The Caribou National Forest was named for an early miner nicknamed Cariboo Jack, who along with 2 friends, discovered the first gold in 1870 near what is now called Caribou Mountain. Jesse Fairchild, alias Cariboo Jack, had a reputation as a story teller, a weaver of tall tales about the Canadian Caribou Country. Today we remember him as the namesake of the Caribou National Forest.

The Forest is located in southeastern Idaho and contains portions of 6 different Idaho Counties and parts of 2 others in Utah and Wyoming. Caribou National Forest is comprised of just over one million acres, which includes the 47,000 acre Curlew National Grassland, west of Malad, Idaho. The Forest has approximately 250 miles of streams and 8,100 acres of lakes and reservoirs. Geographically, the Forest is characterized by several north-south mountain ranges formed by numerous geologic disruptions thousands of years ago. The Forest is well-known for outstanding fishing opportunities and it has a pure strain of Bonneville cutthroat trout. Minnetonka Cave, in beautiful St. Charles Canyon northwest of Bear Lake, offers a half-mile of fascinating stalactites, stalagmites, and banded travertine in nine rooms.

• Go for a historic trek down the Lander Trail, which crosses the Soda Springs Ranger District and was the first Government-built wagon road in the West.
• Explore the Minnetonka Cave, offering a half-mile of stalactites, stalagmites, and banded travertine in nine rooms.
• Visit the Cherry Springs Nature Area, it is barrier-free and has a series of interpretive nature trails, an information kiosk and an outdoor amphitheater.