St. Joe River Scenic Byway
St. Joe River Scenic Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Idaho. Within Idaho it covers roughly 85 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along St. Joe River Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The St. Joe River Scenic Byway runs 89 miles one-way from the river town of St. Maries in northern Idaho, following the St. Joe River upstream for 75 miles nearly to its headwaters in the Bitterroot Mountains before climbing 14 more miles to the Idaho-Montana border. The drive stays on paved, two-lane road the entire way, with frequent pull-outs overlooking the cottonwood-lined river below. Bald eagles and osprey nest in those cottonwoods and hunt the water for trout, and the river is regarded as one of the best trout fisheries in the region. The route to Avery stays open year-round, but the higher stretch toward the Montana border is unplowed and typically closed by snow from November through May. Camping, picnicking, and hiking opportunities line the corridor, making this one of the quieter, less-trafficked scenic drives in a state with no shortage of mountain byways.
- 89 miles one-way from St. Maries
- Follows the St. Joe River to the Bitterroot Mountains
- Bald eagle & osprey habitat
- Excellent trout fishing
- Closed by snow above Avery, Nov-May
- Idaho-Montana border terminus
Plan a drive on St. Joe River Scenic Byway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along St. Joe River Scenic Byway
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of St. Joe River Scenic Byway.
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