Lemhi County occupies 4,569 square miles of east-central Idaho — the fourth largest county in Idaho by area — in the upper Salmon River drainage, bounded on the east by the Continental Divide (which forms the Idaho-Montana border). The county was established in 1869 and named for Fort Lemhi, a short-lived Mormon missionary settlement from 1855 to 1858. The name Lemhi is drawn from the Book of Mormon, specifically King Limhi. The county’s history is layered with significance: on August 12, 1805, Meriwether Lewis and three companions crossed Lemhi Pass to become the first Americans of European descent to enter what is now Idaho. Their guide, Sacagawea, was born in the Lemhi Valley near present-day Salmon — and her brother, Cameahwait, was chief of the local Lemhi Shoshone band. The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Educational Center in Salmon commemorates this history on 71 acres along the Lemhi River.
Salmon, the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city, sits at the confluence of the Lemhi River and the Salmon River at approximately 3,944 feet elevation. With approximately 3,337 residents, it serves as the commercial, medical, government, and cultural hub for a vast rural hinterland of cattle ranches, mining operations, and wilderness country. The Salmon River — which Lewis and Clark deemed impassable and which earned the name “River of No Return” for its deep canyons and powerful whitewater — flows through the county before entering the Frank Church Wilderness to the west. Lemhi County has one of Idaho’s oldest median ages (53.3 years) and was losing population as of 2024 due to net outmigration, reflecting the broader challenge of sustaining rural economies in remote mountain communities.
All landlord-tenant matters in Lemhi County are governed by Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. (evictions), §§ 6-320 and 6-321 (security deposits), and §§ 55-208 and 55-307 (tenancy and notice). Eviction actions are filed as Unlawful Detainer proceedings at the Lemhi County District Court (Seventh Judicial District), 206 Courthouse Drive, Salmon, ID 83467, (208) 742-1673. Idaho prohibits rent control statewide.
Salmon (~3,337), Leadore (~102), North Fork, Gibbonsville, Shoup, Cobalt (unincorp.); several ghost towns
Median Age
53.3 years — one of Idaho’s oldest counties; 30% are 65+
Median HH Income
~$53,202
Homeownership Rate
~79.3% — high; thin rental market
Principal Economy
Cattle ranching; outdoor recreation & tourism (Salmon River whitewater, steelhead fishing, big game hunting); Salmon-Challis National Forest (USFS employment); retail trade (Salmon serves 100+ mile radius); Lemhi Valley Hospital; county government; some mining
Historic Significance
Birthplace of Sacagawea (Lemhi Shoshone; Sacajawea Interpretive Center); Lewis & Clark crossed Lemhi Pass Aug 12, 1805 (first American entry into Idaho); “River of No Return” (Salmon River)
Rent Control
Prohibited statewide (Idaho Code § 55-304)
Landlord Rating
3/10 — Very thin rental market; declining population; very high homeownership; remote; recreation economy not sufficient to offset outmigration; no local ordinances
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
3-Day Notice to Perform or Quit
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
30-Day Written Notice
Court
Lemhi County District Court — Magistrate Division (7th Judicial District)
Courthouse Address
206 Courthouse Dr, Salmon, ID 83467
Court Phone
Main: (208) 742-1673 — General: (208) 756-8606
Court Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Process Name
Unlawful Detainer
Post-Judgment
Writ of Possession; tenant has 72 hrs to vacate
Security Deposit
No cap; return within 21 days; 3× penalty for wrongful withholding
Avg Timeline
3–5 weeks typical
Lemhi County Local Ordinances & Landlord Rules
Idaho state law governs landlord-tenant matters — no supplemental local ordinances in Lemhi County
Category
Details
No Local Ordinances
Neither Lemhi County nor the City of Salmon has enacted local landlord-tenant ordinances supplementing Idaho state law. No rental registration, no source-of-income protections, no supplemental notice requirements. Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. applies exclusively throughout the county.
Rent Control
Idaho Code § 55-304 prohibits rent control statewide. No jurisdiction in Lemhi County may enact rent stabilization. Month-to-month rent increases require 30 days’ prior written notice before the rent due date.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap under Idaho law. Idaho Code § 6-321 requires return of the deposit or itemized written deductions within 21 days of tenancy end (up to 30 if lease specifies). Failure to comply forfeits the right to withhold and exposes the landlord to 3× damages plus attorney fees. Move-in and move-out condition documentation is essential at all rent levels.
The Single-City County
Salmon is not merely the county seat of Lemhi County — it is the county’s only incorporated city, and it serves as the regional hub for a vast rural area that extends more than 100 miles in some directions without another incorporated municipality. Salmon’s grocery stores, medical facilities (Lemhi Valley Hospital), hardware stores, and government offices serve a catchment area far larger than its population of 3,337 would suggest. This concentration of all services in a single small city means the rental market, such as it is, is almost entirely located within Salmon. Unincorporated communities like North Fork, Gibbonsville, and Leadore have minimal rental housing stock.
Recreation Economy and Seasonal Patterns
Lemhi County’s Salmon River is one of the preeminent outdoor recreation resources in the American West. The main Salmon River and its Middle Fork offer world-class whitewater rafting (the Frank Church Wilderness section is accessible only by river or trail), exceptional steelhead fishing, and backcountry horse-packing into one of the most remote wilderness areas in the contiguous United States. Big game hunting — elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat — draws hunters from across the country in September and October, generating significant seasonal economic activity for Salmon’s outfitters, motels, and supply stores. USFS seasonal employees at the Salmon-Challis National Forest add a summer rental demand component. Fixed-term seasonal leases for summer/fall recreation workers are the appropriate vehicle for this market segment.
Population Demographics
Lemhi County’s median age of 53.3 years reflects a community that has been aging for decades as young adults leave for educational and economic opportunities elsewhere. Approximately 30% of the population is 65 or older. The county was losing population in 2024 through net outmigration. The rental market is extremely thin: 79.3% homeownership leaves approximately 20% of households in rental units, and much of that rental stock consists of older housing in Salmon. Landlords should not expect significant rental demand growth and should plan carefully for vacancy between tenants.
Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. — statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Lemhi County
⚡ Quick Overview
3
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
3
Days Notice (Violation)
15-30
Avg Total Days
$166
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Notice Period3 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes
Days to Hearing5-12 days
Days to Writ3-5 days
Total Estimated Timeline15-30 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
Idaho is very landlord-friendly with fast timelines. 3-day notice is one of the shortest in the nation. No state-mandated cure period beyond the notice.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Magistrate Court. Pay the filing fee (~$166).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Idaho eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Idaho attorney or local legal aid organization.
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~7,974 residents; aging (median 53.3 yrs); losing population 2024. Salmon (only city, ~3,337; confluence of Lemhi & Salmon Rivers; 3,944 ft elev.). Birthplace of Sacagawea (Sacajawea Interpretive Center). Lewis & Clark crossed Lemhi Pass Aug 12, 1805 (first entry into Idaho). Salmon River (“River of No Return”). 4th largest Idaho county by area (4,569 sq mi). Continental Divide = eastern border. Ranching, recreation, USFS. Median HH income ~$53,202. Homeownership ~79.3%. No local ordinances. 3-day nonpayment notice. No deposit cap; 21-day return. No rent control. 7th JD, 206 Courthouse Dr, Salmon, (208) 742-1673.
Lemhi County
Screen Before You Sign
Best profiles: Lemhi County government employees; Lemhi Valley Hospital staff (healthcare, stable employment); Salmon School District teachers and staff; USFS Salmon-Challis NF year-round permanent employees; established ranching operation year-round staff (verify annual income documentation). For seasonal workers (guides, outfitters, USFS seasonal, hunting camp staff): fixed-term May–November leases; verify employer letter. Given thin applicant pool, apply 3x income-to-rent standard consistently and run Idaho court records. In a community this small, written leases and formal notice procedures are especially important.
Sacagawea Country and the River of No Return: Landlording in Lemhi County, Idaho
On August 12, 1805, Meriwether Lewis and three companions crested Lemhi Pass on the Continental Divide — pausing at a small spring that sent water east toward the Missouri and west toward the Salmon — and became the first Americans of European descent to enter what is now Idaho. They were following the guidance of Sacagawea, the young Lemhi Shoshone woman who had been born in this very valley, whose brother Cameahwait would prove to be the chief of the local band, and whose knowledge of the landscape and language made the expedition’s survival possible. The Lemhi Valley — the long mountain valley through which the Lemhi River flows north to join the Salmon River at present-day Salmon — is as historically significant a landscape as any in the American West. Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. governs all residential tenancies here today.
Sacagawea’s Homeland
Sacagawea was born around 1788 to the Agaidika band of the Lemhi Shoshone — whose name means “salmon eaters” — in the upper Lemhi Valley near present-day Salmon. As a young child, she was kidnapped by Hidatsa warriors during a raid and taken to what is now North Dakota, where she eventually became the wife of French-Canadian trader Toussaint Charbonneau. When Lewis and Clark needed an interpreter for their passage through Shoshone territory, Charbonneau — and Sacagawea — joined the expedition. The discovery that Sacagawea’s brother Cameahwait was chief of the very band Lewis had encountered at Lemhi Pass was one of the expedition’s most dramatic moments, and her role in securing horses for the mountain crossing was decisive. The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Educational Center in Salmon, opened in 2003 on 71 acres along the Lemhi River, commemorates her life and the cultural history of the Lemhi Shoshone people.
The River of No Return
Lewis and Clark’s attempt to descend the Salmon River was quickly abandoned. The river — which drops steeply through a deep, narrow canyon with powerful rapids — was deemed impassable by the expedition’s standards, and they turned north toward Lolo Pass instead. The Salmon River earned the name “River of No Return” for its formidable canyon character: once committed to a river voyage downstream, there was historically no practical way to return upstream against the current. Today, the Salmon River and its Middle Fork are among the most celebrated whitewater rivers in the United States. The Middle Fork’s 100-mile trip through the Frank Church Wilderness is accessible only by river or trail, entirely roadless, and produces conditions from Class III to Class V rapids over five days of rafting that draw paddlers from across the country and internationally. Commercial outfitters operating out of Salmon guide these expeditions, employing local guides and support staff each summer.
A County of Vast Space and Few People
With 4,569 square miles and approximately 7,974 residents, Lemhi County averages fewer than 2 people per square mile. The county is entirely rural by census definition. Salmon, with roughly 3,337 residents, is not only the county seat — it is the county’s only incorporated city, serving as the healthcare, retail, government, and social hub for a catchment area that extends more than 100 miles in some directions. The county’s median age of 53.3 years is among the highest in Idaho, and approximately 30% of residents are 65 or older. Young adults consistently leave for educational and employment opportunities in Boise, Idaho Falls, Missoula, and elsewhere, while the remaining population ages in place. This demographic trajectory translates into a thin rental market with very limited demand growth potential.
Filing Evictions in Salmon
The Lemhi County District Court at 206 Courthouse Drive in Salmon serves the Seventh Judicial District. Main: (208) 742-1673; General: (208) 756-8606. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In a county this small and remote, the courthouse is well-known to the local population and the magistrate judges are likely familiar with many landlord-tenant situations in the community. Written leases, properly served notices, and thorough condition documentation protect landlords here as they do everywhere in Idaho — and in a small community, the procedural integrity of a formal eviction process is especially important when both parties may be personally known to the court.
Lemhi County landlord-tenant matters governed by Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. (evictions), §§ 6-320 and 6-321 (security deposits), and §§ 55-208 and 55-307 (tenancy and notice). Nonpayment: 3-day pay or vacate. Lease violation: 3-day perform or quit. No-cause termination (month-to-month): 30-day written notice. Security deposit: no cap; return within 21 days (up to 30 if lease specifies); 3x penalty for improper handling. No rent control (Idaho Code § 55-304). No local landlord-tenant ordinances. Eviction: Unlawful Detainer at Lemhi County District Court (7th Judicial District), 206 Courthouse Dr, Salmon, ID 83467; Main (208) 742-1673; General (208) 756-8606; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm. 72-hour post-judgment vacate; Writ of Possession if tenant remains. Consult a licensed Idaho attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Lemhi County, Idaho and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Idaho attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
