The Big Cottonwood canyon and creek are located between Murtaugh and Oakley. Accessible by gravel roads, the canyon is fairly remote. The Idaho Fish and Game manage the 1,400 acre area. It connects to the South Hills, BLM and Forest Service grounds.
The parking lot and trailhead are well maintained with picnic benches, fire pits, hitching posts and interpretive information. There are a few options for trails, but the IDFG only maintain 1.5 miles of trail. There is also a nearby BLM campground for visitors to spend the night. The Big Cottonwood Creek trail is 13.6 miles and leads to the Cave Can, Connector Trail as well as the Sawmill Creek Trail. The area is great for hunters, wildlife watchers, hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
The river is also one of the only locations to find the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in South Central Idaho. The Big Cottonwood WMA is an important habitat for the trout and other wildlife. The Yellowstone Cutthroat is a prized fly fisherman catch and can be differentiated by their gold color and black spots. They can range from six to twenty six inches long.
It is a remote location with the closest services 30 miles away in Murtaugh. Most of the roads are gravel and would need 4 wheel drive in the winter. It is open year round.
