A Look Back | OUTDOOR IDAHO

In 1972 the Sawtooths—along with the White Cloud and the Boulder Mountains—became part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, administered not by the National Park Service but by the U.S. Forest Service.

How this came to be is a story worth the telling. Forty years ago, Idaho was at the forefront of the nation's environmental movement, electing a governor who pledged to save Castle Peak and the White Clouds from the degradation of an openpit mine.

We celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area by examining this remarkable period in Idaho's history, exploring what was gained, what was lost and what is yet to be considered.