The Lost River Ranger District has an extensive mining history. Mining on the district started in the late eighteenth century and several mines were in operation by 1900.
Today there is little mining activity on the district.
However, the areas rich mining history is still evident in abandoned shafts, tailing piles, cabins, and camps. The Lost River Ranger District is geologically diverse. This diverse geology provides numerous opportunities for rock collecting. Areas of particular interest are the sedimentary limestone formations of the Lost River Mountain Range which are often rich in fossils and the Challis Volcanics which contain jasper, quartz, agate, and geodes.