Interim Wilderness Travel Brochures Now Available
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BLM Idaho Falls District | Sawtooth National Forest | Salmon-Challis National Forest | |||
CHALLIS, ID— On August 7, 2015, President Barack Obama signed into law Congressman Mike Simpson’s legislation creating three new Wilderness areas totaling 275,665 acres in the heart of Central Idaho. The bill created the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness, 67,998 acres; White Clouds Wilderness, 90,769 acres, and the Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness, 116,898 acres. “Without the extensive coordination and work from the Idaho Congressional Delegation, Mike Simpson, Mike Crapo, and Jim Risch, this area would not have been secured for the citizens of Idaho and the nation,” said Chuck Mark, Forest Supervisor for the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in partnership with the Salmon-Challis National Forest and Sawtooth National Forest created an interim brochure for the public delineating currently approved routes, trails and trailhead access points. “This interim brochure provides some good guidelines and direction for public use until we are finished with the final wilderness plan,” said Mary D’Aversa, BLM Idaho Falls District Manager. "These maps depict all the wilderness access sites and will be a useful tool for those heading out to explore central Idaho." The legislation represented a consensus among a remarkable coalition of divergent interests, from backcountry hunters and motorized recreationists to county governments and grazing permittees. Representative Mike Simpson (Idaho) spent 15 years trying to protect the iconic Boulder-White Clouds by working with various groups and county commissioners to achieve buy-in for the idea. For more information, please contact one of the offices listed above or visit http://bit.ly/28JujJY. Hard copies of the brochure are available at the following locations: | |||||
BLM Challis Field Office Challis-Yankee Fork/Middle Fork Ranger Districts Sawtooth National Forest Salmon-Challis National Forest | Eastern Idaho Visitor Center BLM and Forest Service Office BLM and Forest Service Visitor Information Center | ||||
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.