Grangeville to Riggins Backcountry Route

This rugged 47-mile route drops from the rolling Camas Prairie around Grangeville into the deepest canyon system in North America, threading historic mining camps and abandoned homesteads. You’ll cross the South Fork Clearwater drainage before climbing over Wind River Ridge and descending through Gospel Creek to the Salmon River at Riggins. The trail passes the remnants of Dixie and Orogrande, boom towns that died when the gold played out, with foundations and rusted equipment still visible in the forest.

This is serious backcountry requiring high-clearance 4WD with skid plates and recovery gear. Creek crossings can be tricky during spring runoff, and the route is impassable October through May due to snow. No services exist between Grangeville and Riggins — carry extra fuel, water, and spare parts. The payoff is pristine wilderness solitude and some of the best elk and deer habitat in the lower 48, plus spectacular views into the Frank Church Wilderness from Wind River Ridge.