Posted on 08/19/2007 3:23:42 PM PDT by Jeff Head
In the mid 1990s, while living in southwest Montana, I did a lot of hunting and exploring around the mountains in the area. This included those ranges bordering the Beaverhead, Ruby, Red Rock, and Big Hole Rivers. I also got up on the Bitteroot and over the mountains onto the Selway which is where this web page and story has its origins. I learned of a road out of Darby, Montana that followed the Nez Perce indian trail over the monuntains into Idaho, which conected to a primitive road that continued across the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Chuirch - River of no Return Wilderness areas over near Elk City, Idaho. I decided I wanted to travel this road, so I gathered up my gear and told my wife where I was going and started off. I got over to the Selway River only to find the wilderness road closed. This was during the Clinton administration and there were quite a lot of such road closures during that era.
Fast forward to July of this year (2007). Now living in southwest Idaho, I was recently asked by a friend if I had ever taken the Magruder Corridor Road in Idaho. I told him did not know the road, but when he described it coming off of the Elk City road and going over to Montana across the Selway, I immediately thought of my failed attempt twelve years earlier. It is the same road. This web page is dedicated to the two day trip that my 17 year old son and I made on July 21st and 22nd.
The Magruder Road itself, FS no. 468, runs from just south of the old Red River Ranger Station in Idaho, over to Darby, Montana. About 120 miles of no services whatsoever. The actual wilderness road is about 90 miles, starting from FS No. 223 just south of the old Red River Ranger Station, to the start of pavement climbing away from the Selway River into the Bitterroot Mountains. This pavement is shortlived, maybe ten miles, and then reverts back to gravel, but from that point on it is in very good shape and plenty wide enough for two cars.
The wilderness road is a rough, one lane road, with some parts primitive, but nothing that any well maintained four wheel drive vehicle with good tires and suspension cannot handle. The spurs, or side roads, however, are very primitive where good clearance, good tires, and a heavier frame are required for the four wheel low driving. Carry a good spare on this trip.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP REPORT INCLUDING 90 STUNNING PHOTOS I TOOK
A few examples of the photographs from this trip follow:
FYI...something to distract a bit from the cultural and political woes of the day.
Thank you Jeff. Great pics & narrative!
Stunning stuff. Well done!
You are welcome. It’s a trip I waited 12 years to make...but did not know that soon after clinton left office the road had been re-opened.
great stuff...
Thanks. It is the longest moutian wiolderness road in the lower 48 to my understanding...and well worth the trouble to make the trip.
What a beautiful trip you’ve documented. Thanks for sharing...
Thanks for the information. The wife and I will have to head up to the north part of the state to give it a try. Will make sure to bring the camera and a couple of memory sticks, it looks and sounds like a worthwhile experience.
You are very welcome. It was an incredibly beautiful trip.
I would get up through there before it gets too late in Septembet. Late September and early October the snow could easily fly up in that high country.
The main road is not too bad, but most of the spurs are truly primitive roads and will require 4-wheel low.
My son and I drove up form the Boise area (Emmett) and really, really enjoyed ourselves...just wished we had had a whole week to spend...it is more than deserving of that much time.
Have they changed the laws against motorized vehicles in/above Wilderness areas?
Great pictures.
I’m turning several shades of green with envy here. I love that part of the country and can’t wait to return. Thanks for the detailed trip info and spectacular pictures.
This road and the spurs associated with it are along a corridor through the Wilderness areas, the Selway-Bitterroot to the north, and the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness to the Souuth. Technically, the road corridor itself is not woilderness so you can raide your car, or do an ATV along this rout.
It is a fairly polular ATV route as I understand though we did not see any at all on our trip. All we saw after the Granite Springs campground were three vehicles in about 70 miles. We drove our 2005 Chevy Silverado 4X4 Pickup with the Z71 off road package.
We just came back from the Tetons - but will remember this for the next trip! (Last summer we did about 200 miles on dirt roads on our way to Las Vegas!)
I did a job out of Salmon, Idaho and we blew two tires on the company vehicle in one day. We drove a lot slower after that, but ended up buying a whole set of tires (used) so we would be able to drop the flats at the shop and go on up to work. Lots of sharp shale rock in the area which ends up in/on the roads. Beautiful country - thanks for the photos.
Thanks my FRiend. Hope all is well with you and yours. This was a really great trip.
When you do return, make sure you schedule this trip. You will not regret it...just go in prepared.
WOW! Must have been a great experience. Thanks, and good to hear from you. God bless.
What a great trip, a memory your son will cherish always.
Hope to do some trail riding soon, just finishing resusitating my 1941 Willys MB, it came off the assembly
line on Dec 16, 1941.
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