Fortymile Wild and Scenic River
Managed by Bureau of Land Management
14,619 acres5.4 mi of trail
Mosquito Fork Dredge Overlook TrailFranklin TrailcTractor Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Bryanhiggs at en.wikipedia · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Chicken
More than half of Chicken’s land is conserved: 90%
90% of Chicken’s land is conserved, about 66,560 acres. The biggest trail networks: Fortymile Wild and Scenic River (5.4 mi). 5 acres are parks and preserves, 419 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
90%
66,560 acres · of 115.9 sq mi of land
Trails
29 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
5 ac
419 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
2 boat launches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Fortymile Wild and Scenic River, with 5.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Historic Dredge Camp
Park
5 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
66,560 conserved acres
90% of Chicken’s land. Who manages Chicken’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources52,659 ac
Bureau of Land Management14,114 ac
State Other or Unknown · 52,659 acNational Public Lands · 14,114 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 2 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Tentatively Approved (tad) State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 52,659 | Unknown |
| Eastern Interior Field Office National Public Lands | Bureau of Land Management | 14,114 | Open |
Things to do
7 places to go in Chicken
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Chicken
2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Chicken
Lost Chicken Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Chicken
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
3 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 5.5 mi
Tractor Trail6.6 mi
Franklin Trailc4.4 mi
Mosquito Fork Dredge Overlook Trail0.6 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Chicken: June and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 5.3 | 8.4 | 11.5 | 14.9 | 18.3 | 21.0 | 19.7 | 16.3 | 12.9 | 9.6 | 6.3 | 4.2 |
| High (°F) | -11 | 1 | 20 | 42 | 58 | 69 | 70 | 64 | 53 | 31 | 4 | -7 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
February is the driest month (0.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 70 °F). 2.8 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Chicken →
Questions about parks and trails in Chicken
Where can I hike in Chicken?
The longest trail networks: Fortymile Wild and Scenic River, 5.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Chicken’s trails?
Fortymile Wild and Scenic River and Historic Dredge Camp don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Chicken?
16,895 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Chicken or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 540 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Chicken neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →