The Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness is a vast protected area in central Idaho and the largest contiguous federally managed wilderness in the United States outside Alaska. Created in 1980 from earlier protected lands and renamed in 1984 for Senator Frank Church, it encompasses rugged mountains, deep canyons, and the famed Salmon River, whose difficult upstream passage inspired the name River of No Return. Spanning six national forests, it preserves extensive forests, wild river corridors, and exceptional wildlife habitat. Its conservation history, unusual retained access for jetboats and airstrips, and immense roadless scale make it one of the nation’s most significant wilderness landscapes.