Rising from the Salmon and Snake rivers, Craig Mountain WMA reaches 5,395 feet into the surrounding mountains. Its primary purpose is to enhance wildlife and wildlife habitat, but it offers many outdoor opportunities for the public.
The sheer size of Craig Mountain WMA makes it home to many of Idaho’s resident and migratory wildlife species, including Idaho’s iconic bighorn sheep. Its proximity to Lewiston creates a rich public resource for area residents.
Craig Mountain WMA was born when Bonneville Power Administration built Dworshak Dam. BPA was required to mitigate for the loss of wildlife habitat and tribal lands, which now lie under Dworshak Reservoir.
The first land purchased by BPA “as a reserve for the conservation of wildlife” was the 60,000-acre Peter T. Johnson Wildlife Mitigation Unit. This property, combined with land previous owned by Idaho Fish and Game, became Craig Mountain WMA.
Today, WMA lands are intermingled with property owned by multiple public and tribal entities. A management agreement among the different groups allows for different parcels to be managed as a single unit for the benefit of wildlife and public use.
