Idaho Panhandle National Forests

Idaho Panhandle National Forests
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
Revett Lake in Idaho Panhandle National Forest

Location	Idaho-Montana-Washington, United States
Nearest city	Spokane, WA
Coordinates	47°43′0″N 116°13′0″W / 47.71667°N 116.21667°W / 47.71667; -116.21667Coordinates: 47°43′0″N 116°13′0″W / 47.71667°N 116.21667°W / 47.71667; -116.21667
Area	3.22 million acres (13,050 km²)
Established	1912
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service
http://www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests are a jointly administered set of three national forests located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Approximately 22.4% of the forest (in the Kaniksu portion) extends into the states of Montana (14.1%) and Washington (8.3%). The IPNF were created in 2000 to administer three separate national forests that continue to manage themselves somewhat separately through district offices. The Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, and Kaniksu National Forests together occupy 3,224,739-acre (5,038.66 sq mi, or 13,050.06 km²) ^[1] in northern Idaho (better known as the Idaho Panhandle). The northernmost portion of the IPNF share a boundary with Canada. Its headquarters are located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Wildlife

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests contain a wide variety of wildlife. Whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, coyote, wolf, bobcat, cougar, wolverine, black bear and even grizzly bear are seen there. Bird species include 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

There are two officially designated wilderness areas within Idaho Panhandle National Forests that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Both lie within the Kaniksu National Forest section and extend into neighboring National Forests (as indicated).

Cabinet Mountains Wilderness (mostly in Kootenai NF)
Salmo-Priest Wilderness (mostly in Colville NF)

References

↑ Table 6 - NFS Acreage by State, Congressional District and County - United States Forest Service - September 30, 2007

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

"Idaho Panhandle National Forests". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
"Pacific Northwest Trail". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 2013-11-19.

Protected areas of Idaho

Federal

National Parks	Yellowstone

National Historic Sites & Historical Parks	Minidoka NHS Nez Perce NHP

National Monuments	Craters of the Moon Hagerman Fossil Beds

National Forests	Bitterroot Boise Caribou-Targhee Clearwater Coeur d'Alene Idaho Panhandle Kaniksu Kootenai Nez Perce Payette Salmon-Challis Sawtooth St. Joe Wallowa–Whitman Wasatch-Cache

National Grasslands	Curlew

National Recreation Areas	Hells Canyon Sawtooth

National Wildlife Refuges	Bear Lake Camas Deer Flat Grays Lake Kootenai Minidoka Oxford Slough Waterfowl Production Area

National Conservation Areas	Snake River Birds of Prey

Wilderness Areas	Big Jacks Creek Bruneau–Jarbidge Rivers Craters of the Moon Frank Church–River of No Return Gospel Hump Hells Canyon Hemingway–Boulders Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Little Jacks Creek North Fork Owyhee Owyhee River Pole Creek Sawtooth Selway-Bitterroot White Clouds

State

State Parks	Bear Lake Bruneau Dunes Castle Rocks City of Rocks Coeur d'Alene Parkway Dworshak Eagle Island Farragut Harriman Hells Gate Henrys Lake Heyburn Lake Cascade Lake Walcott Land of the Yankee Fork Lucky Peak Massacre Rocks McCroskey Old Mission Ponderosa Priest Lake Round Lake Thousand Springs Three Island Crossing Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes Winchester Lake

Wildlife Management Areas	Big Cottonwood Billingsley Creek Blackfoot River Boise River Boundary Creek Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh Carey Lake Cartier Slough Cecil D. Andrus C.J. Strike Coeur d'Alene River Craig Mountain Deer Parks Farragut Fort Boise Georgetown Summit Hagerman Market Lake McArthur Lake Montour Montpelier Mud Lake Niagara Springs Payette River Pend Oreille Portneuf Red River St. Maries Sand Creek Snow Peak Sterling Tex Creek

Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation (website)

Protected areas of Washington