2017 Map of Little Lost River Sinks

About this map

The Lemhi Range rises sharply above the high desert floor of Butte County, dominating the northeastern portion of this Idaho landscape. Below these peaks, the Little Lost River Valley forms a wide alluvial basin where the Little Lost River eventually terminates into the Little Lost River Sinks. This endorheic drainage pattern is a defining characteristic of the region, where mountain runoff vanishes into the porous volcanic soils and gravels of the desert floor. The small settlement of Berenice sits at a crossroads of section line roads like N 1400 W and W 3900 N, serving as a remote outpost in a territory defined by large-scale public land surveys and the arid reaches of the Big Lost River Sinks. Modern infrastructure like Howe Rd connects this isolated valley to the broader region, tracing the path between the dramatic mountain front and the sink areas.