Stanley beckons as the Sawtooth gateway

Stanley is a tiny town that proclaims itself “The Gateway to the

Sawtooths.” The Sawtooth Wilderness Area is famous nationwide for

its beauty and attracts a million visitors annually. The good news

is that this destination is only about 2.5 hours from Boise, easily

accessible, and offers a myriad of outdoor opportunities.

The waters in and around Stanley are the traditional spawning

grounds of the Chinook and Sockeye salmon and while it is no longer

possible to fish for those giants in these waters other fishing

opportunities are plentiful. Idaho Department of Fish and Game

regularly stocks Stanley Lake, Cape Horn Lake, Kelly Creek Pond,

Pettit Lake, Alturas Lake and a portion of the Salmon River with

Rainbow trout.

Brook trout are also plentiful here. Frenchman Creek, Beaver Creek,

Smiley Creek, Upper Marsh Creek, Valley Creek and Yellowbelly Lake

are all an excellent bet, if this is your prey of choice.

All trout prefer deeper, slower moving water. Undercut banks and

the backside of trees submerged in the water are an excellent place

to start looking. IDGF has made fishing particularly easy in this

region by stocking the areas that most often bring visitors such as

campgrounds. If you are interested, just tune your radio to 1610 AM

for stocking schedules.

Alturas Lake offers great camping as well as fishing. There

are three campgrounds located here, Smokey Bear, North Shore and

Alturas Inlet. These campgrounds are all on or very near the lake

at an elevation over 7,000 ft. There are over fifty tent sites,

twelve trailer sites, vault toilets, and water in all three

campgrounds. Alturas Inlet Campground also offers 4 physically

challenged access campsites.

Alturas Lake offers another feature worth mentioning, a white sands

beach. Whenever the weather is warm this beach is packed with

families of sun lovers. Children and adults love swimming in the

clear, clean cold water. Sandy Beach Picnic Area is nearby and can

be reserved if you so choose.

The choices of recreation mentioned here, are just a small

representation of what can be found in the Sawtooth Valley. If you

are interested in spending some time in the Stanley area I would

highly recommend that you start by making a phone call to the

Stanley Ranger Station or the Chamber of Commerce. The staff are

locals who delight in sharing their knowledge and passions with

visitors.

 

Important Information;

Campground Reservations

1-877-444-6777

Stanley Ranger Station

208-774-3517

Chamber of Commerce

208-774-2286

Michelle Sells
Outdoor Columnist

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