Phyllis Lake Project Expands Outdoor Access in Sawtooth National Recreation Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2026

Phyllis Lake Project Expands Outdoor Access in Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Stanley, Idaho - A long-standing vision to expand outdoor recreation access at Phyllis Lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area is becoming a reality through a collaborative project designed to help more people experience Idaho's high-alpine landscapes.

The Phyllis Lake Liberty Legacy Trails Project is improving primitive-access recreation opportunities at Phyllis Lake, including trail access, camping and fishing areas, and a new bridge across the lake outlet. The improvements are intended to make the area more accessible to people with mobility limitations, including disabled veterans, adaptive athletes, older adults using mobility aids and families, while maintaining the primitive character of the setting.

The project brings together the U.S. Forest Service Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Sawtooth Conservation & Recreation Alliance (SCRA), Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), Higher Ground, Idaho Trails Association, Titus Trails, Idaho Fish and Game, volunteers and other partners.

The effort builds on work that began more than two decades ago. In 2004, local resident and Higher Ground participant Erik Schultz and his wife, Linn Kincannon, began advocating for improved outdoor access for wheelchair users in the Boulder-White Clouds area. Initial improvements were completed by the Forest Service in 2010 following congressional direction to provide primitive wheelchair access at Phyllis Lake and Murdock Creek. Forest Service crews improved the trailhead, constructed a primitive-access trail to the lake and built a bridge. A second bridge was planned but was not completed at the time.

Today's project continues that work and provides an opportunity to complete and expand upon the improvements begun in 2010.
"This project demonstrates what can happen when public agencies, nonprofit organizations, volunteers and recreation partners bring their resources and expertise together," said IDPR Director Susan Buxton. "Outdoor recreation is for everyone, and projects like Phyllis Lake help create more opportunities for people to experience Idaho's public lands."

Funding from Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area specialty license plate program, administered by IDPR, has provided critical support for the on-the-ground improvements. That funding is being combined with partner resources, private support and volunteer labor to advance the project.
The project is also the first Liberty Legacy Trails initiative, established by SCRA as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration. The initiative highlights service, stewardship and access to public lands shared by generations of Americans.

The partners hope the improvements at Phyllis Lake will provide a lasting recreation benefit in the Sawtooth Mountains while demonstrating the value of partnerships in expanding access to Idaho's public lands.

For more information about Idaho State Parks and Recreation and specialty license plate programs, visit idahoparksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

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