There are times when the call of the open road and the allure of your favorite trout stream arrive in perfect harmony, and there’s only one way to satisfy that call. Plan a fly fishing road trip.
Luckily, the quality of the fishing in Idaho’s rivers is surpassed only by their wild beauty. An Idaho fly fishing road trip offers a chance to get reacquainted with the Gem State’s rugged mountain roads and scenic highways while also making a pilgrimage to its finest fisheries. Here’s your guide to planning a route for fly fishing travel in Idaho.
Scenic Route 1: Big Wood, Salmon & Lemhi Rivers
- Twin Falls, ID → Leadore, ID
- Distance: 305 miles
- Drive time: about 6 hours
- Best season: summer
- Route: Google Maps
Starting in Twin Falls and ending in the tiny mountain town of Leadore, this route not only provides access to three of Southern and Central Idaho’s best fly fishing rivers, but also offers a glimpse at some of the state’s most diverse scenery. You’ll cross the Snake River Plain and pass through the beautiful Sun Valley before driving through the Peaks of the Sawtooth Range, ultimately ending up in the picturesque valley between the Beaverhead Mountains and the Lemhi Range.
Departing Twin Falls northbound on U.S. Highway 93 / Idaho State Route 75, you’ll first encounter the Big Wood River after about an hour’s drive near Bellevue. Another half hour’s drive and you’ll be in Ketchum, where there are a dozen or so lodges, outfitters and hotels near the river. The Big Wood River is a great waterway for walk-and-wade fishing for rainbows, brook trout, cutbows and brown trout.
Route 75 continues to roughly parallel the Big Wood River north of Ketchum, entering Sawtooth National Forest where you’ll find numerous access points and riverside campgrounds. The headwaters of the south-flowing Big Wood and the north-flowing Salmon River are not far apart in the Sawtooth Mountains, and as you cross Galena Pass, you’ll transition from one watershed into the other.
The upper Salmon River offers spectacular fishing for native westslope cutthroat trout in summer, as well as steelhead from fall through spring (though encountering steelhead this far upriver is hit-or-miss). Route 75 continues to parallel the Salmon River for 85 miles, passing through Stanley—the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is a worthy detour—towards Challis. There are tons of great campgrounds in this stretch, including BLM and Forest Service sites, many of them free and located right on the river. In Challis, the route once again becomes U.S. 93 and continues a further 61 miles to the city of Salmon, where the Lemhi and Salmon rivers meet.
Turn east on State Route 28 for the final leg of the journey, which follows the Lemhi River upstream to Leadore. The Lemhi River is arguably the most underrated waterway on this Idaho fishing itinerary, harboring lots of rainbow trout in the 16-inch range that lurk beneath its undercut banks and willows. Three public access sites are available between Tendoy and Leadore, and the river is ideal for wading in summer.
Scenic Route 2: Boise to Henry’s Fork Trout Tour
- Boise, ID → Henry’s Lake, ID
- Distance: 354 miles
- Drive Time: 5.5 hours
- Best Season: summer, fall
- Route: Google Maps
Starting in Boise, this west-to-east Idaho fly fishing road trip spans almost the entire Southern part of the state and offers a chance to fish some of its most iconic waterways. First up is the Boise River, which is legendary for its monster brown trout, especially its South Fork, which includes the tailwater below Anderson Ranch Dam. The Boise River fishes best in late summer and early fall when flows are low and wading is easy. You’ll find numerous public access points without leaving the city limits.
Once you’ve fished the Boise River to your heart’s content, head east out of Boise on I-84 until you reach Mountain Home, then exit onto U.S. 20. Sure, you could save a few minutes by staying on I-84, but let’s take the scenic route. Besides, U.S. 20 takes you right by the Big Wood River and Magic Valley Reservoir, which could be considered “bonus” fishing opportunities on this route. Both are worth a stop if you’re so inclined. You’ll also pass through the otherworldly landscape of Craters of the Moon National Monument before emerging from the desert into greener Eastern Idaho.
Stay on U.S. 20 / 26 long enough, and you’ll cross in short succession the South Fork of the Snake River, both the South and North Forks of the Teton River—another bonus—and crisscross Henry’s Fork of the Snake River multiple times before ultimately ending up at Henr’y’s Lake State Park. To put it mildly, there’s a lot of great fishing packed into a relatively small area, and it pays to take your time.
The South Fork has both tailwater and freestone sections, and it’s known for turning out some monster brown trout as well as plenty of scrappy Yellowstone cutthroats. It is rightly regarded as one of the best fly fishing rivers in Idaho, and it is only overshadowed by the nearby Henry’s Fork, which might just be the very best.
Henry’s Fork offers up abundant cutthroats, browns and rainbows, and it’s also a river with multiple sections, each offering its own distinct character. Hatches are plentiful, including Salmonflies and Stoneflies in early summer, plus a wide range of mayflies and caddis species extending well into fall. Fishing terrestrials in the meandering, grassy meadow sections is also a pleasure in summertime, and the river is great for floating as well as wading.
There are a lot of detours worth taking in this neck of the woods, and it may also be worth considering going out with a guide on these fabled streams. Henry’s Fork Lodge is an iconic spot with phenomenal scenery and a prime location right alongside Henry’s Fork. Three Rivers Ranch is another outstanding fly fishing lodge, offering guided trips on the South Fork, Henry’s Fork and the Teton River.