Departing Boise, we join the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway for the ride to Salmon, Idaho. Heading east, we enter the Boise National forest which serves as the summer range for big game; black bears, wolves, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, deer and elk inhabit the woods.
We will stop briefly in Idaho City to walk the wooden sidewalks of this historic mining town; one of the major gold rush towns of the 1860’s. Soon after gold was discovered in the Boise Basin in 1862, Idaho City rapidly grew to become one of the largest cities in the Pacific Northwest. By 1865 it was home to some 7000 gold seekers; nearly one quarter were Chinese. At its peak, the basin was home to 20,000 miners.The mining area around Idaho City was one of the largest sources of gold ever discovered.
Today some of the best examples of early brickwork and wooden architecture still exist in Idaho City. Many structures erected in the 1860's remain standing and represent some of Idaho's most important historical buildings.
Continuing our ride, we encounter a challenging series of switchback turns as we traverse the mountain passes. Departing the Boise National Forest, we enter between two of Idaho's wilderness areas; on the right, the Sawtooth Wilderness Area and its 217,000 pristine acres of ponderosa pine and steelhead fishing and to the left is the Challis National Forest; entryway to the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. There are more acres of road-less wilderness in this region than anywhere else in the lower 48 states.
Located on the Salmon River, commonly referred to as the “River of No Return”, Stanley is in the center of the Sawtooth National Area. It is claimed that Stanley is the best place to glimpse the western land as it was in the last century. The Stanley area is cattle country. Split-rail fences enclose pastures watered by snow-fed streams. The area is bordered by three mountain ranges with forty peaks over 10,000 feet and 300 high elevation lakes.
We turn north from Stanley and follow the Salmon River for the next 120 miles through the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Elevations in the forest range from 2,200 feet in the lower canyon of the Salmon River to 12,662 feet at Borah Peak
We will spend our first evening in Salmon, Idaho; once the winter campsite for fir trappers, including Jim Bridger and Kit Carson. Permanent settlement of this region began with the discovery of gold in 1866. Today the town is a favorite starting point for pack trips into the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area and for flow trips down the Salmon River. The town is proud of its rich history that includes strong traditions of mining, lumbering and family ranching. Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide in 1805 into the Salmon Valley during their expedition to the Pacific Ocean and received essential supplies and information from Sacajawea's people, the Agai Dika Shoshone.
Two premier whitewater rivers, the Main Salmon and the Middle Fork of the Salmon slice through this area and provide unequaled opportunities to see the splendor of an America untouched since Indians were alone in these lands. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, deer and mountain lions all make their home in the surrounding hills. River rafting, canoing, kayaking and jet boating are all popular recreation activities in the area.