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IDAHO PANHANDLE NATIONAL FORESTS VISITOR CENTERUSDA FOREST SERVICE
Current Conditions
A list of current conditions (Last updated: 05/07/2009) for selected recreation sites, roads, and trails is available here.

Current fire information is available here.

People are encouraged to contact the Ranger District Offices ahead of their visits throughout the spring and early summer to find out the latest information on opening dates.

Smokey Bear is 65
Logo for Smokey Bear's 65th birthday
Smokey Bear turns 65 this year. Since 1944, Smokey has educated generations of Americans about their critical role in wildfire prevention through his message, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." Smokeybear.com - a web site sponsored by the Ad Council, U.S. Forest Service, and National Association of State Foresters - is a rich source of information and resources about Smokey. At smokeybear.com you'll find a kid's section with games and stories, a vault that contains stories and imagery of and about Smokey over the past 60 years, teacher's resources, and valuable information on wildfire science and wildfire prevention. Celebrate Smokey's 65th birthday with us by using this resource to learn more about wildfires, the people who fight them, and your role in prevention.

Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Forest Service!
Photo of volunteer workers


Our St. Joe Ranger District is looking for volunteer hosts at the following sites: Applications (pdf) are open now. Contact Carol Ratcliffe 245-6074 or Mary Price for additional information.

Our Bonners Ferry District is looking for people willing to volunteer for a variety of positions and special projects from cooks to campground hosts to trail crews. It's a great way to spend time in our beautiful backcountry!

Administration-Employment-Volunteer at Bonners Ferry R.D.

Our Heritage Program offers volunteer opportunities in preservation of historic sites, archaeological inventory, historical research, and more.

Administration-Heritage-Heritage Program Volunteering


Nuttal's Larkspur Wildflowers of North Idaho
Are you wondering what those delicate yellow flowers are that carpet the ground along side your favorite trail? Check out our online wildflowers brochure for pictures and information about the plants you are most likely to see on your forest excursions.

ECOSYSTEMS-Your Forest-Wildflowers

Photo of a steam donkey Our Rich Heritage
The Idaho Panhandle National Forests contain the traces of human history dating back thousands of years. Our Heritage web pages tell a portion the IPNF story through photos, articles and documents that have been produced since the Heritage program first began in the late 1970s.

RECREATION-Heritage Program

Travel and Access Management
The Idaho Panhandle National Forests are currently developing travel and access management plans for each national forest zone under its administration. These public travel planning projects include:
[photo]Photo of Selkirk Crest.

[photo]ATV riders on a forest road.
In 2005, the Forest Service published a new rule for providing motor vehicle access to national forests and grasslands. The final rule (PDF-220k) requires each national forest and grassland to designate those roads, trails, and areas open to motor vehicle use. The rule itself does not designate roads or areas for motor vehicles, but provides a framework for making those decisions at the local level. The purpose of our travel and access management planning efforts is to:
  • Bring the current travel plan into compliance with laws, regulations and other higher level management direction.
  • Designate a reasonable route system for motorized public access and recreation travel on the zone, considering both the quantity and quality of experiences provided, in balance with forest management objectives and resource concerns; and
  • Identify the types of use and restrictions associated with each designated route.
Please visit the webpages for individual travel planning projects for more information.

Sample image of GIS product Geographic Information Systems
The IPNF uses geographic information systems technology (GIS) for many purposes - from mapping fire locations to identifying where forest types occur across the landscape. Over time, we will be adding many base map layers and associated tabular data to our online GIS library so check back often to see what is new.

Your forest tree icon-Your Forest-GIS


Logo of the Kootenai National Forest and Idaho Panhandle National Forests Forest Plan Revision Team Forest Plan Revision
What is Forest Plan Revision? How can I be involved? The Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle National Forests' (KIPZ) Forest Plans are near the end of their intended 15-year life and over the next few years, the plans will be revised to reflect resource and social changes on both Forests as well as new scientific information. Public participation is essential in its success! Follow the links below to obtain current information on Forest Plan Revision process, public meetings and much more!

FOREST PLAN REVISION-Forest Plan Revision
IPNF 1987 FOREST PLAN-IPNF 1987 Forest Plan

News posting News and Public Announcements
Meeting announcements, changes in office hours, road restrictions... You'll find it all in our press releases page!

ADMIN-Press releases


Logo and question marks What is the USFS, anyway?
The Forest Service is best summarized by its mission statement, "Caring for the Land and Serving People." But like any government agency its purpose and internal workings are not so apparent to the general public. Check out this page to learn a little more about "who we are and what we do!"

MORE-About the USFS


Comments please! What do you think?
We would like to know if there is anything you feel is missing from the site. Looking for certain information, and couldn't find it? Please tell us so that we can add that information in the future!

MORE-Make a comment



Last updated: 05/08/09

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