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:
Wild in the Country ping!
Now, that particular road...anyone contemplating it should realize that when the map says "not accessible all year" it means "snow up to yer butt from October on." That is not country that is hospitable in bad weather. Isn't particularly hospitable in good weather either.
But it's sure beautiful. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
Great pictures of God’s bounty, Jeff. The wife and I spent a week in the Idaho back country in June. We stayed for a few days in Kamiah and three more in Elk City. It whetted our appetite and we will go back. We were disappointed not to see any bear, but saw our fill of elk (hence the name Elk City), deer and a few moose. I guess I can live without cellphone service for a week or so.
Thanks...hehehe, never looked at it that way. I do know that its been open for a good five or six years now and I didn’t even know about it! Glad I found out though and was able to take Jared. He’s our youngest and just graduated High School last spring.
You are all welcome. If you are ever up in this neck of the woord (in summertime) consider scheduling a trip like this into your plans. Say late June through early September though, because anytime outside of that and the snoww could fly.
Thanks...and I will be going through the narrative to cull out the typos and errors. Just wanted to get it out there as quickly as possible.
I just might do it next summer. Thanks.
Amen to that. Before mid June and after early September and the snow could fly at any time in that country, and as remote as it is, and with the road being what it is...you do not want to get stuck back in there unless you are very, very well prepared. Already getting well down into the 30s in the high country at night.
You'll need good 4-wheel drive for this part, and will want to spend 2-3 days or more at least just on this part.
God's speed!
Then, once on the road, the road itself will cull out those who did not make the proper preparations. It is a beautiful drive, but one that folks have to be prepared for and one that is really only open to travel about 10-12 weeks out of the year.
Would you please stop showing pictures of Idaho! We are moving there in two years and would like the home prices to stay within the normal range. :-)
See, this all depends on where you’re moving here from. Now, I’m single and I rent, so it’s not quite as much of an issue for me, but the main problem I’ve noticed around here is property taxes. Especially in Ada County.
It might be different—Jeff, you’re in my Dad’s hometown of Emmett, is that correct?—elsewhere in the state, but the State of Ada as it’s known has some unusually high property taxes.
Now the caliporniacs will invade and ruin it like they have done in Montana. But it does sound like a great drive.
Welcome to heaven. FReepmail me if you want to talk about it. ;-)
Jeff, using Google Earth I think I was able to find Burnt Knob.
Is this it?
LAT: 45°39’59.95”N
LONG: 114°59’25.11”W
Thanks. When the time gets closer I will FReepmail you.
Ok, I was off one peak to the South.
Here it is:
LAT: 45°42’7.22”N
LONG:114°59’28.35”W
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