The Idaho Panhandle National Forests are a jointly administered set of three United States National Forests, national forests located mostly in the U.S. state of Idaho. In 1973, major portions of the Kaniksu National Forest, Kaniksu, Coeur d'Alene National Forest, Coeur d'Alene, and St. Joe National Forest, St. 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 the Idaho Panhandle, panhandle of north Idaho, with small areas extending into eastern Washington (state), Washington (4.7%) and western Montana (1.2%).U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2013. ''Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Revised Land Management Plan - Idaho Panhandle National Forests.'' Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Region. The northernmost portion of the IPNF share a boundary with Canada. The Forest Supervisor's office is located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with district office's in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Idaho, Sandpoint, Priest River, Idaho, Priest River (Priest Lake Ranger District), Fernan and Smelterville, Idaho, Smelterville (Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District), and St. Maries, Idaho, St. Maries and Avery, Idaho, Avery (St. Joe Ranger District).

Geography

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 the Selkirk Mountains, Cabinet Mountains, Purcell Mountains, Coeur d'Alene Mountains, and Bitterroot Range, interspersed with large lakes such as Lakes Lake Coeur d'Alene, Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille, Pend Oreille, and the upper and lower Priest Lake, Priest. Major river valleys consist of the Saint Joe River, St. Joe, Coeur d'Alene River, Coeur d'Alene, Priest River, Priest, Pend Oreille River, Pend Oreille, Clark Fork River, Clark Fork, and Kootenay River, Kootenai.

Wildlife

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests contain a wide variety of wildlife. White-tailed deer, mule deer, raccoons, elk, grizzly bears, moose, American black bear, black bears, coyotes, northwestern wolf, timber wolves, striped skunk, skunks, North American cougar, cougars, American marten, marten, North American beaver, beavers, North American river otter, river otters, bobcats, American mink, minks, and wolverines are often seen by visitors. Bird species include common raven, ravens, wild turkey, blue jays, California quail, numerous species of grouse, osprey, golden eagle, bald eagle and numerous types of owls. The rivers and lakes in the Panhandle hold some of the best fishing locations in the world.

Wilderness areas

Scotchman Peaks - Shoshone Ridge Trail, Idaho (14684729753)

There is one officially designated wilderness area within the IPNF that is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Salmo-Priest Wilderness lies partially within the Priest Lake Ranger District of the IPNF and extends into the neighboring Colville National Forest. Four roadless areas are currently proposed for wilderness totaling 146,700 acres (590 km²): * Salmo-Priest Roadless Area (Idaho Portion) * Selkirk Crest * Scotchman Peaks * Mallard-Larkins

Recreation

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 the Edward Pulaski Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route, Pulaski Tunnel Trail, which explores the history of the Great Fire of 1910 and the firefighters who battled them, and the Lookout Pass Ski Area#Route of the Hiawatha Trail, Route of the Hiawatha, a 15-mile (24-km) Rail trail, rails-to-trails route which includes the 1.7 mile (2.7 km) St. Paul Pass Tunnel, Taft Tunnel. The Emerald Creek Garnet Area provides an opportunity to collect Garnet, star garnets and is one of only two places in the world where these gems can be found. The forests contain two groves of old growth ancient Thuja plicata, Giant western red cedar, Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars near Murray, Idaho and Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars near Nordman, Idaho, both of which are popular hiking trails.https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/idaho/granite-falls-and-roosevelt-grove-trail

Photos

File:St Joe River at Red Ives.jpg, The St. Joe River at Red Ives File:Winter on the North Fork of the Saint Joe River (25571248907).jpg, Winter on the North Fork of the St. Joe River File:Little Guard Lookout on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (38980645780).jpg, Little Guard Lookout in the Coeur d'Alene River area File:Near Lookout Pass Ski Area (26572031068).jpg, Winter view from near the Lookout Pass Ski Area File:2017 Inland Empire Dog Races (25571234437).jpg, 2017 Inland Empire dog races near Priest Lake File:Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars, Idaho (35578802825).jpg, Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars File:Stream running into Coal Creek, Coeur d' Alene National Forest, Idaho (27533929446).jpg, Stream running into Coal Creek File:Shoshone Ridge from Pond Peak (36181764325).jpg, Shoshone Ridge from Pond Peak

References

External links

* * {{National Forests of the United States National Forests of Idaho National Forests of Montana National Forests of Washington (state) Protected areas established in 1912 Idaho Panhandle National Forest, 1912 establishments in Idaho 1912 establishments in Montana 1912 establishments in Washington (state)