People visit this area to experience the serenity and solitude of wilderness in the largest complex of congressionally designated wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. The designated wilderness areas in this priority area include the Frank Church-River of No Return, Gospel Hump, and most of the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness.
The majority of the 9,200 miles of trails in the priority area are in remote locations that make access to conduct routine trail maintenance difficult. Portions of the trail are currently impassable due to substantial deadfall and landslides created by wildfires and wind events.
The trail maintenance backlog and the impacts of wildfires have inspired the cooperation of wide-ranging organizations and entities in support of the trail system to improve public access. Together, the Nez Perce-Clearwater, Bitterroot, Payette, Boise, and Salmon-Challis National Forests and partners are meeting challenging conditions by leveraging limited federal trail maintenance budgets.
Download a map of the trail maintenance priority area (PDF)
Examples of Trail Maintenance Needs
- Remove hazard trees and logs over the trail
- Remove overgrown brush
- Repair and replace drainage structures
- Conduct general trail maintenance
- Complete trail reconstruction and reroutes
Our Partners
Partners supporting this priority area include:
- Idaho State Trail Ranger Program (Idaho State Department of Parks and Recreation)
- RTP Grants (Idaho State Department of Parks and Recreation)
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game
- Idaho Conservation League
- Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association
- Licensed and Permitted National Forest Outfitters
- Boise Forest Coalition
- Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation
- Idaho Trails Association
- Clearwater Basin Collaborative
- Backcountry Horsemen of Idaho
- Idaho Aviation Association
- Conservation Corps
- Montana Conservation Corps
- Idaho Conservation Corps
- Motorized User Groups
- Dust Devils
- High Mountain Trail Association
- High Country Snowmobile Club
- Idaho Pathfinders Association
- Valley Cats Snowmobile/ATV Club
- Lewis and Clark ATV Club
- Public Land Access Year-Round, PLAY
Learn More & Get involved!
To know more about trail maintenance efforts in this priority area, contact:
Kent Wellner, Regional Trail Leader
Email: kent.wellner@usda.gov
Phone: (406) 329-3150
Larry R. Velarde, Regional Trail Leader
Email: larry.velarde@usda.gov
Phone: (801) 625-5205
Adam Larson, Trails Supervisor
Payette National Forest, McCall Ranger District
p: 208-634-0419 adam.larson@usda.gov
Savannah Steele, Trail Supervisor
Boise National Forest, Lowman Ranger District
P: 208-259-3726 Savannah.Steele@usda.gov
Jascha Zeitlin, Recreation Specialist
Payette National Forest, West Zone
p: 208-549-4224 Weiser Ranger District
p: 208-253-0113 Council Ranger District
c: 801-831-9459 jascha.zeitlin@usda.gov
