CHARCOAL KILNS

Evidence of Mining Activity in Lemhi County, Idaho

January 7, 2008

A picturesque valley runs diagonally beneath the Lemhi Mountains in Idaho. This area has a lot of history. Native tribes date back thousands of years, and the Lewis & Clark expedition encountered Shoshones in the nearby mountains when they crossed Lemhi Pass. Later, Mormons settled the area and built farms. The name "Lemhi", applied to a number of geographic features in the area, comes from the Book of Mormon. Later, mining came to the area, and evidence of this activity can be found at various locations.

Twelve charcoal kilns were built on the west side of the valley to serve the mines across the valley at Nicholia. Most of the kilns were dismantled when mining ceased, but a few remain. They are now owned by the U.S. Forest Service, which has stabilized them and installed interpretive displays.

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These pictures, taken on September 2, 2007, show the remaining charcoal kilns.

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