Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a protected mountain landscape in central Idaho, established in 1972 within Sawtooth National Forest and later expanded to include additional wilderness areas. Shaped by glaciation and faulting, it contains rugged ranges, alpine lakes, the Sawtooth Fault, and the headwaters of several major rivers, including the Salmon. Its high peaks, glacial valleys, and lakes make it a major center for hiking, rafting, climbing, and fishing. More recent history has centered on conservation and land management, including responses to beetle damage, wildfire risk, and wildlife habitat, with wolves reintroduced and ongoing monitoring of sensitive species such as bull trout and Canadian lynx.