Idaho Road Question
21 and 24 from Stanley, ID over to Banks. Is that a road suitable for a 40' fifth wheel? Thanks in advance to my most trusted source for road info. Betsy.
Forum Discussion
- Yes tons of big FW come through all he time. It' steeply downhill and curvy but plenty wide and smooth. The road from Lowman to Banks is slightly down hill and curvy.
- cptqueeg:
OP asked how the road would be for a forty foot 5er. Any insight for them? - I worked for the FS in 1978-1988 in Lowman and the surrounding area and have made 100's of trips btwn Ketchum, Stanley, Challis, Banks, Boise, and McCall. I drove the Banks-Lowman highway last month in fact to Stanley and south to Ketchum.
enblethen wrote:
You have to zoom in.
Yeah I did, but the Travel Plan is redone every year and lists every road in FS Road System. I can't find 24 on either one - I'm prob overlooking it.- You have to zoom in.
enblethen wrote:
This map shows it as the "Banks Lowman Highway"FS 24
I did many many years ago in small MH. Remember somewhat of many tight corners.
The link brings me to a US map only.
There is no other road from Lowman to Banks other than the Banks-Lowman Highway through Garden Valley. The B-L Highway has always been a state highway even before it was widened and paved.
This url is the 2020 Lowman District Travel Plan showing the entire road system.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd721827.pdf- 21 Stanley to Lowman crosses a broad pass, just a 500ft climb from Stanley, but otherwise follows a river.
21 south from there has a more serious 1800 ft climb before dropping toward Boise.
Banks-Lowman Rd, Cty 17 may have been a FS, but now it is nice paved. It continues to follow the river. At Banks it meets 55, a major highway from Boise to McCall. 55 leaves the Payette at Horeshoe Bend, followed by a modest pass. Other than potentially heavy weekend holiday traffic on 55, this should be the easier route, without has much of climb. Distance is nearly the same. - I don't see 24 on the Boise NF Travel Plan, and there is no ID state highway numbered 24 in that area.
Highway 21 makes a long, twisty decent into Lowman. It's not to be missed if you're in Stanley already. At Lowman Highway 21 turns south to Idaho City, and Highway 17 brings you from Lowman to Banks. The ride along the South Fork of the Payette is tremndous. Pine Flats camground west of Lowman is a winner and there are many others. - 21 is a Idaho highway, 24 is a forest service road. Looking at map, I would not go that way.
