Idaho Panhandle National Forests

Combining the historic Coeur d'Alene, Kaniksu, and St. Joe National Forests into a single administrative unit, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests protect 2.5 million acres of dense western red cedar and western hemlock forests, pristine mountain lakes, and the rugged Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges in Idaho's narrow northern panhandle. The forest is home to some of the rarest large mammals in the lower 48 states, including the critically endangered southern Selkirk caribou herd, grizzly bears, gray wolves, wolverines, and Canada lynx. The St. Joe River, designated as a National Wild and Scenic River, is considered the highest navigable river in the world and carves through old-growth forests of exceptional beauty.\n\nPriest Lake, a pristine 23,000-acre glacial lake surrounded by towering peaks, offers outstanding boating, fishing, and camping in one of the most scenic settings in the northern Rockies. The forest preserves ancient groves of western white pine -- once the most valuable timber species in the Pacific Northwest -- and old-growth cedar stands with trees exceeding 1,000 years in age. Extensive trail networks provide access to mountain biking, hiking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing, while the forest's rivers and streams support important populations of bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, and kokanee salmon.