Idaho hiking recommendations requested
Will be taking four days to drive from Lewiston,, ID to Boise in early Sept 2010. Can anyone recommend places/hikes/hot springs/lodging/pubs/etc that should be on our list?
Hells Canyon, Seven Devils
Walllowa Mtns, Oregon
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
It sounds like you're looking for some nice stops along the way and not trailheads for multi-day pack trips.
If so than Moon-Dipper hot-springs is a beautiful spot that is not too far out of the way. The hot water is flowing out of a hole in a rock about chest height. I've seen moose on the hike there every time but once and there is a nice place to pitch a tent close by.
A little less than an hour north of Boise, assuming you're traveling on Hwy 55 is the "town" of Banks. Go east on State Hwy 24 (Banks-Lowman Rd.) to the town of Crouch. From Crouch, go north on Middle Fork Rd. This will eventually turn to gravel and become Forest Service road 698. Park at the end of FS 698 (at this point, FS 678 is continuous with 698 but heads in an Easterly direction).
There are hot-springs close to where you park as well as some small cabins but to get to Moon Dipper, following the trail on the W side of the Middle Fork River for two miles. If you hike an additional two miles beyond Moon Dipper there are more hot-springs. I have only hiked past them at night so I'm not familiar with them.
I don't remember distances exactly but I believe you could make it from Hwy 55 to the Trail Head in 1.5 hrs. You'll be traveling on gravel for the final 23 miles on FS 698. It's well taken care of.
I live in Boise and know tons of great spots. What do you want to do? Looking for just short day hikes? Or,an overnight?
Your very best bet is to checkout lodges in Mccall,Idaho. You will drive right thru there anyways. Just outside of Mccall are tons of awsometrailsleading to alpine lakes.
My favorite is the Loon Lake loop trail. It is a good dayhike, starts alonng the Sesatch river, with a few sandy beaches. then, it crosses a footbridge, and gains about 800 ft and ends up at Loon Lake. Next to loon lake is a crashed wreckage of a WW-2 bomber! It crashed there back in the forties and the pilot and crew went on an amazing winter survival hike out.
Loon Lake trail info good info and directions to trail head at Chinook campground. Also,lots of lodges in and around Mccall.
LoLo Trail
If you enjoy history, spend a day or two on the LoLo Trail. It is the route that Lewis and Clark took through the Bitterroot Mountains.Originally Posted by Bob Anderson
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/lolo_trail.htm
Shutterbug
These are great recommendations...thank you! The first leg of trip is white water rafting on Hells Canyon portion of Snake River then picking up rental car and auto hiking down to Boise - we'll have gear for good (10 or so miles) day hikes but we'll be staying in lodges/hotels during the evening.
The drive takes you right thru Mccall on the way to Boise. There are about 10 lodges there.
Saw Tooth Mountains
There are also some great hikes in the Saw Tooth Mountains, but they are east of Boise. You can stay in Salmon, ID.
Shutterbug
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
