Iron Creek Trailhead — Attraction in Idaho

This place is so beautiful!!! There are many places to hike and/or backpack and camp! I have backpacked up to Alpine Lake (approx. 4 miles and 2.5ish hours at an easy pace) and at Sawtooth Lake (another 1.5ish miles and another hourish at a SUPER easy pace as the terrain is a bit rocky and rough, you gotta watch where you step). This time, however, I camped at the base in Iron Creek Trailhead Campsite and hiked up to Sawtooth Lake and back down. The hike took my friend and I about 5 and a half hours with a few stops along the way to take pics and breaks at the lakes. So beautiful, worth the drive, and will be back for my third time soon! We went this year September 15th and the weather was freaking perfect! A bit cold at night but that was to be expected and NO FIRES...

The ~8-mile hike to Alpine Lake is stunning from start to finish. Along the way, you’re treated to sweeping views of the Sawtooths, and the lake itself is crystal clear. It's an absolutely perfect spot to rest and take it all in. We saw many backpackers on the trail, and it’s now on our list to return and backpack it ourselves. It’s dog-friendly, too, which is a bonus. The parking lot was full by 8:20 a.m. on a Saturday in August, but surprisingly, the trail never felt crowded. This is easily one of our favorite hikes....

This is a great trail with vault toilets and easily accessible parking. The trail itself is a moderate climb for about a mile and a half till you reach the a junction where you can go to Stanley Lake or Sawtooth Lake. I struggle with rocky trails due to a hip injury and while there are some rocky sections this isn't as rocky as many other trails in the sawtooths. Beautiful views, lots of shade, and a number of options to break off onto other trails I highly...