1979 Map of Cold Meadows

About this map

Payette National Forest encompasses this high-elevation landscape within the Idaho Primitive Area, as documented during the 1970s. The terrain is defined by a dense network of pack trails and drainages with evocative names such as Starvation Creek, Disappointment Creek, and Hungry Creek. Central to the activity in this backcountry region are the Cold Meadows Forest Service Station and the adjacent Cold Meadows Landing Field, which provided essential access and management infrastructure for this protected wilderness. High points like Roots Knob and Dismal Mountain overlook a complex watershed that feeds into Cold Cottonwood Creek and the Middle Fork Cottonwood Creek. The nomenclature of the area, including Dismal Camp and Runaway Ridge, suggests the challenging nature of early surveying and travel through these remote basins.