Land for Sale in Shoshone County, ID
Shoshone County is Idaho's Silver Valley: 2,635 square miles with 13,169 residents (2020 census), Wallace as its seat, Kellogg as its largest city and Interstate 90 running through it. A century of silver, lead and zinc mining left contamination, and part of the county is the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, with a local permit program for digging and building. This guide covers that and the land market.
Shoshone County at a glance
- County seat: Wallace. Cities: Kellogg (the largest), Wallace, Mullan, Osburn, Pinehurst and Smelterville; Wardner is also here.
- 2020 population 13,169; about 2,635 square miles; about 5 people per square mile.
- Known as the Silver Valley for its silver, lead and zinc mining history; Interstate 90 runs through the county.
- Part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is in the county; Lookout Pass is a ski area on the Montana line.
- The Bunker Hill Superfund Site's Institutional Controls Program is run by Panhandle Health District, with an office in Kellogg.
The Shoshone County land market
Buyers look for small-town lots and houses in Kellogg, Wallace and Smelterville, forest acreage, cabin sites and recreation land near Lookout Pass and the national forest. Prices are generally lower than in resort areas, and the main questions are contamination status, slope and access. Parcels on steep mountainsides are common.
Bunker Hill Superfund and the ICP permit
The Bunker Hill Superfund Site was cleaned up by removing contaminated soil from residential yards, parks and commercial properties and covering the rest with clean barriers. To protect those barriers, the Institutional Controls Program (ICP), run by Panhandle Health District, requires a permit before a project that disturbs dirt inside the Bunker Hill administrative boundary. Permits and consultations are free, and the program provides clean soil for small projects and picks up soil removed from them. Contractors working inside the boundary need to follow the program's rules, and Idaho has changed the program's regulatory framework in recent years, so confirm the current requirements with Panhandle Health District.
Whether a parcel is covered depends on its location, so ask Panhandle Health District for its ICP boundary map and for the property's sample data and remediation records before you buy. Land outside the boundary is not covered by the program, but ask about mining history on any parcel.
Slopes, water and access
Steep terrain, mine waste and old workings affect building sites. Ask for a septic evaluation, a driveway estimate and any geotechnical concerns, and confirm recorded legal access. Wells and public water vary by location. Winter snow matters on mountain roads.
Before you buy land in Shoshone County
- Whether the parcel is inside the Bunker Hill ICP boundary and its remediation records.
- An ICP permit before any digging, grading or renovation inside the boundary.
- Mining history, mine waste and old workings on the parcel.
- Slope, septic, driveway cost and legal access.
- Winter snow, wildfire and distance to services.
Land due diligence checklistHow to verify legal access to land
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to dig in Kellogg, Idaho?
Inside the Bunker Hill Superfund administrative boundary, the Institutional Controls Program requires a permit before a project that disturbs dirt. Permits are free, and Panhandle Health District, from its Kellogg office, can tell you whether your address is covered.
Who runs the Institutional Controls Program?
Panhandle Health District, from its Kellogg office.
Why is it called the Silver Valley?
For the silver, lead and zinc mining that made the area famous.