Idaho Panhandle National Forests

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Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Hidden Lake in Selkirk Mountains, Idaho (29099805720).jpg
Hidden Lake in Idaho Panhandle National Forest
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Location Idaho-Montana-Washington, United States
Nearest city Spokane, WA
Coordinates 47°43′N116°13′W / 47.717°N 116.217°W / 47.717; -116.217 Coordinates: 47°43′N116°13′W / 47.717°N 116.217°W / 47.717; -116.217
Area3,220,000 acres (13,000 km2)
Established1912
Governing body U.S. Forest Service
Website Idaho Panhandle National Forests

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests are a jointly administered set of three national forests located mostly in the U.S. state of Idaho. In 1973, major portions of the Kaniksu, Coeur d'Alene, and St. Joe National Forests were combined to be administratively managed as the Idaho Panhandle National Forests (IPNF). The IPNF consists of more than 2.5 million acres (10,000 km2) of public lands in the panhandle of north Idaho, with small areas extending into eastern Washington (4.7%) and western Montana (1.2%). [1] The northernmost portion of the IPNF share a boundary with Canada. The Forest Supervisor's office is located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with district office's in Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Priest River (Priest Lake Ranger District), Fernan and Smelterville (Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District), and St. Maries and Avery (St. Joe Ranger District). [2]

Contents

Geography

Elevations on the IPNF range from 2,100 to 7,600 feet with as much as 80 inches of precipitation at high elevations. The IPNF is characterized by several mountain ranges including the Selkirk Mountains, Cabinet Mountains, Purcell Mountains, Coeur d'Alene Mountains, and Bitterroot Range, interspersed with large lakes such as Lakes Coeur d'Alene, Pend Oreille, and the upper and lower Priest. Major river valleys consist of the St. Joe, Coeur d'Alene, Priest, Pend Oreille, Clark Fork, and Kootenai.

Wildlife

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests contain a wide variety of wildlife. White-tailed deer, mule deer, raccoons, elk, grizzly bears, moose, black bears, coyotes, timber wolves, skunks, cougars, marten, beavers, river otters, bobcats, minks, and wolverines are often seen by visitors.

Bird species include ravens, wild turkey, blue jays, California quail, numerous species of grouse, osprey, golden eagle, bald eagle and numerous types of owls. The rivers and lakes in the Panhandle hold some of the best fishing locations in the world.

Wilderness areas

Scotchman Peaks Scotchman Peaks - Shoshone Ridge Trail, Idaho (14684729753).jpg
Scotchman Peaks

There is one officially designated wilderness area within the IPNF that is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Salmo-Priest Wilderness lies partially within the Priest Lake Ranger District of the IPNF and extends into the neighboring Colville National Forest. Four roadless areas are currently proposed for wilderness totaling 146,700 acres (590 km2): [1]

Recreation

The IPNF manages for a diversity of recreational opportunities, and there are extensive trail networks for stock, OHVs, hiking, and winter snowmobile and cross country skiing. Over 1,400 miles (2,250 km) of trails are maintained for hiking and 800 (1,290 km) miles for ATV use. Notable trails include the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, [3] which explores the history of the Great Fire of 1910 and the firefighters who battled them, and the Route of the Hiawatha, a 15-mile (24-km) rails-to-trails route which includes the 1.7 mile (2.7 km) Taft Tunnel. [4] The Emerald Creek Garnet Area provides an opportunity to collect star garnets and is one of only two places in the world where these gems can be found. [5] The forests contain two groves of old growth ancient Giant western red cedar, Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars near Murray, Idaho and Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars near Nordman, Idaho, both of which are popular hiking trails. [6] [7]

Photos

Related Research Articles

Bonner County, Idaho County in Idaho, United States

Bonner County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,110. The county seat and largest city is Sandpoint. Partitioned from Kootenai County and established in 1907, it was named for Edwin L. Bonner, a ferry operator.

Coeur dAlene, Idaho City in Idaho, United States

Coeur d'Alene is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the largest city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, the United States Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 53,354. Coeur d'Alene is a satellite city of Spokane, which is located about thirty miles (50 km) to the west in the state of Washington. The two cities are the key components of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area, of which Coeur d'Alene is the third-largest city. The city is situated on the north shore of the 25-mile (40 km) long Lake Coeur d'Alene and to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials, "CDA."

Inland Northwest Geographic region of the northwestern United States

The Inland Northwest, historically and alternatively known as the Inland Empire, is a region of the American Northwest centered on the Greater Spokane, Washington Area, encompassing all of Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Under broader definitions, Northeastern Oregon and Western Montana may be included in the Inland Northwest. Alternatively, stricter definitions may exclude Central Washington and Idaho County, Idaho.

Pend Oreille River River, tributary of the Columbia

The Pend Oreille River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 130 miles (209 km) long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia its name is spelled Pend-d'Oreille River. It drains a scenic area of the Rocky Mountains along the U.S.-Canada border on the east side of the Columbia. The river is sometimes defined as the lower part of the Clark Fork, which rises in western Montana. The river drains an area of 66,800 square kilometres (25,792 sq mi), mostly through the Clark Fork and its tributaries in western Montana and including a portion of the Flathead River in southeastern British Columbia. The full drainage basin of the river and its tributaries accounts for 43% of the entire Columbia River Basin above the confluence with the Columbia. The total area of the Pend Oreille basin is just under 10% of the entire 258,000-square-mile (670,000 km2) Columbia Basin. Box Canyon Dam is currently underway on a multimillion-dollar project for a fish ladder.

Coeur dAlene people Federally recognized Native American tribe in northern Idaho, United States

The Coeur d'Alene are a Native American nation and one of five federally recognized tribes in the state of Idaho.

Clearwater National Forest National forest in Idaho, United States

Clearwater National Forest with headquarters on the Nez Perce Reservation at Kamiah is located in North Central Idaho in the northwestern United States. The forest is bounded on the east by the state of Montana, on the north by the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, and on the south and west by the Nez Perce National Forest and Palouse Prairie.

Idaho Panhandle Region of the U.S. state of Idaho

The Idaho Panhandle—locally known as North Idaho—is a salient region of the U.S. state of Idaho encompassing the state's 10 northernmost counties: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone. The Panhandle is bordered by the state of Washington to the west, Montana to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The Idaho panhandle, along with Eastern Washington, comprises the region known as the Inland Northwest, headed by its largest city, Spokane, Washington.

Lake Pend Oreille Lake in Kootenai and Bonner counties in Idaho, United States

Lake Pend Oreille in the northern Idaho Panhandle is the largest lake in the U.S. state of Idaho and the 38th-largest lake by area in the United States, with a surface area of 148 square miles (380 km2). It is 43 miles (69 km) long, and 1,150 feet (350 m) deep in some regions, making it the fifth-deepest in the nation and having a Volume: 43,939,940 acre ft= 54 km^3. The lake is fed by the Clark Fork River and the Pack River, and drains into the Pend Oreille River, as well as subsurfacely into the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. It is surrounded by national forests and a few small towns, with the largest population on the lake at Sandpoint. The majority of the shoreline is non-populated and all but the southern tip of the lake is in Bonner County. The southern tip is in Kootenai County and is home to Farragut State Park, formerly the Farragut Naval Training Station during World War II, of which a small part is still active and conducts U.S. Navy acoustic underwater submarine research.

Lake Coeur dAlene Glacial lake in Idaho, US

Lake Coeur d'Alene, officially Coeur d'Alene Lake, is a natural dam-controlled lake in North Idaho, located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. At its northern end is the city of Coeur d'Alene. It spans 25 miles (40 km) in length and ranges from 1 to 3 miles (5 km) wide with over 109 miles (175 km) of shoreline.

Colville National Forest U.S. National Forest located in northeastern Washington state

The Colville National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northeastern Washington state. It is bordered on the west by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest and the Kaniksu National Forest to the east. The forest also borders Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge and the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Kaniksu National Forest National forest in the northwestern United States

The Kaniksu National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northeastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle, and northwestern Montana. It is one of three forests that are aggregated into the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, along with the Coeur d'Alene National Forest and St. Joe National Forest. Kaniksu National Forest has a total area of 1,627,833 acres (6,587.6 km2). About 55.7% is in Idaho, 27.9% in Montana, and 16.4% in Washington.

Coeur dAlene National Forest

The Coeur d'Alene is a U.S. National Forest located in the Idaho panhandle and is one of three forests that are aggregated into the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Coeur d'Alene National Forest is located in Shoshone, Kootenai, and Bonner counties in northern Idaho. It has a total area of 726,362 acres.

St. Joe National Forest

The St. Joe National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in the Idaho panhandle and is one of three forests that are aggregated into the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. In descending order of land area St. Joe National Forest is located in parts of Shoshone, Latah, Clearwater, and Benewah counties. It has a total area of 867,882 acres (3,512 km2).\

Coeur dAlene Mountains Northernmost portion of the Bitterroot mountain range in the northeast United States

The Coeur d'Alene Mountains are the northwesternmost portion of the Bitterroot Range, part of the Rocky Mountains, located in northern Idaho and westernmost Montana in the Western United States.

Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area is a ski area in the western United States. It is at Lookout Pass on Interstate 90, on the border of Idaho and Montana, five miles (8 km) east of Mullan, Idaho. It has a summit elevation of 5,650 ft (1,720 m) on Runt Mountain with a vertical drop of 1,150 ft (350 m) on the northeast-facing slopes. Lookout Pass operates seven days per week from the beginning of the ski season until late March then six days a week until closing, which is usually mid-April.

Hobo Cedar Grove Botanical Area

Hobo Cedar Grove Botanical Area is located near Clarkia in the St. Joe National Forest of Idaho in the northwestern United States. The grove is a 240-acre (97 ha) area containing old growth Western Red Cedar estimated to be 500 years old. The upper area contains Western Red Cedar surrounded by Oregon boxwood. The lower portion of the area contain the giant cedars surrounded by Lady-fern. The forest was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1980.

Salmo-Priest Wilderness

Salmo-Priest Wilderness is a 41,335 acre (167.28 km2) wilderness area located in the Selkirk Mountains in the northeast corner of Washington state, within the Colville National Forest and the Kaniksu National Forest.

Saint Joe River Tributary of Coeur dAlene Lake in northern Idaho

The Saint Joe River is a 140-mile (225 km) long tributary of Coeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho. Beginning at an elevation of 6,487 feet (1,977 m) in the Northern Bitterroot Range of eastern Shoshone County, it flows generally west through the Saint Joe River Valley and the communities of Avery and Calder. Past Calder, it flows into Benewah County and through the town of St. Maries, where it receives its largest tributary, the Saint Maries River. It then turns northwest, passing through Heyburn State Park before reaching its mouth just north of the Kootenai County line. Much of the river's route through Heyburn State Park is partially flooded due to raised water levels from the Washington Water Power dam at Post Falls on the Spokane River below Coeur d'Alene Lake. With a mouth elevation of 2,129 feet (649 m), it is claimed to be the highest navigable river in the world. Multiple rivers in Canada are both higher and navigable, including the Babine, and Middle Rivers.

The Palouse Forest Reserve and after March 4, 1907, the Palouse National Forest was established by Presidential Proclamation on March 2, 1907 and was one of President Theodore Roosevelt's Midnight forests, created before the federal law banning new forest reserves in six western states, including Idaho, became effective.

Heyburn State Park

Heyburn State Park is a public recreation area in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is located almost entirely in Benewah County, with a small portion extending into southern Kootenai County. The park was founded in 1908 and is the oldest state or provincial park in the Pacific Northwest. The park has 5,744 acres (23.2 km2) of land and 2,332 acres (9.4 km2) of water on three lakes: Benewah, Chatcolet, and Hidden. A dam constructed on the Spokane River in Post Falls in 1906 raised the level of Lake Coeur d'Alene, connecting it to the park's three lakes. The surface elevation of the lakes is 2,125 feet (648 m) above sea level. The park's year-round recreational opportunities include camping, boating, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and picnicking.

References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2013. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Revised Land Management Plan - Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Region.
  2. "Ranger Districts of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests". Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. "Pulaski Tunnel Trail". Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. "Route of the Hiawatha". Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. "Emerald Creek Garnet Area". Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  6. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/idaho/settlers-grove-of-ancient-cedars-trail [ bare URL ]
  7. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/idaho/granite-falls-and-roosevelt-grove-trail [ bare URL ]

Further reading