SNF
Sawtooth National Forest
Idaho · Est. May 29, 1905 · 2.1M Acres
◌ —°F Stanley
USFS Site →
Idaho · Central Mountains · Est. 1905

Sawtooth
National Forest

U.S. Forest Service · Region 4 · fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth

Two million acres of granite spires, alpine wilderness, and river headwaters rising from the heart of Idaho. Where the Salmon River is born, three scenic byways converge, and the sky goes on forever.

1905
Est. by Roosevelt
2.1M
Acres
1,100+
Alpine Lakes
12,008
Hyndman Peak — ft
700+
Trail Miles
◈ Explore the Forest Official USFS Site →
43°44′N
Latitude
114°40′W
Longitude
10 Ranges
Mountain Ranges
3 Byways
Converge at Stanley
Hwy 21
Ponderosa Pine Byway
Hwy 75
Sawtooth Scenic Byway
The Forest

Central Idaho's Crown Wilderness

Sawtooth National Forest was established on May 29, 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt as the Sawtooth Forest Reserve — part of the same conservation wave that created Boise National Forest three years later. Today it encompasses 2,110,408 acres of south-central Idaho (with a small extension into northern Utah), making it one of the largest national forests in the Rocky Mountain region.

The forest spans 10 mountain ranges and 115+ named peaks. Its geological foundation is the Idaho Batholith — a 200-mile-long intrusion of granite formed 110–45 million years ago — producing the soaring spires that give the Sawtooths their unmistakable silhouette. The younger Sawtooth Batholith is prized for its distinctive pink orthoclase feldspar.

Four major Idaho rivers have their headwaters here: the Salmon, South Fork of the Payette, Boise, and Big Wood. More than 3,500 miles of perennial streams and 1,100+ lakes make this one of the most water-rich national forests in the lower 48.

USFS Headquarters: 2647 Kimberly Road East, Twin Falls, ID 83301 · 208-737-3200
SNRA HQ: 5 North Fork Canyon Rd, Ketchum, ID 83340 · 208-727-5000
Stanley Ranger Station: 208-774-3000
Managed as 4 Units
Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) + Fairfield, Ketchum, and Minidoka Ranger Districts. fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth →
Hyndman Peak — 12,008 ft
Highest point in the forest, in the Pioneer Mountains. The 9th-highest peak in Idaho, named for Major William Hyndman, an early settler and mining entrepreneur.
4 Major River Headwaters
Salmon River, South Fork of the Payette, Boise River, and Big Wood River all originate within the Sawtooth National Forest. Boise County contains the South Fork Payette headwaters.
96% Idaho · 4% Utah
The southern Minidoka District extends into Box Elder County, Utah. That section is part of the Basin and Range geologic province — arid, sagebrush terrain that contrasts sharply with the granite wilderness of the northern forest.
Sawtooth National Recreation Area

756,000 Acres — Established August 22, 1972

The SNRA was created by Public Law 92-400, signed by President Nixon. It contains three wilderness areas, three mountain ranges, 40 peaks over 10,000 ft, and 300+ alpine lakes. Three National Scenic Byways — the Sawtooth, Salmon River, and Ponderosa Pine — all converge at Stanley. The headwaters of four major river systems originate here; the Salmon begins its 400-mile journey to the Snake from the Sawtooth Valley.

Iconic Destination
Redfish Lake
5 miles south of Stanley on Hwy 75. Named for the brilliant red sockeye salmon that once turned its waters crimson during spawning. At the headwaters of the Salmon River. Lodge, marina, multiple Forest Service campgrounds, day-use areas, visitor center, shuttle boat to backcountry trailheads. Swim, paddleboard, kayak, or hike the Fishhook Creek trail into the Sawtooth peaks. Visitor center: 208-774-3376.
Recreation.gov Redfish
Summit Pass
Galena Summit — 8,701 ft
The high point of the Sawtooth Scenic Byway (Hwy 75), with sweeping panoramic views of the entire Sawtooth Range spread across the Sawtooth Valley below. The byway runs 116 miles from Shoshone to Stanley. Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling at Galena Summit area in winter; trailhead access to the White Clouds and Boulder Mountains.
Additional Lakes
Alturas · Pettit · Stanley
Three additional major recreation lakes within the SNRA. Alturas Lake: southernmost SNRA big lake. Pettit Lake: swimming, fishing, kayaking at the base of majestic peaks. Stanley Lake: Hwy 21 corridor, reflection views of the jagged Sawtooth Ridge. Each has Forest Service campgrounds and trailhead access into the Sawtooth Wilderness. Recreation.gov →
Designated Wilderness

Three Protected Wilderness Areas

Est. 1972 — 217,088 Acres
Sawtooth Wilderness
The core of the SNRA. Glacially carved granite spires — often compared to the Tetons for their sheer, jagged faces and lakes impounded by glacial moraines. Wildlife: black bear, mountain goat, elk, moose, mule deer, grey wolves, lynx, wolverine. Fish: rainbow, bull, and cutthroat trout; sockeye and chinook salmon. Part of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Wikipedia →
Est. 2015 — White Cloud Mountains
Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness
Designated August 7, 2015 by the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act — passed unanimously by both houses of Congress. Named for former Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus. Peaks of striking white limestone and metamorphic silicate. Includes the Boulder Chain Lakes and Big Boulder Lakes. Situated along the Salmon River corridor. USFS page →
Wikipedia →
67,998 Acres
Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness
Also designated in 2015 alongside the White Clouds. Located within the SNRA, known for dramatic geological formations in the Boulder Mountains. Named in part for Ernest Hemingway, who spent his final years in nearby Ketchum and is buried there. Borders the Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness to the south and the Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness to the east.
Wikipedia →
Recreation

Every Season, Every Pursuit

700+ miles of hiking trails, 500+ miles of motorized OHV routes, 3,500+ miles of streams. Camping, fishing, boating, skiing, snowmobiling, and backcountry travel across 2.1 million acres.

Summer · Hiking
Trails & Backpacking
Over 700 miles of maintained trails. Signature hike: Sawtooth Lake — 10-mile roundtrip through alpine meadows to one of the bluest lakes in Idaho (National Forest Foundation). Fishhook Creek trail from Redfish Lake. Bench Lake, Bridal Veil Falls, Goat Lake. For OHV: 500+ miles of motorized trails throughout the Fairfield and Minidoka Districts.
USFS Recreation →
Fishing · Wildlife
Rivers, Lakes & Wildlife
7,600 acres of lakes; 3,500+ miles of streams. Species: cutthroat trout, bull trout, lake trout, westslope cutthroat, rainbow trout; sockeye and chinook salmon on their epic Pacific→Idaho migrations. Wildlife: elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, black bear, grey wolf, lynx, wolverine. Hunting: multiple game management units throughout the forest.
Winter
Skiing & Snow Sports
Four ski resorts within or adjacent to the forest: Sun Valley Resort (Ketchum), Soldier Mountain (Fairfield), Pomerelle Mountain Resort, Magic Mountain. SNRA HQ (8 miles north of Ketchum) maintains 150 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and 70+ miles of groomed Nordic trails. Ice skating at the SNRA pond. Winter camping, steelhead fishing, snowshoeing.
Visit Sun Valley SNRA →
Gateway Communities

Ways In & Ways Through

Stanley, Idaho is the primary northern gateway and the largest settlement within the SNRA. Three National Scenic Byways converge here: the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway (Hwy 21 from Boise via Idaho City and Lowman), the Sawtooth Scenic Byway (Hwy 75 from Ketchum/Sun Valley), and the Salmon River Scenic Byway (Hwy 75 north to Challis). Stanley Ranger Station: 208-774-3000.

Ketchum and Sun Valley form the southern gateway. The SNRA headquarters is located 5 North Fork Canyon Road, 8 miles north of Ketchum (208-727-5000). Ketchum is also home to the Ernest Hemingway gravesite and memorial — the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness bears his name.

From Boise: take Hwy 21 northeast through Idaho City (Boise County) and Lowman — approximately 2.5 hours to Stanley. Or take Hwy 55 north (Payette River Scenic Byway) to McCall, then east. Twin Falls to the south provides access via Hwy 93 north to Hwy 75.

Regional Network

Sawtooth in the Idaho Wilderness Corridor

The Sawtooth sits at the center of a vast contiguous public land system stretching from the Treasure Valley to the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness.

Authority
Boise Standard
Regional knowledge network and verification authority for the Sawtooth region and greater Treasure Valley.
boisestandard.org
Adjacent County
Boise County
Western neighbor. Contains the Sawtooth Wilderness's western border and Thompson Peak (10,751 ft). Est. 1864.
boisecounty.org
National Forest
Boise National Forest
Adjacent forest to the west. Bogus Basin, Payette River corridor, South Fork Payette headwaters. Est. 1908.
boisenationalforest.org
Wilderness
Frank Church Wilderness
Largest contiguous wilderness in the lower 48. Borders Sawtooth to the north via the Salmon-Challis corridor.
frankchurchwilderness.org
County Seat
Idaho City
Gateway on Hwy 21 (Ponderosa Pine Byway). 40 miles from Boise, midpoint on the route to Stanley and the SNRA.
idahocity.org
River Community
Garden Valley
South Fork Payette River community within Boise County. One of the last stops before ascending to the Sawtooth region.
gardenvalleyidaho.org
Federal · USFS
Official USFS Site
Permits, campground reservations, trail conditions, ranger district contacts, and current closures for all four districts.
fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth
Conservation
National Forest Foundation
NFF Rivers to Peaks program supports Sawtooth river and wetland restoration across the forest complex.
nationalforests.org
Plan Your Sawtooth Visit

Start at the USFS site for permits and campground reservations. Come through Idaho City on Hwy 21 — it's the most scenic route from Boise.

◈ USFS — fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth Idaho City on Hwy 21 →