Idaho Wilderness along the ICT
The Idaho Centennial Trail winds through a portion of three federally designated wilderness areas, and skirts a fourth. That’s because the trail advocates who created the ICT wanted it to pass through the most remote and beautiful parts of Idaho. All of these wilderness areas have national significance in terms of their beauty and outstanding natural values. Here are a few notes about each wilderness area, and what you can expect to find there.
The Sawtooth Wilderness:
In 1972, the 216,000-acre Sawtooth Wilderness was protected by Congress, with the late Sen. Frank Church-D-Idaho, and Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus leading the charge.
The Sawtooth is the most heavily used wilderness area in Idaho, with more than 35,000 users per year. The ICT cuts through the central core of the Sawtooth range, providing awe-inspiring views of its many needle-like peaks. The pink granite rock in the Sawtooths is a major draw for rock climbers. The wilderness is chock-full of emerald-colored high mountain lakes, alpine meadows and choice campsites.
The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness:
Congress created the largest single wilderness in the lower 48 states when it set aside 2.3 million acres of Central Idaho as the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in 1980. Nowadays, many people refer to it as “The Frank.”
It was a hotly contested political fight to determine how much of the Central Idaho Primitive Area would be official wilderness. Once again, Sen. Church showed the political courage to lead the way to protect all of the 102-mile Middle Fork Salmon River corridor and 80 miles of the Main Salmon River corridor.
To stand on top of a peak in the heart of “The Frank” is a breathtaking experience, knowing that the seemingly endless sea of mountains unfolding before your eyes is wilderness as far as you can see in all directions. There are an estimated 850 high mountain lakes in “the Frank” as well as many tributaries of the Salmon River, the spectacular Big Horn Crags, the extensive meadow complex in Chamberlain Basin, and so much more.
The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness:
The 1.28-million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness was considered to be so deserving of protection that it was among the first group of so-called “instant” wilderness areas set aside by Congress when the Wilderness Act passed in 1964. The late Sen. Frank Church, D-Idaho, was one of the chief architects of the Wilderness Act.
The Selway-Bitterroot features densely forested mountains, the Selway Crags, many mountain meadows, lots of high mountain lakes, and the wild and scenic Selway River, a pristine gin-clear stream that’s chock full of rapids and cutthroat trout. It’s very likely that you’ll encounter elk or moose along the river corridor, particularly in the early morning or late evening.
The Gospel Hump Wilderness:
Portions of the ICT West route from the Wind River Pack Bridge on the Salmon River to Selway Falls wrap around the western and northern boundary of the 206,000-acre Gospel Hump Wilderness in the Nez Perce National Forest. The Gospel Hump was protected by Congress in 1978, with the late Sen. Frank Church, D-Idaho, leading the way. The Gospel Hump features a number of high mountain lakes, deep and broad valleys and lush meadows.