United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

Intermountain Region

Boise National Forest

In cooperation with:

Use Roadside Pull-Outs The map in this brochure identifies several

plowed pullouts from which wildlife can be safely observed. Please use

these pull-outs and do not stop in the road or attempt to watch the wildlife

while driving.

WatchYour Speed Please drive slower than the posted speed limit when

the road is icy or snow covered. You need to be able to stop quickly when

elk or deer suddenly appear on the road. 

Watch for Children!The Garden Valley elementary, junior high, and high

schools are located at milepost 9. A one-room schoolhouse is located on

the south side of the highway approaching Lowman. Both areas have a

posted speed limit of 25 mph. 

Watch for Wildlife The number of accidents between motor vehicles and

deer or elk is high on this stretch of highway. It’s extremely important to

watch the road at all times. Follow the posted speed limit and always slow

down when you see big game near the road. Wait until you get to the next

pullout to stop and observe them.

Watch the Road Rocks from the steep, exposed hillsides of the canyon

commonly roll onto the highway. Snowplows patrol daily, but cannot keep

the road clear at all times. Keep a close eye on the road.

Mileposts The pull-outs on the map are identified by the nearest milepost.

Starting at Banks, milepost signs are posted at one-mile intervals. The

Garden Valley Ranger Station is located at mile 12.8. This means it’s

located 8 tenths of mile east of milepost 12.

S e rv i c e s Restrooms are available in the winter at Hot Springs

Campground (mile 13.7) and at Danskin Rest Area (mile 19.5). There are

gas, food and lodging in Crouch or Garden Valley.

USDAForest Service is an Equal Opportunity 

provider and employer.

26.41.401.12/02 

Big game are accustomed to vehicles 

along the highway, but not people.

It’s best to watch them from your car in a pull-out.

If you do get out of your car, stay close to it.

Moving toward the animals will disturb them.

If they start to run or walk away, you’re too close! 

Winter Wildlife

Viewing Guide

Garden Valley, Idaho

CAUTION:The amount of big

game crossing the highway is

especially high between 

mileposts 18 and 22.
The “Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway” was so

named because of the distinctively high concentration of elk, deer, and bald eagles during the winter months. Wildlife can be observed from highway

pullouts between Banks and Lowman, Idaho, in

the South Fork Payette River Canyon. 

Big game gather in Wildlife Canyon during the

winter because the area is lower in elevation than

the surrounding mountains and the south-facing

slopes have much less snow. They can feed on

sagebrush, bitterbrush, and chokecherry. These

plants have little nutritional value when compared

to the lush grasses and forbs they eat the rest of

the year. Because elk and deer eat this low-nutrition food in the winter, they are primarily living off

of stored fat reserves that were built up the previous summer and fall. 

The cold temperatures and lack of nutritional

food in the winter stress animals. This winter range

is very important to elk and deer. It is an area that

is relatively warm, has easily accessible food, and

they can just pass the time and conserve energy.

Running uses a significant amount of energy that

can weaken animals and reduce their chances of

surviving the winter. Purposely chasing wildlife

jeopardizes their lives and is punishable by state

and federal law.

Please view all wildlife from a distance and keep

pets restrained. If deer and elk start to run or

walk away, you are too close!

Wildlife Canyon

Mule Deer 

You will mostly see mule deer,

however, whitetail deer are also

seen here. The mule deer is so

named because of the size and

shape of its ears. It has a white

rump patch and narrow black-tipped tail. It holds

its tail down when it runs, unlike the whitetail

which raises its bushy white tail like a flag. 

Rocky Mountain Elk

The elk has a whitish heartshaped rump patch that surrounds the tail and extends down

the upper parts of the thighs. Its

head and neck are distinctly

darker than the remainder of the body. Today,

elk number about one million in North America.

This represents roughly ten percent of the estimated population before European settlement of

this continent.

The Bald Eagle

Bald eagles winter in Wi l d l i f e

Canyon to fish the South Fork

Payette River and to eat deer

and elk that have died. 

The bald eagle is not really bald. It actually has

white feathers on its head, neck, and tail. “Bald”

is a derivation of an Old English word meaning

white. The eagle was named for the white feathers, instead of a lack of feathers.

The immature bald eagle (less than 3 years old)

does not have the white head or white tail feathers. It looks similar to a golden eagle (mostly

brown).

Scenic Loop

If you come to see Wildlife Canyon, why not make a day of it? By traveling on three designated scenic byways, you can make a loop trip. From

Boise, take Highway 55 (the Payette River Scenic Byway) to Banks. From

there, take the Banks-Lowman Highway (Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway)

to Lowman. Then go west on Highway 21 (the Ponderosa Pine Scenic

Byway) through historic Idaho City. The loop is 120 miles. 

Gas

Food

Lodging

Garden Valley

Ranger Station 

mile 12.8 

Campground

mile 13.7 

17.5

20.2

21.3

21.6

23.5 27.8

33.0

23.8

Rest Area

mile 19.5 

Restaurant

mile 19.3 

Little

Falls

mile 22.7

Monument

Falls

mile 31.8 

Watch for

Wild

Turkeys

Some pullouts are plowed during the winter

months. The best wildlife viewing pull-outs

are located at miles: 

17.5 20.2 21.3 21.6

23.5 23.8 27.8 33.0

To

Cascade

To

Boise

To

Stanley