Discovery Hill Recreation Area

Discovery Hill has become the go-to for visitors of Salmon, Idaho who love the outdoors. Visiting hikers can traipse along original portions from the trail charted by the Corps of Discovery, which thankfully remains unchanged to this day. Activities at the Discovery Hill Recreation Area include but are not limited to biking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting and wildlife viewing.

In August of 1805, the Corps of Discovery moved up the Lemhi River Valley into the area of today’s Salmon, Idaho, where the Lemhi meets the Salmon River.  They would have peered up onto the surrounding mountains, never imagining the things people would one day do in the region for enjoyment and recreation.

Just a few miles north of downtown Salmon, mountain bikers enjoy exceptional single-track riding trails – smooth terrain through rolling sage hills set against the stunning backdrops of the Continental Divide above and the Salmon River Valley below. This is Discovery Hill Recreation Area where the trails are generally smooth, fast, and moderately challenging, making it an ideal place for riders of all skills and abilities.

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Discovery Hill has over 30 miles of trails.  While it’s open for riding all year, the BLM asks that riders not ride during periods of heavy rain or snow – to avoid damaging the trail.  When in doubt, be sure to contact the BLM office in Salmon by calling 208-756-5400.

Directions

• The trail system at Discovery Hill is located two miles north of the town of Salmon. To drive to the trailhead from the intersection of highways 93 and 28 (the main intersection in Salmon), travel west on main street through downtown Salmon to N. Saint Charles St.  Travel north on N. Saint Charles approximately 2 miles to the main trailhead on BLM road 118. The road to the trailhead consists of a paved road transitioning to a well maintained gravel road suitable for all vehicles. The Discovery Hill Trailhead is on the right just beyond the cattle guard. Road conditions beyond the trailhead are variable and occasionally impassible due to the bentonite nature of the soils in the area