2024 Map of Challis Creek Lakes

About this map

Challis National Forest and the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness converge in this high-altitude landscape of central Idaho. The geography is defined by a dense network of watercourses, including the Yankee Fork and Twelvemile Creek, which have long influenced access to this interior wilderness. Historical travel routes are preserved in the form of trails like the East Mayfield-Yankee Fork Trail and the Warm Springs Creek Trail, marking paths through the Salmon River Mountains. At the eastern edge, the Challis Creek Lakes sit below the ridges, providing a focal point for the drainage of Challis Creek. The survey clearly delineates the Custer and Lemhi county line as it traverses the heights near Parker Mountain, showing how political boundaries were often drawn across the highest, most difficult terrain in the region.