The hike starts out hiking through a new growth forest recovering from the Hidden Lake Fire in 2003. Sawtooth Lake is an alpine lake in Custer County, Idaho, United States, located high in the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.The lake is approximately 6.8 miles (10.9 km) southwest of Stanley.A trail from the Iron Creek trailhead and campground leads approximately 5 miles to Sawtooth Lake. Rumor has it there are also Brook Trout in the lake. Sawtooth Lake. Sawtooth Lake is also a popular backpacking circuit and this makes the trail well trafficked. To access the trailhead, drive 17.7 miles from Stanley on Highway 75, and turn right Pettit Lake Road (gravel). There are relatively flat trails, and there are very steep trails, so choose the one that best suits you. Steeper areas employ switchbacks, but the grade is strenuous in some spots. Toxaway Lake is almost 1 mile in length and one of the largest in the Sawtooth Wilderness. The Sawtooth NRA has over 700 miles of trails, 40 peaks rising over 10,000 feet and 300-plus high-elevation alpine lakes that add to the spectacular scenery and vistas. Deep lake beds prevent the water from freezing all the way through and most fish populations survive the winter months unscathed. This trail is actually longer than Goat Lake but the trail grade is much less steep. Turn right, cross the bridge, bear left at the "Y" intersection, and drive 0.6 mile to the Tin Cup Transfer Camp parking area. Very photogenic Sawtooth Lake is one of the most-visited corners of the Sawtooths; expect to see other hikers here on nice summer weekends and to compete for campsites with backpackers. Sawtooth Lake is a 6 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Dillon, Montana that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is well signed the … The 10-mile round trip hike grants beautiful views of the incredible alpine lake and surrounding wilderness area. The last 5km of forest road to the trailhead was unpaved and heavily washboarded, still in better shape than the one to Hyndman Peak trailhead though. The hike to Sawtooth Lake isn’t technical, but it does include several steep climbs. I’m so glad that our first introduction to the Sawtooth Range was the Alice Lake area, because it is hands-down one of the most beautiful trails I’ve ever been on (and I’ve been on a LOT of beautiful trails). This was a great hike with gorgeous views, just be sure not to miss the trail turnoff where the arrow has come off the sign - keep left on the trail to head to Sawtooth Lake (branching right will take you miles out of the way towards Stanley Lake) Follow road 1.5 miles to a four-way intersection. At 5.8 miles, you can go right to upper Eagle Lake or shortly after that, left to Eagle (7 miles from the trailhead). Previous trail reports cover condition fairly well. From the lake, the trail splits off in three different directions. Everything You Need to Know About Hiking Sawtooth Lake Iron Creek to Sawtooth Lake Trail Details. Sawtooth Lake. In fact, this area of the Sawtooth Mountains absolutely took our breath away. After that, your trail ends until Sawtooth Lake. Sawtooth Lake Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, located in the heart of Idaho, is home to majestic landscapes—nearly 1000 miles of rivers and streams, 40 peaks towering over 10,000 feet, and over 1100 lakes. Sawtooth Lake can be reached by an 8-km (5-mi) trail that starts from the Iron Creek trailhead just off the Sawtooth National Forest Road 619. Get to the most southerly end of Goat Lake–I found hopping up on to the ridge east of the lake easier than following the shoreline. This trail climbs 520 m (1,710 ft) and takes about six hours out and back. Even in summer, light snows often accent the crags and their slopes above the treeline. Contact Us. Just note that (at least for our group), the junction at Cooney Lake was a little confusing. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from July until September. 1. For Monday, we figured we should see the Sawtooths’ namesake lake. If we had continued down this path, we would have eventually ended up at Foggy Dew Campground which … Chadd Cripe ccripe@idahostatesman.com The last 2 miles get steep. Alice Lake, sitting under the watchful eye of El Capitan, is utterly breathtaking. From the trailhead at 4,700 feet, take trail 431 past the Crater Lake trail and past the Martin Creek trail at 2.0 miles and continue on. Most of the high passes are still snowed in. The subtle saddle to the south of Sawtooth Lake drops into the North Fork of Baron Creek. Mount Regan and Sawtooth Lake; Higher view of Sawtooth Lake and Mount Regan; We continued beyond Sawtooth lake on Trail 478 about 0.8 miles to explore a small set of lakes. For Fishing: Redfish Lake Trail. Sawtooth Lake Trail On the map, the parking lot was at “Iron Creek Trailhead”, named after the creek flowing next to it. Wilderness Regulations. The western trail traverses to a divide with Stanley Lake Creek and drops onto the McGown Lakes. We were happy to hike it during a shoulder month to enjoy it in solitude. Recreational pursuits include outdoor activities like camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing, boating and canoeing, rafting, observing nature, photography and bicycling. 5. Sitting on the western edge of the Sawtooth Mountains, the Alice Lake – Toxaway Lake Loop is a gorgeous backpacking trail that will constantly leave you in awe. It is a 10-mile easy round trip on a nice path to walk from one end of Redfish lake to the other. There is a great viewpoint there. This 10-mile trek begins at the Iron Creek Trailhead and is only a 12-minute drive from your Triangle C Cabins rental. At 8,430 feet, it’s about 8.5 miles round-trip and 1,700 vertical feet from the Iron Creek Trailhead.The trail … The water is clear, the forest is thick, and the wildflowers are fully in bloom! Sawtooth Lake is one of the best day hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains. It is roughly a mile from Alpine Lake to Sawtooth Lake, and the elevation gain is close to 600 feet. Sawtooth Lake is relatively large as alpine lakes tend to run. I took the trail along the north end of the lake to the pass between Sawtooth Lake and the McGown Lakes. The trail gradually steepens as you climb up onto the ridge, passing through gorgeous wildflower fields and aspen groves. Approaching a fishing trip to the Sawtooths demands preparation. The trail at Sawtooth Lake splits and continues over two separate divides. The Sawtooth Wilderness offers over 700 miles of hiking trails, with opportunities for camping, hiking, biking, trail running, and wildlife watching.We've searched high and low for the best hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains, and we've found the best trails for the ideal Sawtooth … You'll find it nestled in a bare, rocky bowl at the base of Mt Regan. From Toxaway we continued on to Farley Lake. After leaving Alpine Lake, hiking to Sawtooth Lake is more strenuous because the trail climbs at a faster pace. While way more “thawed out” than Goat Lake and Sawtooth Lake, it is hard to top the views at Redfish Lake. Take the Fishhook Creek Trail (Trail 186) for about a half-mile, until you see the sign for Marshall Lake, and follow this trail to the right. It captures a little bit of everything, and it’s an easy 5.5-mile … Most of the trail to Sawtooth Lake is a pleasant walk with a small uphill grade. 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