Idaho Trails

Pitch camp next to an alpine lake, rocky peaks, and a WWII plane wreck in Idaho’s Salmon River Mountains.

Mountains, lakes, and sunshine: this route has everything a hiker could want.

When it comes to backpacking destinations, Hells Canyon takes the cake.

Boise National Forest, Idaho

Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho

Delve deep on this 40-mile epic through Hells Canyon, one of America's wildest geological features.

If you’re planning on spending a night on the shores of Stanley Lake, make sure you bring and extra pair of dry socks.

Explore the moonscape of Idaho—lava tubes, cinder cones, caves, and tunnels— on this weekend trip.

Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho

Alpine meets Caribbean on this Idaho gem.

Visit Craters of the Moon to see this lava-tubed wonder under an azure sky.

More like “Twin Phallic.”

Just on the outskirts of town, this 7-mile foothills loop climbs to 3,570 feet with big views of Boise before returning alongside a trickling stream.

Bag two peaks on this 12-mile out-and-back, with breathtaking views of Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, and the surrounding mountains, lakes, and prairies.

A roller-coaster 9.2-mile hike hits two peaks with views of Lake Pend Oreille, Rathdrum prairie, and the Selkirk and Coeur d'Alene Mountains.

Set aside a long weekend for great fishing on this 32.4-mile loop in the remote Salmon River Mountains, where crystal waters attract elk, moose, and bears.

Hike into the Bitterroots' untamed backcountry, with its plentiful moose and berries, on this 11-mile out-and-back to an exquisite lakeside campsite.

This hearty 9.4-miler in the Palouse Range is guaranteed to satisfy your lust for wildlife sightings and mountain valley views.

This 6.6-mile technical out-and-back follows the steep runoff of Beehive Creek 2,000 feet to the rocky shores of two alpine lakes in the proposed Selkirk Mountains Wilderness.

Hike along gorgeous ridges and rumbling creeks to an old cabin on this 8.5-mile loop in the Pioneer Mountains.

Travel 12 miles through dense evergreen groves and wildflower-dotted meadows to a lonesome fire outpost overlooking Boise National Forest.

This year-round route runs 6.9 miles along the astonishingly clear Rapid River through evergreen forests to campsites in the Hells Canyon region.

This 9.1-miler follows a windswept ridge in the Danskin Mountains and ends with views of Boise, the Arrowrock Reservoir, and surrounding peaks.

With its forested route and views of a stunning lake ringed by peaks, this 8.6-miler is a first-rate snapshot of the gorgeous Sawtooth Wilderness.

This 11.6-miler crosses the Snake River, then heads downstream through a magnificent desert canyon known for its raptors and hidden rock art.

Dip into a remote high desert canyon punctuated by cliff walls and volcanic rock pillars to a scenicplateau with 360-degree views of southeast Idaho.

This 6.2-mile out-and-back charges up a mountain creek and into a canyon tucked below the snow-crested Boulder Mountains.

Payoffs are big on this remote 7.8-miler in the Smoky Mountains: No crowds, beautiful mountain views, and steamy hot springs.

Crane your neck at an ultra-secluded, towering Idaho canyon.

Visit a four-star waterfall on this easy 3-mile hike in Clearwater National Forest.

Trace the banks of the Crooked River on this 6.6-mile out-and-back in Boise National Forest that links picturesque fishing holes and a sandy strip of beach.

Take an otherworldly trek to the source of an ancient lava flow.

Rent a forest fire lookout and drink in spectacular views.

Visit meadow-rimmed lakes in Salmon National Forest.

Just minutes from downtown, this 9.4-mile loop in the Boise foothills offers a quick escape from the city on one of the newest sections of the Ridge to Rivers trail system.

This 6.3-mile, out-and-back dayhike with an upper loop section explores a quiet desert creek valley and leads to hillsides covered in wildflowers in late spring and views of the Boise skyline and Foothills and the Owyhee Mountains across the Boise River Valley.

Explore a supersized wilderness that's home to Idaho's densest population of gray wolves.

Climb the high point of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Swim, climb, nap, repeat. This Sawtooths trek has it all.

One of Idaho's premier backcountry destinations, this 11.7-mile out-and-back begins with a boat ride across Redfish Lake and ends at the crystalline waters of Alpine Lake.

Share the trail with resident elk, deer and mountain goats on this 5.6-mile out-and-back in Idaho's Boulder Mountains.

This rigorous, 9-mile out-and-back near Ketchum travels to a scenic mountain pass in the heart of the Boulder Mountains.

Popular with dayhikers and mountain bikers alike, this 4.42-mile loop through forest and meadows rich with wildlife offers surprising solitude for a hike so close to a world-class resort town.

Take this 22.5-mile scenic detour near the 900-mile Idaho Centennial Trail to access multiple scrambles up Sawtooth spires.

This Foothills favorite circles a gulch with a cascading spring and bird's-eye views of downtown Boise.

Less than an hour from Boise, this 7.4-miler in the Owyhee foothills weaves through rock formations, traces Reynolds Creek, and tracks through a towering red rock canyon.

Bring your route-finding skills on this 4.3-mile out-and-back that features a rough trail and expansive views of Lake Pend Oreille.

Climb to picture-perfect panoramas of Moose Lake and the Lightning Creek Drainage from Moose Mountain on this 7-mile loop in Kaniksu National Forest.

Traverse the ridge connecting Lunch Peak and Mount Pend Oreille to gain prime panoramas of Northeastern Idaho’s rugged Kaniksu National Forest.

Climb to a pair of pristine mountain lakes on this 3.8-miler featuring two loops, prime camping, cliff-top vistas and access to a waterfall.

Trek to a pair of pristine alpine lakes hidden deep in the spectacular Selkirk Mountains.

This overlooked locals-only jewel across the Salmon River Valley from the more-famous Sawtooth Mountains delivers solitude and adventure on a 32-mile partly off-trail loop.

Tackle a steep climb to the immaculately clear Gem Lake on this 3.6-mile out-and-back deep in the Cabinet Mountains.

Explore a seldom-visited stretch of the Continental Divide with hidden lakes, world-class trout fishing, and abundant wildlife.

Explore a seldom-visited stretch of the Continental Divide with hidden lakes, world-class trout fishing, and abundant wildlife.

Explore a supersized wilderness that's home to Idaho's densest population of gray wolves.