Sand Mountain Wilderness Study Area

In Idaho, BLM manages over 21,000 acres of public lands in the Sand Mountain Wilderness Study Area. The Sand Mountain WSA is characterized by series of large active sand dunes. The most prominent feature is Sand Mountain which rises about 500 feet above the adjacent plain. Two old volcanic buttes and exposed areas of more recent basaltic bedrock add to the geologic diversity here. The WSA also provides crucial wintering habitat for large mammals including elk, moose and deer. The elk herd in particular is dependent upon the western portion of the WSA. The herd migrates from as far away as Yellowstone National Park and Montana.