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Sawtooth
| Established: |
1972 |
| Location: |
South Central Idaho |
| Acres: |
756,000 |
ID,
Sawtooth Mountains, Stanley Lake
Located in the heart of Idaho
encompassing four mountain ranges, 300 alpine
lakes, and five major rivers is the Sawtooth National
Recreation Area. It serves as the headwaters for the
Salmon, Boise, and Payette Rivers. One cannot say enough
about its scenic vistas or untamed wilderness terrain.
Forests of aspen, pine, and fir are surrounded by steep
granite cliffs. The unbridled and unencumbered spirit of
nature abounds. Photographs of the Sawtooth's glacial filled alpine lakes
are a favorite among photographers. These dark blue lakes
are lined with virgin evergreen forests that grow to the
water's edge. The alpine lakes are the jewels of
Sawtooth and there are none finer in America.
The most scenic road through
central Idaho is the Sawtooth Scenic Byway (Rt
75). Extending 110 miles through the center of Idaho
from Shoshone, north along the Wood River to Ketchum, Sun
Valley, and Stanley. The byway's captivating scenery will
impress even the most seasoned traveler. The road winds
through rugged mountain terrain, forested glacially cut
valleys, and alpine lakes. There are 10 National Forest
Campgrounds on Rt 75 between Stanley and Ketchum with the
most popular sites concentrated around the Alturas,
Magic, Stanley, and Redfish Lakes.
ID,
Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Redfish Lake
(photo courtesy of Idaho Travel Council)
All of these areas have
excellent boating and fishing. Redfish Lake has five
campgrounds with a total of 200 campsites (located 5
miles south of Stanley on Rt 75). Prepare yourself for
fishing license costs which are for non-residents among the highest in the nation at $51.50. A 3 day salmon/ steelhead non-resident fishing license is $31.50.
There are a total of 36 campgrounds
distributed throughout the Sawtooth National Recreation
Area containing over 900 sites. Sawtooth National
Recreation Area, Star Route, Ketchum, ID 83340 (208)
726-7672. 
ID,
Sawtooth Mountains, Columbine Lake
Copyright ©1994-2006 Charles A. Read and ScenicUS. All Rights Reserved.
Please send any questions/ comments/ suggestions/ directly to
the author Charles A. Read
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