Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness
Located in the Salmon River Mountains, the Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness is a diverse area ranging from sagebrush steppe ecosystems, to north-facing mid-elevations dominated by Douglas fir, and elevations above 9,000 feet dominated by short stature grasses and shrubs. Predominantly an open shrub environment of broad rolling slopes, it is punctuated by stands of conifers and riparian areas, including willows and aspen, and occasional volcanic outcrops forming hoodoos and, in the higher terrain, rugged slopes. The Wilderness provides quality habitat for elk, mule deer, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, greater sage-grouse, bear, wolverine and wolves.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Idaho |
| Size | 116,843 acres |
| Designated | 2015, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.04° N, 114.26° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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
None of the 5 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
13 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 123 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sheep Creek ↗ | 21.9 | |
| Sheep Creek ↗ | 21.9 | |
| Toolbox-Herd Creek ↗ | 16.3 | |
| Toolbox-Herd Creek ↗ | 16.3 | |
| Bowery Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| West Fork Herd Creek ↗ | 7.3 | |
| McDonald Taylor ↗ | 7 | |
| East Pass Creek ↗ | 6.4 | |
| Sheep Creek-Pine Creek ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Upper Pine Creek | 3.6 |
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
- PrescribedParadise Rx
38 mi from the center point · 400 acres
- WildfireEast Fork
44 mi from the center point · 266 acres · 60% 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
- 8.6 miIdaho Mining and Smelter Company Store ↗Clayton, 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 Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness?
116,843 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness in?
Idaho.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2015.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Jim McClure-Jerry Peak 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 Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.039° N, 114.262° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Paradise Rx at 38 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Idaho Mining and Smelter Company Store.
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.