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2024 Map of Heavens Gate

Name: 2024 Topographic Map of Heavens Gate
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2024
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2024

About this map

Hells Canyon Wilderness and the high ridges of the Nez-Perce National Forest dominate this landscape along the border of Idaho and Adams counties. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, from the depths of the Rapid River canyon to prominent summits like Cannon Ball Mtn and Mt Sampson. The Heavens Gate lookout area provides a central vantage point over the complex drainage systems of Shingle Creek and Cannon Creek.

Transportation through this demanding environment is limited to primitive routes like Shingle Cr Rd and Whitebird Ridge Rd, which trace the spine of White Bird Ridge. A network of high-altitude springs, including Cottonwood Spring and Blue Gulch Spring, supported early forest management and seasonal grazing. The map also captures the Rapid Wild and Scenic River corridor, a protected waterway that carves through the Rattlesnake Basin between Wildhorse Saddle and Windy Ridge.