With 1,500 miles of trails to explore, the opportunities are endless. Selected airfields provide easy access to the middle of the wilderness. Almost a vertical mile below Chamberlain Basin, a colorful array of whitewater boaters drift past Campbell's Ferry on the wild and scenic Salmon River . The crossing is named for William Campbell, a man who ferried thousands of gold miners across the Salmon in the early 1900s. They were bound for Thunder Mountain, the site of the last major gold rush in the West.
Folks visit historic sites and view Indian pictographs along the way.
For a relaxing, low-key wilderness vacation, folks also can consider staying at a rustic backcountry guest ranch on the Salmon River, such as Shepp Ranch or Mackay Bar Resort. The Flying B Ranch is the most popular guest ranch on the Middle Fork. Guests enjoy home-cooked meals, hanging out in a quiet wilderness setting, and maybe a little hiking or fishing. The ranches can be accessed by small aircraft or jet boat. Once you arrive in the Frank Church Wilderness, it will seem as though you've stepped out of civilization and into the past.