Hells Canyon Wilderness
Hells Canyon Wilderness is a 217,747-acre wilderness area in Idaho County, Idaho. It rises from about 1,480 to 9,356 ft. The nearest town is Riggins, 6.9 miles away in a straight line.
Hells Canyon Wilderness map
Hells Canyon Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- The maximum group size at Hells Canyon Wilderness is 8.
- Riggins, ID is the nearest town, 6.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Hells Canyon Wilderness is about 9,356 ft, and its lowest about 1,480 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is She Devil, about 9,356 ft.
Who manages Hells Canyon Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 946 | Not on record | 8 | Not on record | BLM - Baker Field Office, 541-523-1256 |
| Forest Service | 216,801 | Not on record | 8 | Not on record | Not on record |
Getting to Hells Canyon Wilderness
- Riggins, ID is the nearest town, 6.9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
- Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: Snake River Road.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Hells Canyon Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-30. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Trailheads at Hells Canyon Wilderness
- Upper Deep Creek Trailhead (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 7,397 ft), at 45.1554, -116.5584
- Heaven's Gate Trailhead (0.03 mi outside the boundary, 8,155 ft), at 45.3698, -116.4977
- Cold Springs Trailhead (0.04 mi outside the boundary, 6,790 ft), at 45.4971, -116.4483
- Windy Saddle Trailhead (0.1 mi outside the boundary, 7,574 ft), at 45.3493, -116.5123
- Deep Creek Stairway Trailhead (0.32 mi outside the boundary, 1,690 ft), at 45.2421, -116.7001
- Low Saddle Trailhead (0.32 mi outside the boundary, 5,409 ft), at 45.5010, -116.5055
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Hells Canyon Wilderness
- She Devil summit
- He Devil summit
- Tower of Babel summit
- Barton Spring spring
- Casey Spring spring
- Appendix Lake lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Public lands next to Hells Canyon Wilderness
- National forestHells Canyon Wilderness lies inside Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
- National forestHells Canyon Wilderness borders Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.
- National forestHells Canyon Wilderness borders Payette National Forest.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Idaho
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- apps.fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.