32 MISCELLANEOUS CIBCULAE NO. 61 



Along the western edge of the forest lies some rough interesting 

 country that can be reached only by pack trails. A portion of the 

 forest is crossed by a road leading from Salmon City T through 

 Gibbon's Pass into the Bitter Root Valley of Montana, and isolated 

 strips also lie upon the Beaver Head and Lemhi Mountain Ranges. 

 These are steep-sided, narrow ridges with rocky, barren crests 

 fringed by belts of Douglas fir and lodge-pole pine alternating with 

 open grazing lands. 



LEMHI NATIONAL FOREST 



East of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forests lie a number 

 of isolated masses of timberland which are administered collectively 

 as the Lemhi National Forest. The Little Lost River Mountains, 

 spurs of the Beaverhead Range, and the eastern slopes of spurs of 

 the Sawtooth Range are included in this forest. These mountains, 

 especially the Lost River Mountains, are steep and rugged, with 

 broken stands of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. The timber is 

 not of the highest quality, is relatively inaccessible, and finds little 

 market at the present time. Grazing is very important, as many 

 open lands are interspersed between the forested areas. The 

 streams originating here are used intensively for irrigation. 



The westernmost section of this forest, that adjoining the Saw- 

 tooth National Forest, contains many famous fishing streams. In 

 the valleys between the separated sections of the forest are some of 

 the few survivors of the once numerous herds of antelope. 



TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST 



In the northeastern corner of the Idaho, against the Yellowstone 

 National Park, lies the Targhee National Forest, occupying low 

 broken mountains and lava plateaus that encircle the head of the 

 Snake River. The valleys are well settled, and both the Butte and 

 Yellowstone branches of the Oregon Short Line Railroad cross the 

 forest. Under these circumstances the forest is heavily used, espe- 

 cially as there are few topographic barriers. 



Its timber stands are predominantly lodgepole pine, which is find- 

 ing a ready market as railroad ties, many thousands of which are 

 cut and shipped every year. In many parts of the forest there are 

 good grazing lands, and since livestock is one of the principal indus- 

 tries of the neighboring valleys, the demand for grazing privileges 

 is heavy, and many sheep and cattle are run on this forest. The 

 forest is of great value for watershed protection as well, since here 

 are the headwaters of a good part of the Snake River. (Fig. 13.) 



CARIBOU NATIONAL FOREST 



South of the Targhee National Forest ard lying against the 

 Wyoming State line is the Caribou National Forest. It consists of 

 a number of broken mountain ranges and contains only small stands 

 of timber — Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine. In addition to these 

 species, the broadleaf aspen is a prominent component of the moun- 

 tain forest, becoming more and more plentiful southward. On both 

 sides the forest lies close to valleys where livestock grazing and 



