Sierra National Forest

The Sierra National Forest is a sleeping giant in the Pacific Southwest. The forest, situated on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, shelters a primeval grove of giant sequoias. And it does so quietly without the throngs of tree lovers that gather round poor old "General Sherman" in nearby Sequoia National Park. And if size does matter to you, the Sierra is home to "Bull Buck" — the second-largest tree in the world.
The forest is distinguished by a sheer abundance of rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, and that's great news for paddlers. The wild and scenic Merced River is one of the fiercest white-water serpents in the region. A 28-mile stretch of this turbulent torrent, from Red Bud to Bagby, boasts nine harrowing rapids ranging from Class III to V. Notorious rapids such as Ned's Gulch and Stark Reality have been known to flip 16-foot rafts. If it's quieter waters that you seek, it's hard to beat Mammoth Pool — 2,000-foot mountains sequester the five-mile-long reservoir.

Caribou National Forest

There are several climbing areas both in and out of the Caribou National Forest in southeastern Idaho.
Ross Park Area Location: South of Pocatello on the right side of Fourth Street or the left side of Second Street.
Although very short (25 feet), climbs are available in this area. It's an excellent place to sharpen those rusty skills. The Fourth Street side provides climbing for the 5.5 - 5.11 climbers on friction, faces. and cracks. The Second Street side (just past the zoo) is a bit higher (40 feet) and provides some excellent aid and free pitches-up to 5.9 standard. Hard hats are advised in this area. Ross Park is an ideal spot to work on those intricate moves in leading and top roping. The anchor placements are fair to good, except for the occasional bombproof bolt.
Garden Creek GapLocation: South on 1-15 to Jensen Road turnoff. Take a right and follow the road to the obvious notch in the mountain range. Travel time from Pocatello is 45 minutes.
This area has some excellent multipitch climbs (2-6 pitches) on both the north and south faces. Standards range from 5.3 to 5.10 free and A3 in aid. There are several cracks systems as well as ramps, faces, and chimney problems. The Gap is used a lot by University students, so you may meet some folks while you are there. Most of the more frequented climbs are very clean; others may be quite rotten.