Gospel-Hump Wilderness
Long before explorers Lewis and Clark first laid eyes on this region in 1805, the Nez Perce people were hunting the elk, deer, and black bears whose descendants still roam here. Discovery of gold in the 1860s brought a flood of miners into central Idaho that didn't subside until after the turn of the century. Another brief gold rush occurred during the Great Depression–remnants of gold mining operations are evident. Elevations in the Gospel-Hump Wilderness range from 1,970 feet at the Wind River pack bridge on the Salmon River to 8,940 feet at the summit of Buffalo Hump.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Idaho |
| Size | 205,395 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.58° N, 115.77° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 10 more 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 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 12 miRocky Bluff Campground ↗Campground · The campground is open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
65 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 380 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Centennial Trail ↗ | 25.2 | |
| Hump Trail ↗ | 24.4 | |
| Moores ↗ | 17.6 | |
| Columbia Ridge ↗ | 17.1 | |
| Driveway ↗ | 13.2 | |
| Tenmile ↗ | 12.6 | |
| Sheep Creek ↗ | 12.2 | |
| North Moores ↗ | 11.5 | |
| Lake Creek ↗ | 10.9 | |
| Crooked Creek ↗ | 10.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Doc Denny - Srrd
18 mi from the center point · 20 acres
- PrescribedRx Crooked Christie Srrd
30 mi from the center point · 126 acres
- PrescribedBrush Rx
42 mi from the center point · 2,000 acres
- PrescribedMeadow Marsh 2026 Rx
47 mi from the center point · 70 acres
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
- 3.9 miCarey Dome Fire Lookout ↗Burgdorf, ID
- 9 mi
- 11 miGold Point Mill ↗Elk City, ID
- 11.1 miChinese Cemetery ↗Warren, ID
- 11.3 miChinese Mining Camp Archeological Site ↗Warren, ID
- 11.4 miWarren Guard Station, Building 1206 ↗Warren, ID
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Idaho
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
205,395 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Gospel-Hump Wilderness in?
Idaho.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Gospel-Hump Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.576° N, 115.771° W. Nez Perce National Historical Park is 25 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Gospel-Hump Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Doc Denny - Srrd at 18 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
Nez Perce National Historical Park (25 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Gospel-Hump Wilderness?
The National Register has 6 listings within 15 miles, including Carey Dome Fire Lookout and Elk City Wagon Road-Vicory Gulch--Smith Grade Segment.
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.