Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

Encompassing 4 million acres of north-central Idaho's most wild terrain, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests were administratively combined in 2012 to manage one of the largest and most ecologically significant forest landscapes in the Northern Rockies. The forest protects the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness (the third largest wilderness in the lower 48 at 1.34 million acres), the Gospel-Hump Wilderness, and critical portions of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Wild and Scenic Lochsa, Selway, and Middle Fork Clearwater Rivers carve through deep, forested canyons among the most remote landscapes in the contiguous United States.\n\nThe forests hold profound historical significance as the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's harrowing 1805 crossing of the Bitterroot Mountains along the Lolo Trail. The Nez Perce (Nimiipuu) people have inhabited these lands for over 11,000 years, and the forest preserves numerous cultural sites associated with the Nez Perce War of 1877. Ecologically, the forest supports critical spawning habitat for endangered chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout.\n\nRecreation is defined by wilderness experiences: world-class whitewater rafting on the Selway (limited to one launch per day), multi-day backpacking through vast untracked forests, and elk hunting that draws sportsmen from across the nation. Historic lookout towers offer rentable backcountry accommodations with panoramic views.