The Best Day Hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains!

A photo collage containing pictures of alpine lakes, mountains, and fall foliage — The best day hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains! From upper left, hiking to Thompson Peak, 4th of July Creek Valley from Blackmon Peak, views en route to Goat Lake, and hiking along Sawtooth Lake

The Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho are a not-so-hidden gem of the Rocky Mountains. With sparkling alpine lakes, towering craggy peaks, and peaceful forests (not to mention some nice creeks), it’s a hiker’s paradise with many miles of trails. In this post, I’ll talk about some of my favorite day hikes (most of which also make great backpacking treks) in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Sawtooth Wilderness.

Mountains frame a rugged, rocky valley and a lovely blue alpine lake — An unnamed lake beyond Sawtooth Lake

The one issue with day hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains is that they’re typically long. Most of the hikes I mention here are over 8 miles RT. And while that’s fine for my group (they’re pretty strong hikers), add some elevation gain, and you’ve got yourself a workout. The good news? You won’t realize how tired you are because you’ll be too fixated on the views!

Evening casts golden glow on meadows and deep shadows on the distant mountains — Evening walking down the rought dirt road from Silver Lake

My favorite time to hike in Sawtooth National Recreation Area is in the autumn when the trees are just beginning to change color, usually late September and into early October. Summer can be nice, too, though it can also be hot, and the trails often don’t thaw out until early July (be wary of stream crossings early in the season).

A gray craggy peak rises above the rich gold of aspen trees — Aspen trees in color on the way to Thompson Peak

And now, for the best day hikes in Sawtooth National Recreation Area!

An alpine lake is separated from a path by green fir trees and red bushes with two small peaks in the background — Hiking above the shore of Sawtooth Lake

Sawtooth Lake

11.1 to 13.5 miles RT

One of the most classic hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains, Sawtooth Lake is gorgeous. You’ll need to hike along the lakeshore for the best views, and if you go all of the way to the end of the lake and across the saddle beyond, you’ll be treated to another fantastic view.

Tan meadows sit below gray peaks in a range of mountains — Looking down on Antz Basin from the ridgeline near Blackmon Peak

Blackmon Peak/Antz Basin

7.8 miles RT

While Blackmon Peak and Antz Basin are in the White Cloud Mountains across the valley from the Sawtooths, I include it on this list because 1) it’s quite near the town of Stanley (just like most of the rest of the hikes here), and 2) it has one of the most incredible views I saw in the Sawtooths Mountains area. Once up on the ridgeline, you can choose whether you want to walk the ridgeline up the peak or descend via the trail into the basin.

A very blue lake sits beneath rugged rocky walls of cliffs with green trees on the left side of the lake — The blue splendor of Goat Lake

Goat Lake

9.9 miles RT

I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a lake as blue as Goat Lake. Plus the cliffs above the lake make it truly a sight to remember. I’d have it higher on the list, but a scramble up a rockfield is more than many people want to tackle (though there is a “trail” of sorts closer to the treeline that I missed on my way up to the lake).

Clouds sail in a blue sky above a jagged, rocky ridgeline sheltering a green gem of a lake in the middle of scree fields — Looking down at the valley we just ascended en route to Thompson Peak

Thompson Peak (OR the Fishhook Creek Trail)

14+ miles RT

The highest mountain in the Sawtooth Range, Thompson Peak has some great views (and rugged scrambles) along the way to its summit. If you just don’t feel like scrambling loose rock on a steep hillside, the Fishhook Creek Trail is much more benign, only 4.6 miles RT, and offers nice views, too.

An alpine stream flows between green banks on the edge of a rock field below two peaks — Following a small stream toward Silver Lake

Silver Lake

6.4 miles RT

The Silver Lake Trail is beautiful, but it’s also incredibly steep. Located away from the rest of the hikes on this list and closer to Ketchum, it’s still a pretty amazing and quiet hike if you happen to be in the area and have high clearance to get to the trailhead.

Alpine Lake

8.5 miles RT

Alpine Lake is a favorite of backpackers who don’t want to go all of the way up to Sawtooth Lake. It has a pretty setting, just not quite as stunning as some of the other hikes on this list.

A silky waterfall flows over rocks beneath a rock overhang — A waterfall below Lady Face Falls

Lady Face Falls

5.1 miles RT

I hesitated to put this on the list at all, and on “best of” lists, you’re much more likely to see Bridalveil Falls (which might be good in the spring, but in the fall, it’s just not worth the steep, slippery wanna-be trail required to get up to it). But if you don’t mind a little bit of a scramble around the falls area (use care!), Lady Face Falls (post coming soon; for now, use this link) is a lovely set of cascades on a little creek en route to Bridalveil Falls.

Do you have a favorite hike in the Sawtooth Mountains? Let me know in the comments!

A trail winds through a golden meadow with a few stunted fir trees while jagged, rocky peaks rise beyond — Hiking the unofficial trail toward Thompson Peak

Helpful Information

Fees: There is no fee to hike from the trailheads into the Sawtooth Mountains. The campgrounds do charge a fee, despite what some (older) websites say.

Permits: Hiking into the Sawtooth Wilderness requires a free, self-serve permit, available at most trailheads. Attach it to your pack or another visible location, and you’re good to go!

In a desolate mountain landscape, a blue lake sits placidly. Views extend to the valley beyond the mountains. — Looking into a valley below Thompson Peak

Camping/Lodging: Many people visit the Sawtooths to go backpacking. There are fire restrictions around several of the lakes and quite a few places to camp throughout the wilderness, and a free permit is required. Roadside camping is available in several NFS campgrounds; there is some free dispersed camping, but not at popular trailheads (which usually have official campgrounds nearby). Lodging is available in Stanley and other nearby communities.

Food: Restaurants and a convenience store are available in Stanley – just be ready to pay backwoods prices. Ketchum has more high-scale dining options.

Water: Drinking water is most likely to be found in a campground. This gets tricky if you’re not staying at the campground, but we managed it.

More Hikes in the Sawtooth Mountains

The premier guide to Sawtooth National Recreation Area and the surrounding mountain ranges, it’s a must-have when planning trips to the range, covering 143 trails. Buy your copy here.

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