Discover Lemhi County

Lemhi County combines historic trails, expansive river landscapes and diverse opportunities for active exploration. The Salmon River shapes the character of the region, while places such as Discovery Hill, Lemhi Pass and the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center offer different ways to experience nature and history. The question for you is therefore less about choosing just one attraction and more about which travel profile your vacation rental or holiday home should support.

Experience the River, Trails and Landscape Consciously

One distinctive way to get to know the area is the Lewis and Clark Backcountry Byway and Adventure Road. The 36-mile loop follows the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Along this route, there are opportunities for hiking, fishing, mountain biking and exploring the surroundings. If you would like to combine different interests during your trip, you can make this loop one of the central themes of your planning.

Discovery Hill complements the outdoor experience with a special perspective on the landscape. There, trails lead through gently rolling sagebrush hills with views of the Continental Divide and the Salmon River valley. Visitors can also explore sections of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail on foot. Depending on your preferred daily rhythm, this allows you to combine exercise, observing the landscape and gaining a historical perspective. Discovery Hill also offers opportunities for horseback riding, dirt biking and disc golf.

At Morgan Bar Recreation Site, the river is the immediate focus. The site is located on the Salmon River and offers an eastern view of the Beaverhead Mountains. A trail leads around a wetland pond and runs for nearly a mile along the west bank of the Salmon River. This combination of riverside landscape, wetland and mountain views is a specific point of reference for anyone who wants to include proximity to river and nature experiences in their further planning when choosing accommodation.

History and Culture along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Lemhi Pass is a significant historic site on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center honors Sacajawea while also conveying her role in the Corps of Discovery and her affiliation with the Agai’dika Shoshone-Bannock. Walking paths with interpretive signs and exhibits complement this focus.

The River of History exhibit offers another perspective. It covers the inhabitants of the Main Salmon River Canyon and the Middle Fork, river expeditions by Countess Eleanor Gizycka and Caroline Lockhart, as well as questions concerning fish and wildlife along the river corridors of Lemhi County. Those who want to understand nature not only as a backdrop but also as part of a longer history will find a suitable focus for trip planning here.

Choose the Right Base for Your Trip

The Upper Salmon River offers opportunities for boating and other recreational activities on and along the river. Dozens of wildlife and bird species depend on the clean water and extensive riparian zones of the Upper Salmon River. Highways 75 and 93 run parallel to the Upper Salmon River through places such as Salmon and North Fork. This orientation helps you decide, before searching for accommodation, whether river activities, trails, culture or a combination of several themes should be the focus of your vacation.

Sharkey Hot Springs is also one of the available points of interest: Visitors can obtain the RUP at the on-site self-service fee station. Together with the historic and scenic destinations, this creates a travel destination that combines active days, cultural discoveries and quiet observation by the water without being limited to a single vacation pattern.

For further trip planning, you can also access the following destinations: Washington, Boise, Fremont, Cassia County, Boundary County, Jefferson and Shoshone County.

To the overarching travel overview: Idaho.