This Issue:
A Conservation and Community Gem on the East Fork Carson River
East Fork Carson River California
Flowing from the rugged Sierra Nevada through the Carson Valley, the East Fork Carson River creates a ribbon of verdant green in an otherwise arid landscape. The largest tributary to the Carson River, it is a critical water source for communities of animals, plants and people alike. It is also a recreation oasis, drawing visitors from across the West for its trophy trout waters, scenery, nourishing hot springs, rich history and exciting whitewater.
Near the town of Markleeville, Western Rivers Conservancy is working to purchase and conserve a 1,688-acre property called Park Ranch that includes 1.6 miles of the East
Fork Carson and roughly three miles of the tributary streams Markleeville Creek, Pleasant Valley Creek and Hot Springs Creek. We purchased the first phase of the property in May 2025 and plan to purchase the second phase in late 2026. Our partner in this effort, and the property’s future long-term steward, is Alpine County. Like WRC, the county wants to see this prime stretch of its backyard stream conserved—a unique opportunity to marry conservation, recreation and wildfire protection for the community of Markleeville. The East Fork Carson and its tributaries are home to a high diversity of native fish,
East Fork Carson River, CA
Conservation, access and wildfire protection on the Carson’s largest tributary
Racetrack Creek, MT
Wins for trout, wildlife and people in the Clark Fork River basin
Saint Joe River, ID
WRC sets out to conserve a prime stretch of an iconic Idaho river
Alamosa River, CO
WRC purchases an alpine property at the headwaters of the Alamosa River
Selway River, ID
Keeping one of the West’s ultimate wild rivers untouched for fish, wildlife and people
DAVID DINES
A fly angler wades the East Fork Carson River, where Western Rivers Conservancy is working to protect an outstanding 1,688-acre property called Park Ranch.
CONSERVED! Racetrack Creek
In southwest Montana, Western Rivers Conservancy has protected the last significant private inholding on upper Racetrack Creek, a headwater tributary to Montana’s Clark Fork River, by conveying a 131-acre property called The Oxbows to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Montana Saint Joe River Idaho
Racetrack Creek flows clear and cold from the Flint Creek Range to the Clark Fork River, Montana’s largest river by volume. The one-mile reach of Racetrack Creek that flows through The Oxbows is framed on either side by a scenic, shallow canyon. The property is located where the creek changes from a high-altitude headwater stream to a slower meandering river. This transition zone makes for prime rearing habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and potential habitat for bull trout. The property is also a key part of a migration corridor for large animals like Rocky Mountain elk, moose and mule deer.
In addition to its superb habitat, The Oxbows lies immediately adjacent to the Racetrack Campground and Picnic Area. The site is popular during hunting season, and campers enjoy access to trout fishing on Racetrack Creek. Had the property been developed, it would have had significant impact on the campground and natural landscape.
WRC purchased The Oxbows in 2023 and then worked to obtain funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund to convey it to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. We are thrilled to report we accomplished this in July. Now in public hands, a pristine reach of Racetrack Creek—a stream that is just as important to folks heading into the Flint Creek Range as it is to moose hiding out along the creek— will forever remain intact. g
New Effort on a Prime Stretch of the “Shady Saint Joe”
As lifelines and legacies, rivers carry the stories of eras past. Idaho’s Saint Joe River is no exception. Its rich history is steeped in indigenous culture, fishing lore and even the shaping of the U.S. Forest Service. The Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’Alene) Tribe originally inhabited the watershed, with settlers later flocking to the river during the Gold Rush and early timber boom. In 1910, the Saint Joe was ground zero for one of the most devastating forest fires in the nation’s history: the Big Burn. The fire tore through more than 3 million acres and inspired policies that shaped the Forest Service. Today, the Saint Joe is considered hallowed ground for fly anglers who seek trophy trout in its idyllic waters.
Within this storied landscape, Western Rivers Conservancy is working to conserve a 585-acre property along a one-mile reach of the “Shady Saint Joe”—so nicknamed for the tall forests lining the river—and 0.6 miles of its tributary Fishhook Creek. The Fishhook Creek property is an inholding in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and contains critical fish and wildlife habitat as well as great potential for new recreation access along a corridor that is primarily private.
The Saint Joe and its tributaries are strongholds for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. In fact, the basin contains the last self-sustaining bull trout population in
the greater Lake Coeur d’Alene watershed. Conserving the Fishhook Creek property sets the stage for recovery efforts for this vulnerable species. Restoration efforts currently underway upstream of the property are likely to result in higher densities of bull trout throughout the river system in coming decades. This makes preserving high-quality aquatic habitat like that found in Fishhook Creek critical to bull trout survival in the long term. With its mixed forest of Douglas fir, larch and pine, the property also provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including grizzly bear, Rocky Mountain elk and Canada lynx. Our goal is to purchase the property and then convey it to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, filling a key gap in protection. For people, moving this property into public ownership will open superb new access for boating, hiking, fishing, hunting and birdwatching. Upstream of the property, the Saint Joe is designated wild and scenic where it flows through the national forest, while downstream, the river is mostly private. Opening the Fishhook Creek property to the public will create prime new river access just a couple hours’ drive from Coeur d’Alene. All said, this project will be a meaningful step toward keeping the pristine, accessible legacy of the Saint Joe alive for generations to come. g
WRC is working to conserve a one-mile reach of the Saint Joe River, a pristine Idaho stream renowned among fly anglers for its trophy trout.
DANIEL CRONIN
Conserving a Pristine Alpine Headwater of the Alamosa River
Alamosa River
Colorado
In the remote reaches of southern Colorado, Western Rivers Conservancy has purchased a scenic 800-acre alpine inholding in the Rio Grande National Forest. The Cliff Lake property includes the northeastern shore of Cliff Lake and nearly a mile of a stream called Castleman Gulch, a headwater tributary to the Alamosa River. Conserving this property represents a rare opportunity to keep pristine, high altitude habitat intact for fish and wildlife while dramatically improving recreation access for people.
At a lofty elevation of 11,620 feet, Cliff Lake is named for the talus cliffs of Cornwall Mountain that ring much of its shore. The lake supports a healthy population of native Rio Grande cutthroat trout—an imperiled and iconic species in southern Colorado. The lake’s deep waters mitigate winter kill even at its high
altitude, allowing it to remain a haven for this isolated Rio Grande cutthroat population. Cliff Lake also provides muchneeded cold, clean water to the Alamosa River by way of Castleman Gulch.
The Cliff Lake property boasts over 200 acres of old-growth spruce forest and expansive mountain meadows. This spectacular, pristine and incredibly fragile alpine habitat is critical for wildlife like Rocky Mountain elk, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mule deer and endangered Canada lynx.
Now that we have purchased the property, we will continue to pursue funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to convey it to the Rio Grande National Forest. This will fill the last remaining gap in the protection of Cliff Lake and allow the Forest Service to reestablish recreation
opportunities in a beautiful alpine setting. Public ownership will open the only accessible portion of the lake for visitors to hike, view wildlife, hunt, cast a line in the emerald-green waters and explore the surrounding national forest.
On a larger scale, this effort complements our broader efforts in the San Luis Valley, where we have been working for over a decade to protect habitat and public access. Currently, we are working to conserve the 45,952acre La Jara Basin, located just five miles southeast as the crow flies from the Cliff Lake property. Taken together, these projects will have far-reaching impacts for fish and wildlife, and for people, who will be able to access one of the state’s great alpine lakes on the edge of the San Luis Valley. g
a testament to the top-notch habitat these streams provide. Conserving Park Ranch will preserve important reaches of this vital habitat for Lahontan cutthroat trout (federally threatened), Paiute sculpin, mountain whitefish, mountain sucker, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan redside shiner and speckled dace. For wildlife, the property is a key link in a migratory corridor that mule deer, black bear, bobcat and numerous other species rely on for survival. Thanks to its abundance of milkweed, the property is also a haven for imperiled monarch butterflies.
Flanked by the Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway, Park Ranch offers stunning views of rolling emerald meadows bisected by the winding East Fork Carson River. The portion of the river that flows through the property is especially cherished among anglers and whitewater enthusiasts who seek out its feisty trout and lively Class II-III rapids. Conserving Park Ranch will open more access for fishing, hunting and birding, while expanding and connecting public access between the Markleeville Campground and hiking trails that begin at Hangman’s Bridge, just upstream of the ranch.
For the surrounding community, the property’s potential to serve as a bulwark against catastrophic wildfires is tremendous.
Once in county ownership, Park Ranch will be managed for conservation and wildlife, with compatible grazing playing a role for both improved habitat and wildfire fuels reduction. The project serves as a great example of how conservation can help local communities be both better protected from natural disasters and better connected to nature. All told, Park Ranch’s future will be one that benefits the vibrant communities of fish, wildlife and people who call this corner of the Eastern Sierra home. g
CONSERVED! A Mile of the Wild and Scenic Selway River
At the heart of a mosaic of protected lands in northern Idaho, Western Rivers Conservancy has conserved the 152-acre Selway River Ranch—including a mile of the Selway River and half a mile of Elk City Creek, a minor but important Selway tributary—by conveying the property to the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
In the Selway’s homestretch through national forest land, a small number of unprotected inholdings remain. In 2022, WRC purchased one of the most significant of these: the Selway River Ranch. We then held the property while we worked to obtain funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to convey the ranch to the national forest. This June, we did it!
The property is home to one of the finest flat, pristine meadows on the lower Selway, which makes it important for wildlife but also particularly attractive for development. By conserving the ranch, WRC and the U.S. Forest Service helped ensure the untamed character of the lower Selway River will remain forever intact.
Thanks to the Selway’s long history of conservation—it’s one of the original rivers designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and lies within one of the nation’s first wilderness areas— the Selway is a haven for imperiled fish like Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. The corridor is also home to Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep, Canada lynx, grizzly bear and bald eagle. For people, the Selway offers one of the most remote, scenic and exciting multiday floats in the Lower 48.
With Selway River Ranch now owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the agency will be able to expand conservation management within the lower Selway River corridor. Conserving this property also paves the way for the possibility of future restoration work and the development of hiking trails along a superb stretch of the Wild and Scenic Selway River. g
Making a gift to WRC through a donor-advised fund, appreciated stock, or a charitable distribution from your IRA is a smart, permanent investment in the great rivers of the West. To learn more, please visit westernrivers.org/give or contact our main office in Portland, Oregon at 503-241-0151.
WRC’s recent conveyance of Selway River Ranch to the U.S. Forest Service helps keep the untouched character of the Wild and Scenic Selway River intact.
ELLEN
BERNSTEIN
Idaho
DAVID DINES