Salmo-Priest Wilderness Area

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 What:  Drive from PriestLake which has lots of recreational value to another beautiful lake called Sullivan.This is a drive for 4WD as it might be too rough for the average family car. Ancient Cedargrowths, grizzly territory, huckleberry picking around July 15th. Before Nordman look onthe right around the small airport for the Ranger Station which has pamphlets on the primeHuckleberry picking corridors. Huckleberries are very high in carbohydrates. On a goodyear the picking here is fantastic. Yield any area with a bear eating berries immediately.Other common names for Huckleberrries are Blueberry, Big Whortelberry, Black Huckleberry,Bilberry. The huckleberry is a low erect shrub, ranging from 1-5 feet tall. The flowersare shaped like tiny pink or white urns, which blossom in June and July, depending onelevation. The leaves are short, elliptical and alternative on the stems. The bush turnsbilliant red and sheds its leaves in the fall. The stem bark is reddish (oftenyellowish-green in shaed sites). The shape of the berry varies from round to oval and thecolor varies form purplish black to wine-colored red. Some species have a dusky bluecovering called bloom. The berries tast sweet and tart, in the same proportions. Ripeninghappens sooner in lower elevations and on the southern slopes of sunny hills. So you maystill find berries in October on north-facing slopes. Best sites will be found inelevation 2,000 to 9,000 on slopes supporting grand fir, alpine fire and lodgepole pine.

Great hiking/biking/horse riding trails in the area: GrassyTop/Shed Roof Divide


 Where:  Take Hwy#2 to Newport and cross the bridge intoIdaho and go the few miles to Priest River. Coming into the small town look right away fora left turn intersection to take 57 North to Priest Lake and go all the way up to Nordman.There are lots of signs indicating your remaining distance to Nordman. At Nordman set yourmileage indicator to zero.  From Nordman go about 10 miles further north on a fairquality road. Only use this road on weekends or holidays as it is a commercial loggingroad on other days. On the way you will see a Roosevelt Ancient Cedar Stand tour and thereis also a Stagger Inn. A ways after the tour and the Inn you will come onto a large groupof small signs indicating the end results of the different pathes. You need the one going25 miles to Metaline. Stay on 302 until it turns into 22. The route over the wildernessarea is about 20 miles long and extremely beautiful and fun. Landing at Sullivan Lake isgreat because you enter the lake at a dayuse area where you could swim. We were there atJuly 3rd and there was no one else there.

To get back to Spokane is easy as you just go to the southern end of the lake on theonly main road and continue on it to Ione and then Tiger on 20 all the way to Usk and thenthere take 211 South to Hwy#2 back to Spokane. We drove this from 8am to 3pm with a picnicand a number of viewing/hiking stops for pictures, etc.

 Cautions:  I wouldn't try this before June, or afterSeptember as the height would contain snow.

 List:  Shovel in case you get stuck. Water or water filter. Aspare tire.Email Us