Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness
The Boulder Mountains, one of Idaho's highest and wildest ranges, are rich with human history and home to an abundance of wildlife. Amidst the towering multi-hued peaks you can listen for the howl of wolves...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Idaho |
| Size | 67,993 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2015, by Congress |
| Center point | 43.9003, -114.4875 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 11 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miNorth Fork Wood River Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 1 miHemingway-Boulders Wilderness ↗Backpacking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 36 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bowery Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| North Fork West Pass ↗ | 8.6 | |
| West Fork-North Fork | 4 | |
| East Fork/North Fork | 3.4 | |
| Murdock Creek | 3.4 | |
| Amber Gulch | 3.3 | |
| Upper North Fork | 2.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireBuckhorn
39 mi from the center point · 161 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireDoublesprings
43 mi from the center point · 1,779 acres · 70% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.3 miProctor Mountain Ski Lift ↗Sun Valley, ID
- 6.4 miGreenhow and Rumsey Store Building ↗Ketchum, ID
- 6.5 miBald Mountain Hot Springs ↗Ketchum, ID
- 6.5 mi
- 8.4 miCold Springs Pegram Truss Railroad Bridge ↗Ketchum, ID
- 12.1 miGimlet Pegram Truss Railroad Bridge ↗Ketchum, ID
- 13.2 miIdaho Mining and Smelter Company Store ↗Clayton, ID
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
67,993 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness in?
Idaho.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2015.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Murdock Campground, 0.1 miles out. 11 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 1 trailhead and 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 43.900, -114.487. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Buckhorn at 39 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 20 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness?
7 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Proctor Mountain Ski Lift and Greenhow and Rumsey Store Building.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.