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| Dworshak Reservoir |
Dworshak Dam and Reservoir is located on the North Fork of the Clearwater River, about 5 miles north of Orofino, Idaho. The dam was designed as a flood control project, completed in 1973, after seven years of construction. Congress authorized the 327 million dollar project for flood control, hydropower generation, outdoor recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery is the largest steelhead trout hatchery in the world.
Surrounded by lush forested mountains, the 54-mile long, 16,000 acre, reservoir offers a myriad of recreation opportunities for the entire family. Boating, fishing for kokanee salmon and rainbow trout, camping at one of the remote mini-camps, along with hunting for elk or whitetail deer, hiking on the cool forested trails are just some of Dworshak Reservoir's recreational activites. Relax and enjoy the great outdoors the way you want to... casting a line, telling tales around the campfire, or savoring some quiet solitude.
Dworshak Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete gravity dam in Clearwater County, Idaho, on the North Fork of the Clearwater River. The dam is located four miles (6 km) northwest of the town of Orofino, and 47 miles (76 km) east of Lewiston.
Originally the name was slated to be "Bruces Eddy," but the name was changed to honor Henry C. Dworshak, a United States Senator from Idaho. The dam is the highest straight-axis concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere, and the 22nd highest dam in the world. Only two other dams in the United States exceed it in height.
Construction began in June 1966. The main structure was completed in 1972, with the generators coming online in 1973. Generating capacity is 400 megawatts, with an overload capacity of 460 MW. There are two spillway gates.
Dworshak Dam is part of the Columbia River Basin system of dams.
Location - To reach Dworshak Dam and Reservoir, begin in Lewiston and drive 45 miles east on US 12.
At a height of 717 ft, Dworshak Dam and Reservoir is one of the highest dams in the U.S., as well as one of the most dramatic in appearance. Lewis and Clark camped in this area in 1805. The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery is the largest steelhead trout hatchery in the world.
Dworshak Reservoir, is formed behind the dam. The lake strecthes 53 miles upstream. The North Fork of the Clearwater River, runs 2 miles downstream from the base of the dam, until it joins the South Fork of the Clearwater to form the Clearwater, which flows to the Snake River at Lewiston.
Dworshak Reservoir:
The reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 3,453,000 acre-feet, of which 2,000,000 acre-feet is used for local and regional
flood control; and for at-site and downstream power generation. At elevation 1600, the reservoir is 53 miles long, has a surface
area of 19,824 acres, and extends into the Bitterroot Mountains. The reservoir provides substantial recreational and wildlife
benefits, and transportation for timber.
Lands: The project contains approximately 50,800 acres. At normal full pool (elevation 1600), the surface area of Dworshak Reservoir is 19,824 acres. There are 30,935.4 acres of project lands surrounding Dworshak Reservoir. These project lands include fee lands that are Federally-owned and managed by the Corps, as well as easement lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service to which the Corps has flowage easement rights. There are 29,318 acres of Corps-managed lands that are utilized for public recreation purposes, wildlife habitat, wildlife mitigation, and log-handling facilities. Recreation opportunities include boating, water-skiing, fishing, developed and primitive camping, picnicking, hiking, and hunting. Major recreation areas include the Visitor Center, Dent Acres, the Freeman Creek unit of Dworshak State Park, and the Three Meadows Group Camp unit of Dworshak State Park. The State of Idaho took over operation of Dworshak State Park in 1989. Boat launching is available at six locations.
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| Marks Butte from Grandmother Mountain |
There's nothing geriatric about the hike to Grandmother and Grandfather Mountains. The trail rocks hikers to sleep with gentle ridge-top terrain before bringing out the creaks in their legs with steeper sections to the summits. Grandmother, at elevation 6,369 feet, and Grandfather, at 6,306 feet, have stood for generations above one of the few roadless areas remaining in northern Idaho. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have designated this area for roadless, non-motorized use, but abuses by off-road vehicles are evident.
The Grandfather Mountain trail leaves what was the Old Montana Trail, formerly a route used by the Indians, at Marks Butte. The Marble Creek drainage to the north was logged between 1916 and 1932. At one time it was said to contain the largest stand of uncut white pine in the country. But no more. Disease took its toll among the trees and the evidence of early days logging is everywhere. Skeletons of steam engines, logging camps, flumes, tresles, and log chutes abound.
From St. Maries, Idaho, drive south on State Highway 3 to Clarkia. At Clarkia, head east on Forest Road No. 301, climbing steeply 13 miles to the trailhead at Freezeout Saddle. The trail heads north from an extra-wide turnout at the saddle.
Trail No. 275 to Grandfather and Grandmother mountains is easy to locate near Freezeout Saddle. The trail climbs briefly up and across the shoulder of Marks Butte before descending and following an open ridge two miles to Grandmother Mountain. Along this ridge halfway between Marks Butte and Grandmother Mountain, hikers will pass an intersection with Trail No. 251 coming up the ridge above Gold Center Creek from the Marble Creek drainage. A short way further up Trail No. 275 is another junction at which Trail No. 251 heads north around the east side of Grandmother to the Cornwall Creek drainage. Continue on Trail No. 275. Hikers enjoy good vieow of Freezeout Creek drainage to the east and Gold Center Creek to the west. An abundance of huckleberries in August will help keep a hiker's mind off the dusty trail.
From a short spur trail heading to the summit of Grandmother Mountain, the trail descends to a spring ane nice campground before continuing through thick, twisted timber. The last 0.25 mile to Grandfather Mountain is steep, but the 360-degree summit view of the Marble Creek drainage and Clarkia is worth the effort.
Nestled in a stretch between Freezeout Ridge and Grandmother Mountain in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest lies a worn recreational trail. The dusty edges are lined with an assortment of vegetation including clusters of wild huckleberry plants, white pines and mountain hemlock.
Only an hour and a half from the Moscow-Pullman area, this trail offers a wide variety of recreational versatility for its visitors and is suitable for people of all hiking abilities. The shorter trail is a three-mile scenic hike to the top of Grandmother Mountain. A longer version branches off to surrounding creeks and peaks, creating a network of backpacking and hiking trails.
The stretch of land that includes the trail between Freezeout Ridge and Grandmother Mountain is in the northwest corner of a complex of land which composes the single largest undeveloped portion of lands in the continental United States, making it even larger than the greater Yellowstone area.
Commonly dubbed the "Great Wild" or "Clearwater Ecosystem" by researchers, it is approximately 26 million acres in size, reaching as far south as the Sawtooth Mountains, east of Boise. The lands which compose this complex are often accessible only by single-lane dirt roads.
More than 90 percent of the area's virgin forest remains intact, according to a publication by Big Wild Advocates, a nature preservation group.
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| Map of Park |
Heyburn: The first park in the Northwest, was created from the Coeur d' Alene Indian Reservation by an act of Congress on April 20, 1908. The deed, signed by President William Howard Taft, granted 5,505 acres of land and 2,333 acres of water. The park was named in honor of Senator W. B. Heyburn, who was instrumental in the acquisition. Congress objected to the land becoming a national park, but set it aside for purchase by the State. In 1911, the Idaho Legislature appropriated $12,000 to buy the park land from the U. S. Government. Additional property for the park was acquired by deed in 1938. Heyburn is noted for "the Shadowy St. Joe River."
Heyburn State Park is the oldest park in the Pacific Northwest. Created in 1908, it is comprised of approximately 5,500 acres of land and 2,300 acres of water. The park includes three lakes; Chatcolet, Benewah, and Hidden Lakes, with the shadowy St. Joe River meandering along the eastern boundary of the park.
Natural and cultural history is plentiful at Heyburn. Before it was a park, the general area was a gathering place for the Coeur d' Alene Indian tribe. In the 1930's, the park was a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and those hardworking crews built many of the park's buildings.
Heyburn is a natural park with a variety of different habitats. Large, tall Ponderosa pines tower over grassy hillsides covered in wildflowers. On shadier slopes, cedar trees mix with hemlocks and huge white pines. On the edges of the lakes, the wetland/marsh areas are home to many types of wildflowers and plants.
Heyburn State Park is the oldest park in the Pacific Northwest. Created in 1908, it is comprised of approximately 5,500 acres of land and 2,300 acres of water. The park includes three lakes; Chatcolet, Benewah, and Hidden Lakes, with the shadowy St. Joe River meandering along the eastern boundary of the park.
Chatcolet Lake is a small area at the southern tip of Coeur d/Alene Lake in Northern Idaho. It was once a lake by itself, but a dam has turned it into part of the bigger, better-known Coeur d/Alene. Chatcolet has the added feature of having a river in its midst; the beautiful St. Joe. The river was expected to become just a part of the lake, but it refused to die and its tree-lined banks clearly outline its path through the center of the lake.
Natural and cultural history is plentiful at Heyburn. Before it was a park, the general area was a gathering place for the Coeur d' Alene Indian tribe. In the 1930's, the park was a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and those hardworking crews built many of the park's buildings.
Heyburn is a natural park with a variety of different habitats. Large, tall Ponderosa pines tower over grassy hillsides covered in wildflowers. On shadier slopes, cedar trees mix with hemlocks and huge white pines. On the edges of the lakes, the wetland/marsh areas are home to many types of wildflowers and plants.
History of the Area:
The Coeur d'Alene Indians were the first inhabitants of the area now known as Heyburn State Park. It was an ideal place for an encampment.
Then, as today, the lakes provided an abundance of fish, the marsh areas had plentiful waterfowl and the heavily timbered slopes and open
meadows were ideal habitat for deer, bear and upland birds.
Heyburn State Park was created from the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation by an act of Congress, on April 20, 1908. The deed, signed by President William Howard Taft, granted 5,505 acres of land and 2,333 acres of water to the State. The park was named in honor of U.S. Senator W.B. Heyburn of Idaho.
Much of the early construction was performed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp SP-1. Starting in 1934, Camp SP-1 members built roads, trails, bridges, campgrounds, picnic areas, picnic shelters and the Rocky Point Lodge (now the Rocky Point Interpretive Center). Today, many of these facilities are still in useÑthe CCC's proud legacy.
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| View from summit of Moscow Mountain |
The forested ridge of Moscow Mountain, situated northeast of Moscow, Idaho, is a prominent feature of Palouse topography. Moscow Mountain lies at the west end of a ridge of low peaks known as the Palouse Range or Thatuna Hills. Moscow Mountain, at nearly 5000 feet in elevation, and the two peaks, East and West Twin, at nearly 4500 feet, on the ridge to the west, stand well above the town of Moscow, which has an elevation of about 2600 feet. The forested slopes and the ridge of Moscow Mountain can be accessed by various roads and trails.
Moscow Mountain overlooks the city of Moscow with a bird's-eye view of the beautiful Palouse countryside. Gravel and dirt roads wind around the ridge with ceders, pines, ferns, colorful flowers, and wildlife depicting an unspoiled, uncrowded countryside. Common activities are sightseeing, rock climbing practice, and limited hiking.
Moscow Mountain consists of mostly private land with no recreational sites, but is a popular place to explore. Once you get on the mountain itself, the roads are poor and can be a problem for most vehicles. About five to ten miles from Moscow depending on where you go. Several routes reach the area so the best thing to do is obtain a detailed map of the area. Stop at the Forest service Office in South Moscow for a St. Joe map that will show you the area.
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| Back Road, St. Joe National Forest |
This is primarily a forest drive, covering 74 miles on two-lane paved roads. Stands of Idaho's magnificent western redcedar and white pines dominate the landscape. Portions of the route have been designated the White Pine Scenic Byway. The second half of the drive features tidy farms in the rolling Palouse hills. Special attractions: Heyburn State Park at the southern end of Lake Coeur d'Alene; the St. Joe River coursing through Chatcolet and Round lakes; wild rice fields; the lumber town of St. Maries, with its riverfront water park; side trips to the Emerald Creek Garnet Area and the Hobo Cedar Grove; giant white pine trees; mixed forest and dryland farming communities in the Palouse country; and the company town of Potlatch.
Panoramic views of farm land, extensive forests, rivers, and mountains, and the largest stand of White Pine trees in North America can be seen along the White Pine Scenic Byway.
The route begins on Idaho 3 at Interstate 90 near Cataldo, where you can visit the famous 1840s Old Mission of the Sacred Heart, and passes through the deeply contrasting forests of Idaho's timber country to St. Maries. It crosses the picturesque St. Maries and St. Joe Rivers to Idaho 6 and then meanders south through the St. Joe National Forest and the rolling hills of the Palouse region on Idaho 6 to its junction with U.S. 95.
This is an enjoyable walk through some of the few ancient and awesome mhite pines remaining in northern Idaho. A plesant Forest Service campground is situated at the trailhead. Interpretive signs educate the hiker ay stations along the route. The hike is particularly plesant in the spring, combined with a drive north through St. Maries on State Highway 3, where lakes along the lower Coeur d'Alene River attract a variety of waterfowl.
Description of Trail:
The three-mile loop trail starts at the north side of a campground near a large white pine about six feet in diameter and
200 feet high. A marker says the tree was just a seedling when Columbus made hgis first voyage in 1492. The trail is well
kept and easy to follow. About 0.5 mile from the trailhead it leaves Mannering Creek and heads east, climbing gently for
0.5 mile to a junction with a trail going to Three Tree Butte. Continue east and start descending to the East Fork of
Meadow Creek for about 0.5 mile. The wet bottomland gives the trees a rain forest quality as the trail heads south 0.5
mile to the junction with the trail to Bald Mountain. Te return to the campground, the trail climbs moderately for 0.5
mile then drops for 0.5 mile to the trailhead.
White Pine Scenic Drive is one of Idaho's Scenic Routes and takes visitors through a six-mile corridor of majestic white pines. One of the nation's largest white pine trees is located at the Great White Pine Campground. This four-hundred year old tree was six feet in diameter and 188 feet in height. It was cut down in the summer of 1999 due to disease, but the tree still lies as a reminder of the majesty of the white pine forest. The campground area has several hiking trails, 14 camp sites and restrooms.
Camping, hiking, sightseeing, picnicking, fishing, huckleberry picking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. A handy area close to Pullman with lots of trees and hills to wander in. During the dry months most of the Forest Service roads are driveable by a regular vehicle and during the winter months they are a great place for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The Palouse Divide Nordic Center provides thirty kilometers of groomed trails and warming hut facilities. Laird Park has a large camping area and picnic site located on the upper reaches of the Palouse River. The park also has a reservable group use site available by contacting the Forest Service in Potlatch. Giant White Pine Campground is located on the White Pine Drive Scenic Route and has a small campground and trail access.