Wilderness
The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness (FCRONRW) encompasses nearly 2.4 million acres of rugged mountains, wild rivers and alpine lakes. The FCRONRW was designated as wilderness in 1980 and is jointly managed by the Salmon-Challis, Payette, Nez Perce-Clearwater, Bitterroot, and Boise National Forests. It's the largest contiguous wilderness in the Lower 48 and the second largest unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System in the Lower 48. Learn More
The FCRONRW has a rich cultural history evidenced by Native American and Euro-American sites and evidence remains that show how humans have long been a component of the Wilderness. Native American tribal history extends to at least 12,000 years before the present described through extensive oral history and illustrated by numerous sites including lithic scatters, villages, pictographs, and bighorn sheep hunting traps. Two principal tribal groups, the Shoshone-Bannock and the Nez Perce, lived and utilized resources within what today is the River of No Return Wilderness. Both the Shoshone-Bannock and the Nez Perce continue to hunt, fish, gather, and access the Wilderness today. The Wilderness was shared in use by the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes as well. In the early 1800s, fur trapping and later in the 1800s the discovery of gold led to a large boom in population, leaving behind a trail of historic sites.
Protection of the FCRONRW began in 1930 with the administrative establishment of the Idaho Primitive Area and the Salmon Breaks Primitive Area. The Wilderness Act of 1964 required primitive areas and their adjacent lands to be studied for Wilderness suitability, which occurred throughout the 1970s for what would become FCRONRW. The late Idaho Senator Frank Church spearheaded the Central Idaho Wilderness Act of 1980, creating the River of No Return Wilderness from the Primitive Areas and adjacent land. The name of the Wilderness was changed in 1984 to honor Frank Church’s instrumental role in its creation as well as to acknowledge his position as the vanguard of the evolving definition of Wilderness in America.
The FCRONRW is punctuated by premier whitewater rivers. The Main Salmon and Middle Fork attract visitors from around the world and are designated as Wild and Scenic in order to preserve their free-flowing nature and protect them for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The River of No Return name comes from the first documented float trips down the Salmon River, which were completed in massive wooden sweep boats. Once these early river runners reached their destination, currents proved too powerful to return them back to their source and they were forced to dissemble their boats, re-using the wood for lumber.
All Wilderness areas have a number of regulations in place which are designed to protect the resource. Mechanized and motorized equipment is not allowed in Wilderness, this includes bicycles, carts and boat motors. Hangliders are prohibited in order to preserve the aesthetic value of wilderness. Hunting and fishing are allowed under State regulations. Commercial guides and outfitters authorized by special use permits are also allowed, as is access to private land, administrations and operations of valid mining claims. Grazing of domestic livestock under permit is allowed.
The use of Drones (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) is not allowed within wilderness. Drones (UAS) are considered to be aircraft, and are both “motorized equipment” and “mechanical transport”. As such, these aircraft cannot take off from, land in, or be operated from congressionally designated wilderness areas. To learn more, see the USDA Forest Service’s Recreational Drone Tips and visit Unmanned Aircraft Systems on the FAA’s site.
Unique to the Frank Church Wilderness, and authorized under the Central Idaho Wilderness Act of 1980 (PL96-312) are the following:
- Boating is allowed on the Salmon and Middle Fork of the Salmon and some tributaries, under a permit system. Party sizes are controlled and Leave No Trace techniques are required.
- General backcountry visitation is allowed with a maximum party size of 20 and a length of stay up to 14 days.
- Stock use is allowed with a maximum party size of 20 and 20 head of stock.
- Jet boats are allowed on the Salmon River.
- Continued use of established airfields is allowed.
Public Use Airstrips
- Bernard Airstrip
- Cabin Creek Airstrip
- Chamberlain Airstrip
- Cold Meadows Airstrip
- Indian Creek Airstrip
- Mahoney Airstrip
- Soldier Bar Airstrip
- Wilson Bar Airstrip
Emergency Use Only Airstrips
These airstrips are for emergency use only and are not managed as public use landing areas under the current Management Plan.
- Dewey Moore
- Mile Hi
- Simonds
- Vines
The Frankly Speaking newsletter is a publication about all things Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness that is released twice a year, in the spring and fall.