newly created U.S. Forest Service . Present-day Boise National Forest was first protected as part of two forest reserves by proclamations issued by President Theodore Roosevelt : Sawtooth Forest Reserve (created on May 29, 1905, and expanded on November 6, 1906) and Payette Forest Reserve (created on June 3, 1905). After forest reserves were renamed national forests in 1908, Boise National Forest

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5408-465: The character and function of ecosystems . However, previous management strategies (as recently as the 1990 forest plan) treated fire as an undesirable process, and the Organic Act of 1897 explicitly stated that forests were to be protected from destruction by fire. In historic conditions fires naturally occurred on the landscape; the suppression of fires allowed dead trees to accumulate in excess of historic levels and land cover types to change, such as

5512-419: The continental United States. Idaho is a Rocky Mountain state with abundant natural resources and scenic areas. The state has snow-capped mountain ranges, rapids, vast lakes and steep canyons. The waters of the Snake River run through Hells Canyon , the deepest gorge in the United States. Shoshone Falls falls down cliffs from a height greater than Niagara Falls . By far, the most important river in Idaho

5616-440: The creation of the Idaho Territory in 1863, parts of present-day Idaho were included in the Oregon , Washington , and Dakota Territories. The new Idaho territory included present-day Idaho, Montana , and most of Wyoming . The Lewis and Clark expedition crossed Idaho in 1805 on the way to the Pacific, and in 1806, on the return trip, largely following the Clearwater River in both directions. The first non-indigenous settlement

5720-427: The end of the last ice age : bone fragments about 10,000 years old have been found in Wilson Butte Cave , an inflationary cave on the Snake River Plain believed to have been occupied by indigenous people until as recently as the 17th century. A change of climate around 7000 years ago dried up much of the Great Basin , forcing the Shoshone people northward into the mountainous areas of central Idaho. Most of what

5824-439: The first people might not have come to North America by land, as previously theorized. On the contrary, they probably came through the water, using a Pacific coastal route. The most parsimonious explanation we think is that people came down the Pacific Coast, and as they encountered the mouth of the Columbia River, they essentially found an off-ramp from this coastal migration and also found their first viable interior route to

5928-448: The first to discover gold in the forest at the eponymous Grimes Creek on August 2, 1862. Subsequent gold discoveries at Rocky Bar in 1863 and Atlanta in 1864 increased the rush of people to Idaho, and in 1863 Idaho City, with a population of 6,267, surpassed Portland, Oregon as the largest city in the Pacific Northwest . The Idaho gold rush was largely over by 1870, and the population of the Boise Basin fell from 16,000 to 3,500. In 1898

6032-399: The following season's startup costs. Rivers in Boise National Forest offer the opportunity for rafting and kayaking through rapids up to class four , with the most difficult sections on the South Fork and main stems of the Payette River. Numerous developed boat launch sites provide access to rivers for whitewater enthusiasts, and Dagger Falls is the primary launching site for visitors to

6136-420: The forest is underlain by the Idaho Batholith , and the forest is dominated by granitic rock, but intrusions of basalt can be found to the west and other volcanic rocks to the south. North of the South Fork Payette River and east of the North Fork Payette River, the forest is part of the Salmon River Mountains, which extend north and east outside the forest's boundaries. The South Fork Salmon River Range and

6240-421: The forest south and west of Lake Cascade are part of the West Mountains, which reach their highest point at 8,320 feet (2,540 m) on Snowbank Mountain . The Danskin Mountains are a smaller range on the forest's southern border that run northwest to southeast. There are an estimated 9,600 miles (15,400 km) of perennial and intermittent streams and 15,400 acres (62 km ) of lakes and reservoirs in

6344-496: The forest until the mid-twentieth century. Recreation facilities include over 70 campgrounds, whitewater and flatwater boating, cabin rentals, and 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and motorized off-road vehicle use. The Forest Service has an objective to maintain timber, range, water, recreation, and wildlife for multiple use and sustained yield of its resources. Archaeological evidence indicates that human habitation in Idaho began towards

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6448-426: The forest's first gold dredge was built in Placerville and followed by several others. By 1951, when the last dredges shut down, at least 2.3 million ounces (65.2 million grams) of gold had been produced from the Boise Basin area. Silver was mined along the Crooked River from 1882 until 1921, but a silver mine at Silver Mountain proved unsuccessful. Following a shortage of mercury during World War II , mines in

6552-402: The forest. The Forest Service provides access to and recreation opportunities at the seven reservoirs it borders, although it does not own or manage them. There are numerous natural lakes in the forest, most of which are tarns created by alpine glaciers during the Pleistocene . The largest, Warm Lake , is 26 miles (42 km) east of Cascade in Valley County; many of the smaller lakes are in

6656-424: The forest. The influence of these Pacific maritime air masses increases as latitude increases in the forest. Average annual snowfall ranges from 55 inches (140 cm) in drier areas and at lower elevations to 70 inches (180 cm) in wetter locations and higher elevations. The growing season within the forest ranges from over 150 days in lower elevations to less than 30 days in alpine areas. Boise National Forest

6760-498: The gold rush faded, some miners stayed on as homesteaders and ranchers. The drainage was heavily logged from the 1940s to the mid-1960s, when an estimated 320 million board feet of timber was taken from the basin. More than 800 miles (1,300 km) of logging roads were constructed across the drainage. The South Fork is an important habitat for Chinook salmon , Westslope cutthroat trout , bull trout and steelhead trout and has been designated critical habitat for salmon. Although

6864-1425: The highest elevations, forests consist of subalpine fir alongside whitebark pine and Engelmann spruce. Grasses and forbs tolerant to freezing throughout the growing season occupy the understory. Sagebrush typically dominates drier, non-forested areas at lower elevations. Species that commonly occur with sagebrush include Sandberg bluegrass , wild onion , milk vetches , bluebunch wheatgrass, bitterbrush, gray horsebrush , green rabbitbrush , and others. In riparian areas below 5,500 feet (1,700 m), trees such as black cottonwood , narrowleaf cottonwood , thinleaf alder , water birch , and mountain maple grow with shrubs including chokeberry and willows . Riparian areas in largely treeless habitats such as sagebrush steppe primarily consist of willows along with thinleaf alder, chokecherry, mountain maple, shrubby cinquefoil , fireweed , saxifrage , and grasses. Habitats in Boise National Forest support nearly 300 terrestrial vertebrate species and 28 fish species. The most common large animals are mule deer and elk , but other mammals present include moose , black bears , cougar , coyote , yellow-bellied marmot , beaver , porcupine , Canadian lynx , mountain goat , pika , river otter , muskrat , pronghorn , mink , bobcat , marten , and timber wolves . Timber wolves are top predators that were reintroduced amidst controversy to central Idaho in

6968-402: The known populations of Sacajawea's bitterroot , a flowering plant endemic to Idaho. The Shoshone people occupied the forest before European settlers arrived in the early 19th century. Many of the early settlers were trappers and prospectors before gold was discovered in 1862. After the 1860s Boise Basin gold rush ended, mining of tungsten , silver, antimony , and gold continued in

7072-402: The largest cobalt deposits in the U.S. Idaho has two time zones , with the dividing line approximately midway between Canada and Nevada . Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area , Idaho Falls , Pocatello , and Twin Falls , are in the Mountain Time Zone . A legislative error ( 15 U.S.C. ch. 6 §264) theoretically placed this region in the Central Time Zone , but this

7176-493: The largest single economic center (over 25% of the state's total revenue) within the state and are greater than agriculture, forestry and mining combined. During the COVID-19 pandemic , Idaho enacted statewide crisis standards of care as COVID-19 patients overwhelmed hospitals. The state had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country as of mid-October 2021. Idaho shares a border with six U.S. states and one Canadian province. The states of Washington and Oregon are to

7280-435: The last census of 58,884 (111,131 births minus 52,247 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75,795 people into the state. There are large numbers of Americans of English and German ancestry in Idaho. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 14,522 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 61,273 people. According to the American Immigration Council, in 2018,

7384-433: The low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months since, for most of the state, the highest diurnal difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual. Idaho's all-time highest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Orofino on July 28, 1934; the all-time lowest temperature of −60 °F (−51 °C)

7488-490: The mid-1990s to restore ecosystem stability. The wolves have since expanded their range and established packs in most of Boise National Forest. Wolves and mountain lions are the forest's top large mammal predators and have no predators of their own except humans. Most of the forest's native mammal species are present in the forest, with the exception of grizzly bears , which have become locally extinct , and plans for their reintroduction to central Idaho have been proposed since

7592-824: The moist northern parts of the forest, grand fir is predominant and western larch is one of the first trees to become established during ecological succession following disturbances, whereas understories consist of mountain maple, mountain ash, blue huckleberry, and mallow ninebark. Subalpine fir dominates from 4,800 feet (1,500 m) to 7,500 feet (2,300 m) along with mountain maple, serviceberry , Scouler's willow , Sitka alder , menziesia , Utah honeysuckle , and mountain ash. Lodgepole pine dominates in cold, dry areas from 5,200 feet (1,600 m) to 9,200 feet (2,800 m). The understory in lodgepole pine forests can be sparse but includes grasses, forbs, huckleberries, and grouse whortleberry , although fires in these forests are typically lethal to trees and understories alike. At

7696-567: The mouth of the South Fork on the main stem Salmon. Because of their relatively pristine condition, the South Fork and its tributary, the Secesh are being considered for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system. Boise National Forest Boise National Forest is a National Forest covering 2,203,703 acres (8,918.07 km ) of the U.S. state of Idaho . Created on July 1, 1908, from part of Sawtooth National Forest , it

7800-472: The name when he met a little girl named Ida . Since the name appeared to be fabricated, the U.S. Congress ultimately decided to name the area Colorado Territory instead when it was created in February 1861, but by the time this decision was made, the town of Idaho Springs, Colorado had already been named after Willing's proposal. The same year Congress created Colorado Territory, a county called Idaho County

7904-606: The need to develop plans to manage wildfires at the wildland–urban interface , use prescribed fire as a tool to manage ecosystem health, and meet air quality requirements set by the Clean Air Act . The forest operates a fire management plan under federal fire policy that gives fire personnel direction for responding to unintended ignitions. Occasionally, area closures and restrictions on use, such as prohibition of campfires, are implemented to aid in wildfire prevention. Following severe fires, area closures may be put in place to protect

8008-489: The northern part of the forest where there are moister conditions. Quaking aspen , a broadleaf deciduous tree, grows both in stands among conifers and in monotypic stands throughout the forest at elevations above 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Non-forested areas occupy 23 percent of the forest, primarily on south-facing slopes, lower elevations in the forest's southern latitudes, or high-elevation areas and are dominated by grasses , forbs , or shrubs . Sacajawea's bitterroot

8112-815: The number of camps was reduced from 1934 until the program was closed in 1942. Work conducted by the CCC included fire suppression, fish habitat improvement, and construction of guard houses, fire lookouts, campgrounds, roads, and trails, among other facilities. Boise National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the Department of Agriculture, as five units called ranger districts. The ranger districts are Cascade (400,000 acres or 1,600 square kilometers), Emmett (350,000 acres or 1,400 square kilometers), Idaho City (400,000 acres), Lowman (400,000 acres), and Mountain Home (650,000 acres or 2,600 square kilometers); each has an office in their respective cities and

8216-445: The occurrence of frequent non-lethal fires, ponderosa pine dominates these forests alongside Douglas fir. The understory consists of bluebunch wheatgrass , Idaho fescue , mountain snowberry , and bitterbrush in drier areas and elk sedge , pinegrass , white spirea , mallow ninebark , and common snowberry at higher elevations. In cool, moist areas ranging from 4,800 feet (1,500 m) to 6,800 feet (2,100 m), Douglas fir

8320-549: The public from risks such as falling trees and landslides. Proactive fire management strategies include prescribed burns and mechanical reduction of fuel levels. For instance, in 2014 Boise National Forest planned to conduct 7,919 acres (32.05 km ) of prescribed burns and 155 acres (0.63 km ) of mechanical treatment. The forest seasonally maintains staff at seven fire lookout towers , while six others remain unstaffed. There are over 70 campgrounds in Boise National Forest and groups of more developed recreation facilities at

8424-624: The raw product for processed cheese , is in Gooding, Idaho . It has a capacity of 120,000 metric tons per year of barrel cheese and belongs to the Glanbia group. Hewlett-Packard has operated a large plant in Boise since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to LaserJet printers production. Idaho has a state gambling lottery , which contributed $ 333.5 million in payments to all Idaho public schools and Idaho higher education from 1990 to 2006. Tax

8528-585: The relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle , is closely linked with Eastern Washington , with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone —the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone . The state's south includes the Snake River Plain (which has most of the population and agricultural land), and the southeast incorporates part of the Great Basin . Idaho is quite mountainous and contains several stretches of

8632-501: The resident (non-migratory) form of sockeye salmon. However, due to introductions by humans, Anderson Ranch, Arrowrock, Lucky Peak, and Deadwood reservoirs now support populations of Kokanee salmon. To provide additional recreational fishing opportunities, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game stocks several of the forest's waterways with rainbow trout, while reservoirs are also stocked with Kokanee or chinook salmon and Lake Cascade

8736-577: The self-identified religious affiliations of Idahoans over the age of 18 in 2008 and 2014 were: According to the Association of Religion Data Archives , the largest denominations by number of members in 2010 were The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 409,265; the Catholic Church with 123,400; the non-denominational Protestants with 62,637; and the Assemblies of God with 22,183. In 2020,

8840-591: The south. A Late Upper Paleolithic site was identified at Cooper's Ferry in western Idaho near the town of Cottonwood by archaeologists in 2019. Based on evidence found at the site, first people lived in this area 15,300 to 16,600 years ago, predating the Beringia land bridge by about a thousand years. The discoverers emphasized that they possess similarities with tools and artifacts discovered in Japan that date from 16,000 to 13,000 years ago. The discovery also showed that

8944-779: The state. These tribes include the Shoshone-Bannock, the Shoshone-Paiute, the Coeur d’Alene, the Kootenai and the Nez Perce. Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey According to the Pew Research Center on Religion & Public Life,

9048-455: The top countries of origin for Idaho's immigrants were Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, China and Germany. Idaho's population increased by 17.3% from 2010 to 2020, the second fastest rate of growth of any state that decade. Nampa, about 20 miles (30 km) west of downtown Boise, became the state's second largest city in the late 1990s, passing Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Nampa's population

9152-538: The visitor's perspective) the forest's boundaries are its administered area. Elevations in the forest range from 2,800 feet (850 m) in the North Fork Payette River Canyon to 9,730 feet (2,970 m) at the top of Steel Mountain , a gain of 6,930 feet (2,110 m). The forest contains several subranges of the Rocky Mountains , including the Boise , Salmon River , and West mountain ranges. Much of

9256-444: The watershed is home to Rocky Mountain elk , white-tailed deer , mule deer , black bear , cougar , mountain goat , bighorn sheep and gray wolf . The area has over 200 confirmed species of resident and migratory birds. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) operated a stream gage at the mouth of the South Fork between 1993 and 2003, recording an annual mean of 1,983 cu ft/s (56.2 m/s). The highest annual mean

9360-564: The west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The landscape is rugged, with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the United States. For example, at 2.3 million acres (930,000 ha), the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is the largest contiguous area of protected wilderness in

9464-515: The west. The river receives runoff from a total of 1,309 square miles (3,390 km) of land, ranging in elevation from 9,322 feet (2,841 m) at North Loon Mountain to 2,146 feet (654 m) at the mouth of the river. The Native Americans living along the river were the Nez Perce , Shoshone , Bannock and Paiute . The river and its valley were used largely for fishing, hunting, and gathering, while local hot springs provided camping sites during

9568-467: The west; the state shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border to the north with the Canadian province of British Columbia . Idaho's state capital and largest city is Boise . With an area of 83,569 square miles (216,440 km ), Idaho is the 14th-largest state by land area. The state has a population of approximately 2.0 million people, it ranks as the 13th-least populous and

9672-589: The winter when cloud cover, humidity , and precipitation are at their maximum extent. This influence has a moderating effect in the winter where temperatures are not as low as would otherwise be expected for a northern state with predominantly high elevations. In the panhandle, moist air masses from the coast are released as precipitation over the North Central Rockies forests , creating the North American inland temperate rainforest . The maritime influence

9776-477: The winter. The first recorded Europeans to see the South Fork may have been a group of mountain men working under the American Fur Company in 1831. They crossed the upper part of the river while reconnoitering the western part of the Salmon River system for good beaver streams. In the 1860s, prospectors discovered gold on the South Fork, leading to the initial settlement of the drainage by Westerners. After

9880-597: Was Kullyspell House , established on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille in 1809 by David Thompson of the North West Company for fur trading. In 1812 Donald Mackenzie , working for the Pacific Fur Company at the time, established a post on the lower Clearwater River near present-day Lewiston. This post, known as "MacKenzie's Post" or "Clearwater", operated until the Pacific Fur Company was bought out by

9984-499: Was 3,125 cu ft/s (88.5 m/s) in 1997, and the lowest was 869.9 cu ft/s (24.63 m/s) in 2001. Mean monthly discharge rates for the South Fork are displayed in the below graph. Monthly discharges at Mackay Bar (cfs) Although not as frequently run as the Middle Fork, the South Fork is also well known for challenging whitewater. Boaters frequently put in at the Secesh River, about 37 miles (60 km) above

10088-544: Was claimed by both the United States and Great Britain until the United States gained undisputed jurisdiction in 1846. From 1843 to 1859, present-day Idaho was under the de facto jurisdiction of the Provisional Government of Oregon . When Oregon became a state in 1859, what is now Idaho was situated in what remained of the original Oregon Territory, designated as the Washington Territory. Between 1849 and

10192-437: Was corrected with a 2007 amendment. Areas north of the Salmon River , including Coeur d'Alene , Moscow , Lewiston , and Sandpoint , are in the Pacific Time Zone , which contains less than a quarter of the state's population and land area. Idaho's climate varies widely. Although the state's western border is about 330 miles (530 km) from the Pacific Ocean, the maritime influence is still felt in Idaho; especially, in

10296-412: Was created in eastern Washington Territory . The county was named after a steamship named Idaho , which was launched on the Columbia River in 1860. It is unclear whether the steamship was named before or after Willing's claim was revealed. Regardless, part of Washington Territory, including Idaho County, was used to create Idaho Territory in 1863. Idaho Territory would later change its boundaries to

10400-605: Was created on July 1, 1908, from part of Sawtooth National Forest , and originally covered 1,147,360 acres (4,643.2 km ). By the Forest Reserve Act of 1891 , the U.S. Congress granted the U.S. President the authority to establish forest reserves out of Public Domain Lands that were subject to disposal (homesteads, sales, etc.) administered by the United States General Land Office , which had been placed under

10504-530: Was one of the hardest hit of the Pacific Northwest states during the Great Depression . Prices plummeted for Idaho's major crops: in 1932 a bushel of potatoes brought only ten cents compared to 1919 for $ 1.51, while Idaho farmers saw their annual income of $ 686 in 1929 drop to $ 250 by 1932. In recent years, Idaho has expanded its commercial base as a tourism and agricultural state to include science and technology industries. Science and technology have become

10608-413: Was recorded at Island Park Dam on January 18, 1943. As of 2018: The United States Census Bureau determined Idaho's population was 1,900,923 on July 1, 2021, a 21% increase since the 2010 U.S. census . Idaho had an estimated population of 1,754,208 in 2018, which was an increase of 37,265, from the prior year and an increase of 186,626, or 11.91%, since 2010. This included a natural increase since

10712-406: Was split from Sawtooth National Forest into an independent national forest. Emile Grandjean was the forest's first supervisor, serving from 1908 to 1922. On April 1, 1944, the entirety of what was then Payette National Forest was transferred to Boise National Forest, and simultaneously Weiser and Idaho national forests were combined to reestablish the present-day Payette National Forest , which

10816-539: Was under 29,000 in 1990 and grew to over 81,000 by 2010. Located between Nampa and Boise, Meridian also experienced high growth, from fewer than 10,000 residents in 1990 to more than 75,000 in 2010 and is now Idaho's third largest city. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in Caldwell , Coeur d'Alene , Post Falls , and Twin Falls. From 1990 to 2010, Idaho's population increased by over 560,000 (55%). The Boise metropolitan area (officially known as

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