Sawtooth

Sawtooth NF https://www.fs.usda.gov/sawtooth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawtooth_National_Forest Sawtooth National Forest is located mostly in Idaho (96%) and Utah (4%). It is divided in 4 ranger districts: Sawtooth NRA, Fairfield, Ketchum, and Minidoka. The forest land covers sagebrush steppe, spruce-fir forests, alpine tundra, and over 1,100 lakes and 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of rivers and streams. Plants and animals found only in the Sawtooth National Forest and adjacent lands include Christ's Indian paintbrush, Davis' springparsley, the South Hills crossbill, and the Wood River sculpin. The area that is now Sawtooth National Forest was first occupied by people as early as 8000 BC and by the Shoshone tribe after 1700 AD.

S VISITOR GUIDE awtooth National Forest ulton (© Mark Mo Includes the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Lupine and Pionee r Moutains T What’s Inside he Sawtooth National Forest is a place of inspiring beauty and contrasting landscapes. National forest lands stretch from the “basin and range” of northern Utah to the lofty peaks of the Idaho Rockies and the headwaters of the legendary “River of No Return.” This diversity is coupled with a contrast in seasons creating winter wonders and spectacular summers. Fast Forest Facts Elevation Range: 4,514’–12,009’ Acres: 2.1 million Alpine ski areas: 4 (27 lifts/138 runs) Unique features: • Largest whitebark pine in North America • Only population on the planet of Christ’s Indian Paintbrush • Clearest air (Sawtooth Wilderness) and longest salmon migration in the continental U.S. Get to Know Us .................. 2 Special Places ................... 3 Sawtooth NRA ................... 4 Watchable Wildlife ............ 6 Scenic Byways ................... 7 Map ..................................... 8 Campgrounds ..................... 12 Winter Recreation ............. 14 Trails .................................. 15 Activities ........................... 16 Know Before You Go.......... 18 Contact Information .......... 20 The forest is home for deer, elk, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. Gray wolves, wolverines, black bear, salmon, and many species of birds also thrive here. Trails, campgrounds, wilderness, rivers, and scenic drives give visitors plenty of opportunities to connect with this special land. As an added gem, the forest also includes the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, commonly referred to as the “Heart of Idaho”. Come see for yourself! This Visitor Guide provides the information you need to make the most of your Sawtooth National Forest experience. G et to Know Us History T he first people to use the lands that are now the Sawtooth National Forest occupied this area between 8,000–7,000 BC. More recently (after 1,700 AD) the Shoshone—or Sheepeater people—lived in small bands on the northern end of the forest, harvesting roots and tubers, fish and game, and timber and rocks for tools. Civilian Conservation Corp early road work at Re dfish Shoshone, camp, circa 1880-1910 Trappers and explorers arrived in southern Idaho by the early 19th century and by 1849 immigrant trails were established through the southern end of the forest. Mining in Idaho started in the early 1860s and peaked in the 1880s, occasionally rebounding over the next 100 years. Cattle and sheep grazing was the primary large-scale land use on the forest for much of the 20th century. Logging activities focused on timber and firewood for homesteaders and miners. It wasn’t long before the area became popular with visitors who were drawn by the impressive scenery and recreational opportunities. The Minidoka and Sawtooth National Forests were established in 1905 by President Teddy Roosevelt and merged in 1953 as the Sawtooth National Forest. CCC workers camp The Area The Sawtooth National Forest has two distinct geographic units separated by the Snake River Plain—Idaho’s “potato belt”—which relies on the forest for the water it needs to irrigate this important agricultural region. South of the Snake River Plain, the forest is part of the basin and range geologic province of western Utah, Nevada and southeastern Idaho. Here, a series of northto-south faults break the country into mountain ranges separated by continuously widening basins. The climate is desert-like, but the ranges capture snow, storing the moisture for later release into the Wolverine (© Wendy Nero) surrounding basins of the Snake River Plain. Lower elevations host sagebrush and juniper that blend into aspen, lodgepole pine, and fir at higher elevations. Mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and sage grouse are common on this part of the forest. Two-thirds of the forest lies north of the Snake River Plain, where towering mountains are sliced by iconic rivers. These mountains are actually five separate ranges—the Sawtooth, Boulder, White Cloud, Smoky, and Pioneer, which are part of the famous Idaho batholith--which means a great mass of lava that stopped on its rise to the surface. Erosion and glaciers exposed and shaped what we see today. High alpine lakes abound in this rugged country. Rivers are lined with colossal cottonwoods and graceful willows. The uplands are blanketed with lodgepole pine, and Douglas-fir and subalpine fir —interspersed with whitebark pine and meadows strewn with wildflowers in the summer. Wildlife is plentiful with elk, deer, mountain goats, wolverines, wolves, black bear, cougars, and a wide variety of birds including sandhill cranes, osprey, and eagles. With the exception of the grizzly bear, just about every species that was here in the days of Lewis and Clark is still here today. Sawtooth Mountains (© Mark Moulton) The vast resources of the Sawtooth National Forest belong to all America