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Are you looking for a breathtaking outdoor adventure? Look no further than the Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho! Jay and I discovered the beauty of these mountains in the summer of 2020, when we set out on a road trip starting from Portland, Oregon. Despite our lack of prior knowledge about the state’s natural scenery (admittedly, we thought Idaho only had farm land and potatoes… boy were we wrong!), we were blown away by the stunning Sawtooth Mountains.
From hiking trails to campgrounds and alpine lakes, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area has something for every outdoor enthusiast. We’ve put together this itinerary to share our own experiences camping and hiking in the Sawtooth Mountains and to inspire you to plan your own unforgettable outdoor adventure.
Where to Stay in the Sawtooth Mountains
When planning a trip to the Sawtooth Mountains, there are several options for camping and lodging. In this post, we’ll focus on camping specifically. To ensure you have a spot, we recommend reserving a camp site in advance, as they tend to fill up quickly. However, not all campgrounds have the option for reservations and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can visit Recreation.gov to view the available campgrounds in the area and make a reservation.
During our trip, we camped for 5 nights and had a great experience (minus the fact that it rained and snowed the first 2 nights and our tent was no longer waterproof). On our first night, we did not have a reservation but luckily we found an available campsite at the Sunny Gulch Campground near the entrance of Redfish Lake.
For the rest of the week, we had pre-booked reservations at Redfish Lake, one of the biggest alpine lakes in the area. The views were breathtaking, with clear water, white sandy beaches and sharp mountain peaks. Additionally, there was a charming rustic lodge on the north end of the lake that provided accommodation, dining, and various equipment rentals for activities on the lake.
Our campsite on Redfish Lake was at the Sockeye Campground, which ended up being the perfect spot. We had amazing views of the mountain peaks and blue water from our tent.
The Sawtooth National Forest also offers many chances for multi-day backpacking excursions. It’s important to remember to obtain a permit. This trip didn’t include backpacking, but we are excited to come back to the Sawtooth Mountains and venture into the backcountry in the future.
Hiking in the Sawtooth Mountains
During our trip to the Sawtooth Mountains, we embarked on three different hiking trails: Fishhook Creek, Bench Lakes, and Alice Lake. Each of these hikes offered breathtaking views and different levels of difficulty.
The Fishhook Creek trail was an easy hike, perfect for those with children or who are new to hiking. The Bench Lakes trail was of moderate difficulty, providing a good workout while still allowing you to take in the beautiful surroundings. Lastly, the Alice Lake hike was more challenging and is recommended for more experienced hikers as it provides a more strenuous workout and the chance to see some of the most stunning views in the Sawtooth Mountains.
Fishhook Creek Trail
Given the rainy weather on the first days of our trip, we wanted to start off with a shorter and less demanding hike, and Fishhook Creek at Trail’s End was a great option. This easy, family friendly hike starts at Redfish Trailhead, which is located on the north end of Redfish Lake, and is a 4.5 mile out-and-back. Despite its relatively low elevation gain, this hike offered stunning views of the Sawtooth Mountains, making it a worthwhile option.
Bench Lakes Trail
Our second hike was a 7.8 mile out-and-back to the Bench Lakes, which I would consider a moderate to difficult hike. Bench Lakes consists of 5 alpine lakes, however the trail ends at the second lake, Lower Bench Lake. If you continue past all 5 bodies of water, you will eventually make it to Mount Heyburn. However, this portion is off-trail, rugged, and is only recommended for very experienced hikers and climbers.
Our journey for this hike also started at the Redfish Trailhead. From here, there was a steady climb through the forest that ran parallel to Redfish Lake with scenic views of the water and the Sawtooth Mountains peaking over the trees.
Once we reached the first lake, we continued a short distance down the trail and made it to the Lower Bench Lake. Here is the perfect spot to stop for some lunch and to take in the gorgeous views before making the trek back down to Redfish Lake.
Alice Lake
Our last hike to Alice Lake was, by far, the highlight of our trip in the Sawtooth Mountains! The journey, which was a 13-mile out-and-back, was a bit challenging with some steep sections, but the breathtaking views that we encountered along the way made it all worth it.
Our hike started at Tin Cup trailhead, which is at the end of the Pettit Lake Campground. We decided to hike out to Alice Lake and back, but you can also choose to continue on the 20.6-mile loop trail that’s very popular for backpackers. For the first portion of the hike, the trail runs alongside the beautiful Pettit Lake until you reach the wilderness boundary line, where we filled out a free wilderness permit in order to continue on.
On our way up, we came across several creek crossings. Some were deeper than others, and I was very grateful to have brought my Chaco sandals for this very reason. After walking a while through the forest, we reached a portion of the trail that became very rocky and consisted of steep switchbacks up the mountain. After a few more miles, we eventually made it to our destination: Alice Lake.
The scenery was absolutely stunning. The rugged peaks of El Capitan towered over the clear, turquoise water of Alice Lake. One thing we did not expect was the amount of mosquitoes buzzing along the side of the lake so make sure to bring plenty of bug spray and a long sleeve shirt.
Paddling Redfish Lake
Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains is a popular spot for both paddle boarding and kayaking. The lake is surrounded by stunning mountain views and offers a peaceful and serene environment to explore.
We rented paddle boards and kayaks from the marina at Redfish Lake Lodge and spent a day exploring the lake. We seriously couldn’t get over how crystal clear and blue the water was and how white and sandy the beaches were.
If you’re looking for other water activities to do on the lake, the Redfish Lake Marina also offers hike boat shuttle services, lake tours, pontoon rentals, and sunset cruises.
Visit Sun Valley
The first few days in the Sawtooth Mountains were cold and rainy. So, in order to escape the rain, we decided to search for the sun elsewhere and ended up at Sun Valley. Sun Valley is a beautiful ski resort southeast of Redfish Lake that gets an average of 205 sunny days per year, which is much more than the Pacific Northwest gets! The town is known for having epic skiing and snowboarding in the winter, but also has amazing hiking and biking trails in the summer.
We spent the day window shopping, soaking up the warm sun, and eating delicious food. After exploring Sun Valley, we decided to visit Ketchum, Idaho, which is a small, lively town just outside of Sun Valley. Ketchum is an ideal place to do further shopping, and to grab a bite and a drink before returning to your campsite.
We hope this itinerary helps you start planning your next road trip to the Sawtooth Mountains!
The Sawtooths look amazing!!