King Hill Creek Wilderness Study Area

King Hill Creek Wilderness Study Area is mostly in Elmore County, about 40 miles east of Boise. Of the 29,309 acres within the designated boundary, none of them are recommended for full Wilderness designation by the Bureau of Land Management. One reason for the "thumbs-down" is that there are five other wilderness study areas nearby (all parts of the Bennett Mountain landform), some of which offer greater intrinsic wilderness value.

The countryside here is a scenic, diverse topography of peaks, hills, ridges and drainages in a large maze. Some of the higher elevations sport scattered groves of Douglas fir and aspen but most of the property is covered with sagebrush and bunchgrass. The abundant deer and elk populations here make this a popular spot among the hunting set.

Apparently, a couple variants of the Oregon Trail run just to the south of this property. These days, a section of the Idaho Centennial Trail runs along the Bennett Mountain Road on the west side of King Hill Creek WSA. Folks who have hiked this area say the views south over the Snake River Canyon and Owyhee Desert are jaw-dropping...