Jarbidge Wilderness Area

The view from Marys River Peak. Jarbidge Peak is in the background. Then Jumbo then Matterhorn then Cougar. Prospect Peak is to the right. Square Top is hidden.

The forest on Copper Mountain. A golf course is harder to walk on.

Fox Lake

Fox Meadow and Fox Creek Peak

Looking north from Jarbidge Peak at the deep canyons. Jarbidge town is in the canyon on the left in the background. Murphy Hot Springs village is in the canyon on the right. The valley in the foreground is upper Jack Creek.

The main road to Jarbidge is out of Rogerson, ID. It's 64 miles. The first 47 miles are bumpy pavement to the rim of a deep canyon at Murphy Hot Springs. Then it's graded down into the canyon for 17 miles to town. There are 3 free campgrounds in the canyon right after Murphy Hot Springs, then not much else until Jarbidge. One campround is just before town then some south of town. The main road climbs steeply out of the canyon about 2 miles south of town, but another road stays in the canyon for a mile long stretch with the best campgrounds, all free with restrooms but only creek water. Then the road becomes narrow 4wd with 2 rocky creek crossings about shin deep and ends in a mile at the new Snowslide TH reading N41 49348, W115 24940 el 6800. Campsites and 3 tables are there. A washout caused the TH to be pushed back a half mile from the original TH. Mtn bikes would work on most of the 4wd road and maybe even the first fifth mile of trail since the map shows it's outside the wilderness. The crossings are close together in a section where the road runs in the river channel for a tenth mile and thus are ever shifting. But the rest of the road was easy. Rogerson has a Sinclair and Jarbidge has gas and diesel and also a saloon and small store. Posted July, 2017.

• GODS POCKET PEAK el 10185 has an elk trail up the NE ridge. Nearly 40 miles in from Rogerson is a sign for Pole Creek. It's a half mile after the Three Creek school. Go 16 miles on that 2wd road to a fork at N41 52280, W115 14420 el 8500. Right goes over a mile to the Slide Creek TH with a shady, free campground. But go left on FR 58284 up along a fence. It's 2 and a half miles of routine 4wd to the end at the Hummingbird Springs TH el 9150. Hike the old road for .7 air mile to a fork. The left one is the shortest. Go on down to 48709, 15198 el 8700 then leave the trail and walk a third mile up a grassy slope to the elk trail at 48709, 15566 el 8900. It goes up the ridge skirting bumps then fades in and out but it's there when you need it. It's an easy walk to the reg at 47409, 17417.  5 and a half hours with about 2000 gain, 500 of it on the way back, never very steep. I wore shorts the whole way. DIVIDE PEAK el 10006 is about a mile and a third south of Gods Pocket Peak and it looked easy. For that I would make a big loop. I would stay on the trail to el 9400 then go up the east ridge to the peak at 46405, 18345. Then I would walk the ridge to Gods Pocket Peak then on back down the NE ridge. I didn't see any brush or crag problems. That might be done in 8 hours. Divide Peak has the best looking  forest because it eluded wildfires. Hummingbird Spring is on the trail at 48633, 15215 el 8650 then next is a pipe spring at 48122, 15972 el 8250 then half a mile beyond that is Cottonwood Creek with a good flow, and it might be the last water. Posted July, 2017.
• ROBINSON HOLE is a deep section of canyon along the Jarbidge River east fork. A 4wd roads goes along the rim to a viewpoint. Mtn bikes would work. At the end of pavement on the rim just before Murphy Hot Springs is a rim road. But a better road starts 2 miles back at a corral reading N42 02013, W115 18945 el 5700 and soon merges with the other road. Follow that about 6 miles from pavement to a fork at N41 57104, W115 18167 el 6800. On a mtn bike I would try a shortcut by going right to the viewpoint on Cougar Point at N41 56649, W115 19274 el 7000. I stayed left on my 125 for 2 more miles to a 4-way at a gate reading N41 55370, W115 17894 el 7350 then came back down the rim 2 miles to the viewpoint. It's 1100 feet nearly straight down to the river. OHVs go thru the gate and across the canyon then on to Jarbidge. Posted 2017.
• JARBIDGE PEAK el 10793 via Sawmill Ridge - 4wds can get to el 9300 for an easy ascent. From Murphy Hot Springs, drive north out of the canyon for 11 miles on the main road to 3 forks at N41 53387, W115 22005 el 7930. Stay far right on road #58283 for 2 miles to some camp spots with gushing springs el 8900 at Dave Creek . It's easy 4wd to there, then it's another half mile of rough road to Sawmill Ridge el 9300. The last half mile is for serious 4 wheelers only. No sissies. Walk up the ridge to 50875, 22532 el 10200 where a class 2 stairway goes up thru a cliff. Then stay on the right side of the ridge to avoid stubby trees. Cross to the left side at 50763, 22533 then up to 50731, 22551 where you can see how to drop a little then walk below the trees for about 700 feet and then come back to center. It opens up there for the rest of the way to the summit at 50417, 23415. That hike took me less than 4 hours. Peak 10092 at 51214, 22446 would be a one hour hike and the easiest of the 10000 footers. The roads are shown on the topo except for the part above el 8900. ALTITUDE MINE el 9800 - that's in the gorgeous valley north of the peak. The pack trail on the topo is now OHV trail #18038, but may be blocked. At the 3 forks el 7930, go NW a fifth mile to the trail. It goes to Jack Creek which drains the valley. I rode as far as the first crossing at el 7700. It looked treacherous and I was told there is a shaky bridge farther on. I would park on the trail at N41 52745, W115 22789 el 7650 and walk. It measures out at 3 miles each way and likely has 2 wades or more. It would be 5 miles each way to walk the whole OHV trail. Posted 2017.
• JARBIDGE PEAK, JUMBO, SQUARE TOP, MATTERHORN - a mine trail goes up to el 10250 on the crest that accesses all the peaks. Use an OHV trail for the Rex Mine  that leaves the campground at N41 50587, W115 25641 el 6500. It's on the topo. Stay on the main OHV trail to el 8200 then walk a tenth mile thru a trench area to a large rock at 50146, 24700 el 8350. The trail is easy to follow from there as it makes long switches on the south side of the west ridge of Jarbidge. Stay right at a fork at el 9600 where there is a puddle known as Teacup Spring. The trail goes on up into the saddle between Jarbidge Peak and Jumbo. Then it goes along the west side of the peaks to the saddle at Matterhorn where it's easy to walk the ridge up. From the summit it's just a matter of picking which west ridge to descend or taking a stab at Cougar. A mtn bike would help for a shuttle. The two hikers who maintain this trail call it the Teacup Trail. Posted 2017.
• MATTERHORN PEAK el 10838 - the popular route goes up a west ridge from the Jarbidge River Trail at el 7300. I prefer to stay on the trail to el 8400 and circle back to the west ridge. Walk from the Snowslide TH to N41  48372, W115 24383 el 7300. That's where most go up. For the easier route, stay on the trail. Shortly there is a wide crossing at el 7275 where I waded. The remaining crossings were jumpable. Go on to 47297, 22840 el 8400 and go up an open slope (a tenth mile on up the trail is a creekside basecamp area backpackers can use). At el 8900 start curving left to skirt under dense trees. Keep going at a gentle angle to the west ridge where the rest is in view. I hit the west ridge at 47972, 22813 el 9550 then went up almost to the crest and leveled off to stay under crags. The summit is at 48648, 22457. It took me 4 hours to get there. There are 3 options for the return. Use one of the two west ridges, or run the crest to the Teacup Trail. I did the latter and also went up Jarbidge but next time I would do it in reverse.  It took me over 8 hours to go from the TH, over the peaks, then back down the Teacup Trail to the campground. The trail along the crest is on pure rocks. The gain to Matterhorn from the Snowslide TH is 4000, about a third of it is steep. Backpackers would have an easy hike from the basecamp near el 8400 then could move on up to Jarbidge Lake and do more peaks. Posted 2017.
• MARYS RIVER PEAK el 10570 is the southernmost of the 10000 footers. The Jarbidge River Trail goes to the crest at nearly 10000 then it's a simple hike from there. Start at the Snowslide TH el 6800 and walk the sunny old road to the first creek crossing el 7275. I waded there but the rest were jumpable. An avalanche knocked down trees on 150 feet of the trail at el 7550. It took 5 minutes to get thru.  At el 7700 is a fork where you stay left. The road ends at el 7800 then it's a shady trail. The trail crosses to the left side of the creek at el 8100.  Somewhere around el 9000 was the best spring pouring out next to the trail. It took 3 hours 20 minutes to get to Jarbidge Lake at 46453, 22395 el 9300 which is more like a pond. It's a good basecamp. Stay on the trail up to the crest then on to the summit at 45554, 21684. On the return I dropped straight off the crest to the saddle next to the lake. That took 9 hours with about 4000 gain, but only 400 near the end was steep. It measures out at about 13 or 14 miles. Posted July, 2017.
• COPPER MOUNTAIN el 9912 is the high point of the Copper Mountains, which is really just one long mountain. Drive south on the main road from Jarbidge for about 10 miles to Coon Creek Summit el 8440. Turn there on a 4wd road that goes to a camp at el 9000. A rough OHV trail goes on to el 9200 then a foot trail goes on up to the ridgetop el 9400. Walk the ridge in a lovely forest to the first saddle at N41 47611, W115 30640 el 9550 then go up to a handy elk trail at 47422, 30876 el 9800 that runs left of center. The rest is in view from there. The Copper BM is at 46256, 31245. I started on the road at el 8600 and the hike took me 4 hours with 2300 gain, over 400 of that on the way back. Not steep. This is a good family hike. Gushing springs were along the 4wd road at el 8900. Posted July, 2017.
• COON CREEK PEAK el 9500+ is too easy to pass up. Drive south from Jarbidge for about 7 miles to Bear Creek Summit el 8500. Turn left on 4wd for a tenth mile to a rocky hill and park. Walk or mtn bike another half mile of road then keep going up the ridge to the reg at N41 48488, W115 28120. 2 hours, 1000 gain. DEER MOUNTAIN el 8977 is 2 and a half miles north on the divide. 4wd roads go up. The easiest is to drive back toward Jarbidge and turn on FR 58277 at 50246, 27208 el 8000. Go up that and stay left at forks to the top. Driving back any other way involves ultra steep grades. Posted 2017.
• FOX LAKE, FOX MEADOW - this is a beautiful forested area on the south side of Fox Creek Peak. Go south from Jarbidge for about 14 miles and turn at the sign for Camp Draw TH. It's about half a mile on easy 4wd to the TH el 7650 at the end of the road with a restroom and 2 camps next to the creek. Walk the trail for 2/3 air mile to where it tops out on a ridge el 8400. Go north up the easy ridge on various game trails and over peak 9352 then down to a saddle at N41 46020, W115 25751 el 9020. The lake is less than a mile north, but there is a big ditch in the way. Circle left around it and stay at about the 9000 level. Aim for an elk trail at 46458, 26055 el 9000. It drops down across a minor gully then goes on to 46537, 25889 el 8950 where it drops down to the right then on to the lake at 46712, 25705 el 8850. The meadow is half a mile away at 46756, 25230 el 9050. The meadow and lake had streams flowing out of them, but I forgot my filter so I used a spring at 46851, 25512 el 9000. Hikers without long pants should return the same way.  I took a chance and went down the canyon on the west side of the saddle el 9020. I stayed on the left side of the creekbed to a viewpoint at 45858, 25896 el 8850. It looked good so I went directly down. At el 8100 I moved over to the left bank in the trees and stayed on that side to the trail at 45442, 26853 el 7750. I hit some light brush in that canyon, mainly below el 8000 but easy with long pants. If I had bothered to look at the topo, I might have skirted the west side of peak 9352 then down a ridge. That loop took me 5 and a half hours. There is 1700 easy gain to peak 9352 then not much after that. That's another top notch forest that's easy to walk in. But wait! It could be better. Just keep going over the top of Fox Creek Peak then down the north ridge to a second vehicle at the Snowslide TH. Refer to the hike for that peak. Posted July, 2017.
• FOX CREEK PEAK el 9555 sits atop the west rim of the Jarbidge River. It's the highest peak in the Fox Creek Range according to peakbagger.com. A horseshoe loop can be done using the 2 north ridges. Take the 4wd road to the Snowslide TH but stop short of it at a bridge el 6700 where Fox Creek comes in. It's the only bridge on the 4wd part. Study the steep ridge to the west because that's the descent route. Walk on up the road a short way then cross the creek at N41 49388, W115 25019 el 6800 then angle to the right up the slope and top out at el 7250. Go up the easy ridge to crags then go along the right side reading 49056,  25136 el 7700 where you can see how elk go back up to the top. Then stay along the left side of crags to a saddle el 7850 where crags end. Three elk were hanging around there. When you see them, you'll know there are no more crags. Now it's easy to go up to the last minor obstacle which is peak 8523. I went up along the right side of it at el 8470 then down to the saddle behind it at 48282, 24922 el 8435. Then it's a pleasant forest up to the reg at 47124, 25142. Placed in 1999 by Macleod and Lilley, it only had 2 entries since.  Next, walk west half a mile to the craggy sister summit. The crags are easily passed on the left where a distant meadow is in view. Go down the ridge to a saddle at 47522, 26093 el 8900 then on to the meadow at 47891, 26204 el 8600. Near there was the only water I saw besides snow. It was a puddle in a creekbed at 47787, 26209 el 8600. From the meadow, walk north at the 8600 level to an elk trail at 48243, 26026 el 8650. Follow that down to a flat ridge el 8550 then go on to an elk trail at 48417, 25823 el 8400. Now just keep going north down the easy ridge to 49642, 25510 el 7440 where you take the final steep ridge down to the bridge. Some fool put up a wilderness sign at el 7100 on that ridge. That took me 7 hours with about 3000 gain, but hardly any of it steep. Some patches of light brush are below the 8000 level and a lovely forest is above that level. Loggers worked near the meadow, more than 50 years ago. I saw a logging road north of the meadow at el 8600. They likely came up the road along Fox Creek, but it's overgrown.  This is a good hike to do before the 10000 footers because you can study the routes. Posted July, 2017.

  

  The Murphy airstrip.

  
  

  

  The perilous OHV trail into upper Jack Creek where the Altitude Mine is located.