Lemhi Regional Land Trust’s Hat Creek project permanently protects 240-acres

Lemhi Regional Land Trust, with support from the Keep It Connected program, closed their Big Hat Creek project in April 2026. This conservation easement adds to the Lemhi Regional Land Trust conservation goals at the national, regional, state, and local scale and adds to a growing area of protected land in the Upper Salmon River Basin Watershed.

The Hat Creek Conservation Easement permanently protects 240 acres at the confluence of Hat Creek and Big Hat Creek, two important tributaries of the Salmon River located just south of the largest wilderness complex in the contiguous United States. Situated within a highly connected landscape, the Hat Creek drainage supports an exceptional diversity of wildlife, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, black bears, mountain lions, gray wolves, and numerous bird, reptile, amphibian, and small mammal species.

The property’s grasslands, shrublands, and riparian habitats provide critical calving, fawning, and summer range for migratory mule deer and elk. The broader Hat Creek drainage supports approximately 350 wintering elk and 500 wintering mule deer, while bighorn sheep and pronghorn use the area year-round. Greater sage-grouse are also present throughout the drainage, with multiple active leks nearby, underscoring the importance of conserving intact habitat in this landscape.

Beyond its value for terrestrial wildlife, Hat Creek plays a vital role in the health of the Upper Salmon River watershed. As the third-largest tributary basin along a 50-mile stretch of the Upper Salmon River, Hat Creek provides a reliable source of cold water that helps moderate river temperatures, even during prolonged drought conditions. The conservation easement protects 1.6 miles of riparian and aquatic habitat that support resident fish populations, including potential bull trout habitat, while contributing the cold, clean water needed for the spawning and rearing of endangered Chinook salmon and steelhead.

Healthy riparian areas along Hat Creek are characterized by diverse stands of cottonwood, willow, dogwood, and river birch. Active beaver populations help maintain floodplain connectivity and wet meadow function, improving water quality, increasing drought resilience, and creating valuable fish and wildlife habitat.

By permanently conserving this property, the Hat Creek Conservation Easement strengthens an expanding network of protected lands throughout the Upper Salmon River Basin. The project safeguards critical wildlife habitat, protects important aquatic resources, and helps maintain the ecological connectivity that makes this region one of Idaho’s most significant conservation landscapes. Funded through Keep It Connected directed funds from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, this project represents another important step toward ensuring the long-term health and resilience of the Hat Creek drainage and the broader Salmon River ecosystem.

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Read more about the project here >>