As spring quickly approaches and the urge to return to the trails intensifies, I find myself reminiscing on my favorite hikes from 2023 that I didn’t have time to write about last year. As March Madness games echo in the background, I’m working on three posts highlighting trails that I would highly recommend all Idaho hikers check out this year, beginning with Sawtooth Lake. One of the most visited and well-known destinations in the range, Sawtooth Lake is popular due to its ease of access and relatively simple hike. While overcrowding can be an issue during peak times, we visited on a moody day in early October and saw only a handful of other hikers.

On the Trail

The trail begins as an easy stroll beneath towering lodgepole pines along Iron Creek. After hiking 1.3 miles and gaining just 300 feet, you’ll reach an intersection with Alpine Way Trail, a major northwest-southeast trail on the east flank of the mountains. Continue straight as spectacular views open up through the thick forest on the left. Look for two thin waterfalls crashing down the rugged slopes across the meadow.

The trail travels west then turns north, skirting the meadow and running concurrently with Alpine Way Trail until milepost 1.9. At this intersection, Alpine Way continues north, and Iron Creek-Stanley Lake Trail turns sharp left, heading into one of the Sawtooths’ typical U-shaped drainages. You’ll sidehill up the northern slope of the basin with the Sawtooth Range’s namesake pinnacles looming above you. At mile point 3.2, you’ll cross a creek and enter the zigzagging switchback portion of the trail.

The next 0.8 miles are long switchbacks with increasingly great views of the valley behind you and the 9,000+ foot tall ridge to the north. Near the four mile marker, you’ll crest a saddle and get your first glimpse of Alpine Lake, the first major point of interest along the trail (not to be confused with the other Alpine Lake in the Sawtooths, which is accessed from Redfish Lake). It’s short side trip down to the lakeshore that we skipped due to muddy conditions. By this point, you’ll have ascended almost 1,200 feet, but the gain never feels strenuous.

Continuing up the trail, the switchbacks become shorter and steeper, with dramatic exposure down to Alpine Lake as you ascend the rocky crest between drainages. With each step you take, the view of the lake gets better. It sits in a stunning bowl carved from granite, bounded to the south by the massive declivity of 9,787-foot Alpine Peak. On our visit, morning fog slowly lifted off the lake surface as we ascended. After another 0.7 miles of switchbacks and 550 feet of gain, the trail straightens and flattens out, passing a small pond formed by Sawtooth Lake’s outlet creek.

At almost five miles on the dot, you’ll arrive at the logjammed outflow of Sawtooth Lake. Here, Iron Creek-Stanley Lake Trail turns right before ascending a saddle and leaving the lake, heading towards Observation Peak and the Idaho Centennial Trail. You’ll need to hike another quarter mile up the North Fork Baron-Sawtooth Lake Trail to get the full view of the expansive lake and towering summit of Mount Regan, one of many in the range exceeding 10,000 feet. There are dozens of campsites in the area for those interested in backpacking.

On the last stretch to the lakeshore, you’ll pass through a rockslide area before arriving at a promontory point overlooking the lake. For the best views (and a killer picnic spot), hike up the small hill to the right. We would’ve spent the entire afternoon here if it hadn’t been so cold. We sat and snacked just long enough for the low-lying clouds to clear, unshrouding the striking summit of Mount Regan. Shortly after, the wind picked up and it started raining cold, fat drops – our sign to hit the trail.

When you’re ready to go, head back the way you came all the way back to the trailhead, ensuring that you make the correct turns at each intersection with Alpine Way Trail. The well-built switchbacks will save your knees a lot of pain on the descent.

Trail Stats

• Season: June to October
• Difficulty: Moderate to hard
• Type: Out-and-back
• Surface: Single track dirt, rock
• Distance: 10.6 miles
• Starting elevation: 6,722 feet
• Elevation gain: 1,900 feet

My Rating

This trail is so good it made me mad that I hadn’t hiked it before. If you haven’t hiked it yet, avoid the same mistake that I made for so long. It easily earns five stars. We loved the pensive, somber vibe on the fall day we hiked here, but I’d love to return in the summer.

How to Get There

Iron Creek Campground and Trailhead are just a few miles west of Stanley in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. From Boise, it’s your choice of Highway 21 or 55, depending on which side of town you’re coming from. Expect about 2.5 hours of travel time on either route. Most of the route is paved highway driving, with a short section of well-maintained dirt at the end, passable in any vehicle type. Here is the step-by-step navigation from the intersection of Highways 17 and 21 in Lowman, or use these steps:

1. Drive east on Highway 21 for 55.6 miles
2. Just before reaching Stanley, turn right onto NF-619
3. Continue 3.1 miles to a large parking area

There is first-come, first-serve camping available at the trailhead, which serves the Iron Creek and Alpine Way Trails. Other amenities include camp toilets, potable water, and ample parking for large vehicles and campers.

Preparation

Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Sawtooth NRA Headquarters
(208) 727-5000

Here are the need-to-know details for hiking to Sawtooth Lake:

• This is black bear country – carry personal protection and know what to do in an encounter (here is a handy guide from the Humane Society of the United States)
• There are numerous sources to pump and filter water from
• Route-finding is not necessary at any point on this trail
• Most of the trail is well-shaded by pine trees – protect yourself as needed
• Be respectful to other trail users and Leave No Trace!

Other Useful Resources

• Downloadable GPX track via AllTrails
• The Hiker’s Guide: Idaho’s Sawtooth Country by Scott Marchant
• Topographical map via Natural Atlas