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Sawtooth Range in Idaho’s midsection packs plenty of adventure. A jagged skyline of 50 spiky peaks over 10,000 feet high gives the range its name.
Nested between the spires are hundreds of lakes made by vanished glaciers, and the surrounding woods are home to wolves. Below, the valley floor is crossed by the Salmon River, and many smaller streams, where kayakers navigate through rapids.
Best of all, you will have this untouched wilderness all to yourself, even in summer. The nearest town, Stanley, is a frontier outpost of fewer than 100 people, and herds of RVs largely bypass these areas. Here you can spend an afternoon outdoors and see more wildlife than people, which is a recipe for a rare, restorative trip.