Payette National Forest

About Payette National Forest

With more than 2.3 million acres, Payette National Forest has one of the largest and most diverse ecosystems in the United States. With peaks reaching nearly 9,500 feet, it is home to a mix of heavily forested areas, dried-up desert lawns and wildflowers, as well as a variety of wildlife.

In some places, one looks down into the gorge of the Snake River and stands at its eastern edge. In the West there are a number of paths, which lead visitors to solitude, sometimes along rarely used paths.

Payette is entirely in Idaho, but shares land with Adams, Idaho Valley and Washington counties. It shares land with neighboring Oregon and overlooks the Snake River, the Columbia River and the Great Basin, as well as parts of Washington and Oregon.

Payette National Forest covers 4,000 miles of fish that flow through streams, and its recreational fishing is welcomed by more than 1,500 fishing boats and 1.5 million fish a year.

The river snake salmon contains white sturgeon, which is regulated for fishing and release, and river snakes and salmon contain imported salmonids as well as a variety of other fish species such as trout, salmon, yellowfin tuna and white trout. These waters are home to a variety of species, from native salmon and trout to wild trout and other native species. The presence of large numbers of wild salmon in Payette National Forest distracts from trout fishing.

There are many fishing opportunities and numerous developed campsites are located in close proximity to fishing grounds, so anglers can be sure they can fish whatever they like.

If you like it a little more remote, pack your bags and head to one of the many high-mountain lakes or trophy lakes in Payette National Forest. Many of these lakes have fishing areas managed by the Idaho Fish and Game Department, where fish are caught and released, one by one, into the wild. For state regulations, please visit the Idaho Fish & Game website for a complete list of regulations and regulations for fisheries and trophy lakes.

The southernmost foothills of Payette Forest, accessible via Highway 95, are located at the southernmost foothills of Payette Forest and the northernmost part of the National Forest.

A quick route through the Hell Canyon area provides access to the southernmost part of the National Forest and the northernmost parts of Payette Forest, as well as a number of hiking trails.

Highway 95, which runs north from Riggins, Idaho, overland along the Salmon River, crosses the land of the New Meadows Ranger District. Many visitors begin their journey through the forest by driving through the Hell Canyon area, a popular hiking and camping area in the southern part of Payette Forest. There are several hiking trails and a number of campgrounds, but many visitors will begin as they approach the northern end of Payette National Forest near the town of Salmon.

Continue on Highway 95 to the intersection with Highway 99, the main highway in Payett County, then drive south a few miles on the highway to a parking lot in the park.