| Idaho Panhandle National Forests | |
|---|---|
.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 |
| Area | 3,220,000 acres (13,000 km2) |
| Established | 1912 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Idaho Panhandle National Forests |
TheIdaho Panhandle National Forests are a jointly administered set of threenational forests located mostly in theU.S. state ofIdaho. In 1973, major portions of theKaniksu,Coeur d'Alene, andSt. 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 thepanhandle of north Idaho, with small areas extending into easternWashington (4.7%) and westernMontana (1.2%).[1] The northernmost portion of the IPNF share a boundary withCanada. The Forest Supervisor's office is located inCoeur d'Alene, Idaho with district office's inBonners Ferry,Sandpoint,Priest River (Priest Lake Ranger District), Fernan andSmelterville (Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District), andSt. Maries andAvery (St. Joe Ranger District).[2]
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 theSelkirk Mountains,Cabinet Mountains,Purcell Mountains,Coeur d'Alene Mountains, andBitterroot Range, interspersed with large lakes such as LakesCoeur d'Alene,Pend Oreille, and the upper and lowerPriest. Major river valleys consist of theSt. Joe,Coeur d'Alene,Priest,Pend Oreille,Clark Fork, andKootenai.
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, andwolverines are often seen by visitors.
Bird species includeravens,wild turkey,blue jays,California quail, numerous species ofgrouse,osprey,golden eagle,bald eagle and numerous types ofowls. The rivers and lakes in the Panhandle hold some of the best fishing locations in the world.
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There is one officially designatedwilderness area within the IPNF that is a part of theNational Wilderness Preservation System. TheSalmo-Priest Wilderness lies partially within the Priest Lake Ranger District of the IPNF and extends into the neighboringColville National Forest. Four roadless areas are currently proposed for wilderness totaling 146,700 acres (590 km2):[1]
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 thePulaski Tunnel Trail,[3] which explores the history of theGreat Fire of 1910 and the firefighters who battled them, and theRoute 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 collectstar 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 ancientGiant western red cedar, Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars nearMurray, Idaho and Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars near Nordman, Idaho, both of which are popular hiking trails.[6][7]
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