Good dayhikes in Sawtooths?

[Shan]

Sure I can google and look for a list of moderate trails! But I thought I'd get first hand experience from someone who has done the trail.

We usually bike up here, but this will be a backpacking or day hiking thing. Not sure yet, my friend is newly pg.

[Scott P]

Obersvation Peak may be the best day hike of all, but at 14 miles round trip, plan on an all day hike. Also hiking to the base of Elephants Perch is really cool.

[Shan]

These don't sound familiar! Sawtooth National Recreation Area, ID?

[jb]

Elephant's Perch is the west face of Saddleback Peak, located in a southern tributary to Redfish Lake Creek. Very neat area with several lakes. Easiest to take a shuttle boat to the transfer camp. Observation Peak is on the west side of the range, closer to Grandjean. From Redfish Lake, another good dayhike is to the Bench Lakes, nestled against Mt. Heyburn. The lakes at the head of Alpine Creek, which feeds into Alturas Lake, are beautiful and uncrowded, but are reached only by steep, rough hikes on primitive paths--but total distance is only about 5 miles one way. On the other side of the SNRA, you can drive into the White Clouds on the 4th of July Creek Road. From road-end, 4th of July Lake is an easy 1-2 mile hike. Ants Basin and the Born Lakes are spectacular and another 3 miles or so to the north and east. Scenery-wise, all these places are outstanding.

Jeff

[Shan]

Thanks JB!

Welcome to the site! As you can see we're not all just Utah stuff!

[Scott P]

Sawtooth National Recreation Area, ID?

Yes.

Observation Peak is the only peak in the entire Sawtooth Range that has a trail to the top. Some beta is below:

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/152882/observation-peak-id.html

The view from the top is below:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/62691.jpg

The base of Elepahant Perch is at Saddleback Lakes. The trail begins at Redfish Lake.

A photo of Elephants Perch and Saddleback Lake is below:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/206478.JPG

[Shan]

wow, that is stunning!

[rockgremlin]

Ummmm.....you might wanna check the Iidaho.com forum. :lol8:

Just kiddin'!

[welsmj64]

I really enjoyed the pictures that were posted. I grew up on the Cape Horn Ranger Station when I was a kid, which is north west of Stanley. We also hiked all over central Idaho running survival trips and doing trail contracts in the 70's and early 80's. Thanks for sharing the photos. :2thumbs: