In mid-March, the Idaho Legislature voted 45-22 against a resolution honoring the 50th anniversary of the area’s establishment, calling it an example of federal overreach. At the end of the month, Stanley adopted a similar resolution, which inspired Sun Valley to follow suit.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area was established in 1972, largely through efforts of Idaho’s congressional delegation, Sens. Frank Church and Len Jordan, and Reps. Orval Hansen and James McClure. It consists of 756,000 acres of land, and includes the Hemingway-Boulders, White Clouds and Sawtooth wilderness areas. The area has more than 700 miles of hiking trails and 300 high-elevation alpine lakes for visitors to access.

The resolution, in addition to mentioning recreational advantages of the SNRA, recognizes the land’s importance to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, which hold and govern the Fort Hall Reservation in southeastern Idaho, near Pocatello.

Also recognized is the SRNA’s role in preserving waterways for the many species of fish that call the area home. Steelhead, sockeye salmon and chinook salmon, in addition to multiple species of trout, swim in the rivers of the SRNA.

The resolution also notes the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, the first of its kind in the United States. The reserve encompasses 906,000 acres, the majority of which is public lands within the SNRA. The reserve is one of the last large areas of the country without significant light pollution.

The resolution also promises “continued collaboration and partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in protecting and enhancing … policies and regulations affecting the management of the area.”

“It’s a special resource we have, and should be celebrated,” Conard said.