Lemhi Range, Beaverhead Mountains

Eighteenmile Peak viewed from the rim of Willow Creek

Meadow Lake

The kilns

Many trails in the Lemhi Range have been motorized. Idaho Trails  is a website that details all the trails and dirt roads on a topo map for the whole state. ID 28 runs along the east side of the Lemhi Range for over 100 miles. The only gas between Salmon and Mud Lake is at Leadore. A store has gas and down the street a block is an RV park with self pay pumps that have diesel and gas. The town has VZ cell service and a library with wifi. A free campground is 4 miles east of town on ID 29. A free campground is on ID 28 near mp 52 and another one is at mp 44 on Birch Creek. That one stretches for 4 miles along the creek but the restrooms are in the north half. Posted 2017.

• Many trails in the Lemhi Range have been motorized.       is a website that details all the trails and dirt roads on a topo map for the whole state. ID 28 runs along the east side of the Lemhi Range for over 100 miles. The only gas between Salmon and Mud Lake is at Leadore. A store has gas and down the street a block is an RV park with self pay pumps that have diesel and gas. The town has VZ cell service and a library with wifi. A free campground is 4 miles east of town on ID 29. A free campground is on ID 28 near mp 52 and another one is at mp 44 on Birch Creek. That one stretches for 4 miles along the creek but the restrooms are in the north half. Posted 2017.
• SADDLE MOUNTAIN el 10810 is the dominant peak at the south end of the Lemhi Range. An easy route goes up East Canyon. Take ID 33 to mp 18.3 near Howe and go north on pave 1300W for 4 miles to where it turns west. Go another tenth mile then turn north across a canal and drive 3 and a half miles on easy 4wd to a turnaround at N43 53324, W112 56804 el 6100. OHVs can go another third mile to el 6300 then there is a grassy foot trail going up canyon a third mile into a lovely forest. Put shorts on there and stroll up canyon on a logging trail and game trails to 55415, 56356 el 8600 then go up the right slope to a saddle on the crest reading 55605, 56030 el 9400. The only obstacle on the crest is peak 10248. Go left around it thru a minor saddle at 55797, 56702 el 10150 then on to the last saddle el 10050. Go up the center of the final ridge on class 2 rock until nearly el 10400 then use a left side scree trail for the rest to the summit at 56248, 57268. 7 and a half hours, nearly 5000 gain and 1000 of that could be called steep. The only water on the route was a cornice at the top. With its spectacular canyon and forest, I could see at the outset that this hike would be hard to beat. MIDDLE CANYON is similar. Go west along the canal for a mile then go north for 3 miles to the end. I walked up that canyon for an hour until too many fallen trees turned me back. Hardy mtn bikers could ride these roads. Posted 2017.
• SHRIL BENCHMARK el 10690 sits south of the pass el 9600 where an ATV trail crosses the Lemhi Range at Mormon Gulch. Take ID 28 to mp 39.7 for the road up Eightmile Canyon that goes right thru the Birch Creek camp area. Soon there is a tricky ford at Birch Creek. To avoid that, go south on the highway for a mile and get on a good road on the south side of the creek. Follow along the creek for 3 miles to a 4-way next to the ford. Then go west on a good road for 6 miles to the ATV TH el 6950 at a fork in the canyon. The left trail goes up to the pass. I rode a 125 to el 8700 where steep rubble made it preferable to walk on up to the pass then to the BM at N44 00997, W112 59504. I could see the west ridge route for Tyler Peak. Peak 10401 is blocking that route but it can be skirted on the north side. After that, I rode the right fork from the TH and followed signs to Pass Creek. Then went down that eventually getting in the middle fork and hitting the highway. Then it was less than 3 miles back to the camp area. A trail along the highway might work for ATVs. The Pass Creek trails weren't so rubbly. They show on the topo as pack trails. All are for rigs 50 inches or less. As if anybody enforces that. PEAK 10808 - I went back later to the ATV TH and took the right fork and stayed SW to the pass el 8400 at Uncle Ike Creek. An ATV trail can be seen going up the NE ridge of the peak. I parked my 125 at a saddle el 8600 then walked the steep trail to the end at el 9600 on the NE ridge. Then it was a steep ridge to the summit at N44 03618, W113 03786. It looked more likely than not that I could have gone on to peak 11272. Posted 2017.
• COPPER MOUNTAIN el 10303 dominates the the south end of the Beaverhead Mtns. Trails go up the SW ridge. Take ID 28 to mp 42.3 and turn at the sign for Long Canyon. Go a couple miles on a good road into the canyon then go left at a main fork on rubbly trail 184. At el 7650 it shrinks to a smooth OHV trail for rigs 50 inches or less. In a 4wd, I would park before that at a fork reading N44 08770, W112 50944 el 7150 and walk the right fork. I saw no one else riding it on a Sunday. I rode on up to the SW ridge at 09889, 50940 el 8350 where it was obvious how to walk trails up the ridge to the summit at 10419, 49876. The hike took me 2 hours, 20 minutes with 2000 gain. Posted 2017.
• SKULL CANYON is an interesting limestone gorge. Take ID 28 to mp 45.7 and turn at the sign. The road soon enters the  gorge and goes a mile and a half before it opens up. This would be a good mtn bike ride for someone camped along Birch Creek at mp 44. It's a bit rough for cars. Posted 2017.
• DIAMOND PEAK el 12197 is the highest in the Lemhi Range. The standard route goes up the east ridge. Take ID 28 to mp 46.5 and turn at the sign for Pass Creek. Go along the creek for 1.8 miles to el 6391 then turn right and follow an easy 4wd road on the high ground and the east ridge will come into view and it will be obvious how to drive up onto it. The chicken TH is at N44 08883, W113 02261 el 8000. Real men can drive on up a steep hill to the end in a half mile at el 8550. I found the whole hike route to be obvious. A hiker trail goes up the ridge then minor crags get in the way at el 10900. Stay on center to the trickiest class 3 spot at 08717, 04509 el 11200. Some people skirt under it. Then it will be obvious how the route stays right of center for a stretch with a few more short class 3 spots. The summit is at 08487, 04965. I started at the chicken TH and the hike took me nearly 6 hours with 4200 gain. I was able to scoot down all the class 3 spots on my butt. A 30 foot hand line would help some hikers. I did this in 2001 with only the Lopez book as my guide but I couldn't remember anything. This time I came armed with topo map and trip reports with coordinates galore and I never looked at any of it. The book says " go up the east ridge". It's that simple. FR 796 is a more direct route back to Pass Creek. Not difficult, it had one less gate but more rocks and a stinky dead cow. Posted 2017.
• SCOTT PEAK el 11393 is the highest in the Beaverhead Mtns. Take ID 28 to mp 57.6 then go NE a fifth mile to 3 forks. Stay far right and go SE about 3 miles to a sign for Scott Canyon at N44 17527, W112 58492. Turn there and go directly up into the canyon to the end of the road el 7700. It's all easy 4wd and not rocky. A sign there said the trail is open to cycles. Luckily, I just happened to have one with me. In fact, I was sitting on it. I rode on up the trail a mile and a half then bogged down at a muddy spring el 8500 which was the only water I saw but for snow. Mtn bikes would be feasible for a mile and a third to el 8300. I walked the steep trail on up to the crest el 8900 where everything was in view. The SW ridge of Webber Peak looked to be the unsteepest route, so I walked over to it at 20371, 49740 el 9200 and went up to a cliff at el 10500. A bypass goes around the right side and maybe the left too, but I went up the center in a hidden chute to a short class 4 pitch. The ridge was less steep after that all the way to the summit at 21219, 49269. That took me 5 hours, 40 minutes with about 3000 gain. Hikers without a 2 wheeler will spend 7 hours. Cattle were in here. Posted 2017.
• EIGHTEENMILE PEAK el 11125 is a nice crest walk from Willow Creek with one foot in Idaho and the other in Montana.  Take ID 28 to mp 57.6 then go NE a fifth mile to 3 forks. I went far left to go in then came out the graded middle fork thru the Nicholia Ranch because they allow passage. Drive thru the ranch to a second ranch on the creek where the good road ends. I couldn't tell if they allow passage, so if there's no one to ask then go west on easy 4wd to N44 21807, W113 02735 and turn right and drive to the end of 4wd travel at a shady camp reading N44 24047, W112 59701 el 7800. Walk or bike along the creek on an OHV trail for 2/3 mile to el 7950 then you can see a closed road on the far side. Wade the creek to get on it. The creek was not deep, but too wide to jump. Walk the road up to a fork el 8600 and stay right and the road will fade out at el 9700 where the rest is in view. Walk the crest to el 10050 then level off around the east side of a bump to get behind it to a saddle el 9960. Go up to N44 26586, W112 59335 to skirt around a second minor bump then the summit is at N44 26846, W112 59784. I started at the creek crossing and the hike took me 6 and a half hours with about 3300 gain. All roads are on the topo. Posted 2017.
• CHARCOAL KILNS - at mp 61 on ID 28 is where a good road goes west 5 miles to a sunny picnic area with restroom and hand pump for water. If you've seen one kiln, you've seen them all. But here they have a good display with mining history. Posted 2017.
• BIG WINDY PEAK, TRAIL PEAK - a 4wd road goes to the crest el 10000 a half mile north of Big Windy. Take ID 28 to mp 67.5 and follow the road into Spring Mtn Canyon. It starts out smooth then gets rubbly. A shady creekside camp is at N44 21587, W113 15005 el 8200 then soon it gets less rubbly. Stay in the main canyon bottom past some cabins el 8800 and then the road climbs out at the head of the canyon and tops out on the crest. An OHV trail goes on almost to the top of Trail Peak. I saw no issues for jeeps, but they can keep going on the better road that goes down the west side into Sawmill Canyon. One slide can change things. Don't drive a rig that's hard to back down in. OHVs can circle back to the north on rubbly trails. Posted 2017.
• PORTLAND MOUNTAIN el 10820 is an easy one because a graded road goes to Meadow Lake el 9150. A trail goes from the lake up to the crest then you have to go over peak 10723, but a more direct route starts before the lake. Take ID 28 to mp 73.2 and turn at the sign for Meadow Lake. Go about 4 miles to the forest boundary then FR 14 el 8250 forks to the right in less than a tenth mile. That road is bumpy and not worth it unless you have an OHV. It's better to drive the graded road another mile and a quarter to a pullout at el 8800 then walk to a log at N44 26645, W113 18769 el 8750  that crosses the creek. Walk north from there for a tenth mile to FR 14 road and keep going north up the road and stay on the main road as it switches to the end at a mine el 9050, as the topo shows. Walk up thru the forest to a class 3 route at 26967, 19096 el 9500 that goes thru a cliff then the rest is obvious to the BM at 29322, 19780. That took me 3 and a half hours with 1800 gain but I started at el 9050. The best hike here would be to keep going from Portland Mtn over the peaks surrounding the lake then down the east rim back to the start. The dramatic peak towering over the lake had a reg at 25608, 19143 el 10700+. 4wds could still get to a turnaround on FR 14 at 26857, 18768 el 8900 but those days are numbered. The campground at Meadow Lake was $10 but there are dispersed sites before that. PORTLAND MINE ROAD - a 4wd road goes high up the north ridge of Portland Mtn. Turn off ID 28 at mp 78 and drive south to a fork at N44 29488, W113 17002 el 6800. Go right for half a mile to an aqueduct then go right again to a fork at 28956, 17837 el 7150. Stay right again on FR 17 across a dam then long gentle switchbacks lead up to a mine camp el 8400. 4wds were still easily getting that far but it gets dicey after that. The road goes on up to a saddle el 9100 then shrinks to an OHV trail for the final leg to the Portland Mine el 9500. It would be an easy hike on up to the summit. Posted 2017.
• COTTONWOOD MOUNTAIN el 11024 is an easy one on the continental divide. Take ID 28 to mp 73.4 and turn on a gravel road. Go 5 miles to Eighteenmile Creek and turn right along that on a gravel road that turns to dirt then back to gravel. The road ends a dozen miles in from pavement at a wilderness study area fence reading N44 28952, W113 05145 el 7750. As usual, I didn't see anyone studying in there. Walk past the fence to a fork in the old road at 29220, 04528 el 7800 and walk that road to the end el 8700 in Pass Creek. The creek there was the last water but for snow. Use a trail in the dry left fork of the creek at 29333, 02555 el 8700 to get up to the main saddle el 9600 then walk south up the ridge for nearly 2 miles to the summit at 28249, 00363. That hike took me nearly 6 hours with 3400 gain. The crest between Cottonwood and Eighteenmile Peak is rough. I studied it from both peaks and couldn't see anything for sure that would stop hikers. A route goes down from Eighteenmile Peak to the SW saddle el 10100 then it would be a matter of walking the canyon back and hoping for no brush. Posted 2017.
• DEER LAKE el 8900 sits on the west side of Portland Mtn. An easy trail goes to it from an OHV trail. Take ID 28 to mp 78 and turn on a crude road running on the south side of a corral. Get on the correct road at N44  30902, W113 17424 and go up to a fork at el 7500 and stay left on trail #6160. It will cross Deer Creek in less than a mile then shortly come to a meadow with a maintained cabin el 7750. 4wds were making it that far even though it's supposed to be an OHV trail. The OHV trail ends at 28021, 20523 el 8400 then it's a half hour walk to the lake at 27085, 20569. There is an upper level beyond that but rain turned me back. ATVs try to get to the lake but huge trees block the trail. One good idea would be to take the trail from Meadow Lake up to the crest then try to get down to Deer Lake. Then walk out to a second car at mp 78. That measures out at 9 miles. Posted 2017.
• TIMBER CREEK PEAK el 10553, SHEEPHORN PEAK el 10465 - these peaks can be done as a loop using the Nez Perce Lake trail. Take ID 28 to mp 83.7 and turn at the sign for Tex Creek Rd. Go 3 and a half miles on a good road to a ranch then it's 4 miles of easy 4wd from there. Stay right at the one main fork after the ranch and the road ends at el 7400. Walk the trail to the lake el 8850. I went around the left side of it then up along the left side of the creek to the springs. I trusted one at N44 30540, W113 23602 el 9200. Then I went thru the trees to 30606, 23720 el 9250 where I could see the route up to the east ridge of Sheephorn. The summit is at 30633, 24313. It was an easy one mile stroll south from there to Timber Creek Peak. Then I came back down to the north saddle then straight down on soft dirt to a deep lake below that peak. Fish were jumping for joy. They must have heard I was coming. Then I went down canyon staying close to the north wall and hit an elk trail at 30462, 22179 el 8300 which angled up to the ridge between the two canyons at point 8481. Another trail there at 30605, 22115 el 8450 took me NW to connect with the main trail. It had very old cut logs on it. I lost it and found it again at 30665, 22189 then lost it but soon hit the main trail at 30816, 22229 el 8300 where it was less than a mile back to the start. That took me nearly 7 hours with about 3500 gain. There was some light brush and log hopping near the end but I could do this in shorts. Two peaks and two lakes make this hike hard to beat. And it's too rocky for OHVs to get in to. Posted 2017.
• ELK MOUNTAIN el 10194, BALDY MOUNTAIN el 10773 - these are on the continental divide. An OHV trail goes up Hawley Creek and a 4wd road goes up by way of Morrison Lake from the east and both routes meet on the divide between the peaks. Take ID 29 out of Leadore and follow the signs to Hawley Creek. Go up canyon 3 miles to 3  forks. The middle one is FR 177 and it goes to the divide but only for OHVs near the end. Four trucks were parked on the divide there which is how I know there is a road from the east. It looked easy to hike up to Baldy, but I didn't have time. I rode 10 miles north on the divide on a 4wd road to a TH at N44 44360, W113 07018 el 8500. In a 4wd I would stop at a saddle a half mile before the TH and use a connector trail. The trail goes right by Horse Prairie BM on top of Elk Mtn at 45592, 08263. That hike is less than 3 hours with 1700 gain. Another way to drive in is the 4wd road on the north rim of Cruikshank Creek. 4wds still use that. A hilly road also comes from Bannock Pass but I didn't ride it. Hawley Creek has a free campground and several dispersed sites. That's the nicest camp area I saw around Leadore. Mtn bikers could go up Hawley to the divide but the last 2 miles means a lot of pushing. But you get to coast nearly the whole way back. Posted 2017.
• YELLOW PEAK el 10968 is a major one SW of Leadore and surrounded by cycle trails. Follow the signs from the store in town to Timber Creek. FR 172 goes along the left side of  Timber Creek Reservoir then ends half a mile past it at the TH reading  N44 34222, W113 28701 el 7700. FR 172 is not graded but a Subaru made it. The trail is legally for cycles but ATVs use it anyway. I made it 2 and a half miles to el 8700 where the trail crosses to the south bank then goes parabolic, which is why most cycles use the Rocky Creek trail. Strong mtn bikers could make it to el 8700. Then walk the trail to the north saddle el 9500 of the peak then go up the north ridge to the BM at 31336, 31171. That took me 3 and a half hours with 2300 gain. Plenty of shady camps are along FR 172. Posted 2017.
• BIG CREEK PEAK el 11350, FLATIRON MOUNTAIN el 11019 - these are the highest around Leadore and the northernmost 11000 footers in the range. A loop can be done by going up Falls Creek then down the north rim. They're too far in for day trippers so bike, cycle or backpack it. Follow the signs from the store in town to Timber Creek but only as far as N44 35467, W113 26818 el 7300. Turn left there on FR 105 and go to the end on easy 4wd at a camp reading 32712, 25481 el 7600. An ATV trail goes on a little more then a cycle trail branches off to the left and loses 500 rubbly feet down to Big Timber Creek. The trail smoothes out and stays on the north bank. I rode a 125 about 6 miles in to el 8050 where the trail gets rocky then walked a fifth mile to the Falls Creek foot trail at 29689, 30468 el 8150. The trail goes to a meadow el 8600 then crosses to Squirrel Creek. I left the trail at the meadow and walked up the meadow to a camp with a stream and table at 29067, 30877 el 8650. That would make a good basecamp. Then I went up canyon on game trails and got on the high ground at 28810, 30911 el 8800 and easily on to timberline where rock fields were in the way. The topo shows a little ridge in the center of the canyon. That is smooth but steep to get on. I went up a slope at 28185, 31665 el 9650 and circled on rocks to the ridge then up to the crest at 27832, 31929 el 10500. It's a stroll from there to either peak. I skipped Flatiron and went up to BIG BM at 28302, 32585 then down the north rim to 29160, 31288 el 9200 where the table was only a third mile away. I walked to it then out on the trail. That took 6 and a half hours with 3300 gain. With a mtn bike, I would ride in the day before with a sleeping bag and dried food. The only fly in the ointment is the 500 foot rubbly hill on the way out. It took me an hour to ride in on a 125. FR 105 would be easy to bike. If you're looking for a bike ride and easy hike for one day, just ride about as far as Cabin Creek then walk to the Falls trail and go up and back down Squirrel Creek. Posted 2017.
• GUNSIGHT PEAK el 10835 has a jeep road out of Eightmile Creek to el 10,000, but it would take a lot of guts to drive that high. Go west from the Leadore store on the paved Lee Creek Rd for 5.5 miles to a fork with a sign for Eightmile Creek. Go left on a paved road that turns to dirt and goes thru the front yard of a ranch. Then it goes into the forest as a high clearance road. Turn left at the sign for FR 11 and go across the creek to FR 12 at N44 36851, W113 34062 el 7400. It's easy for OHVs to go up FR 12 to 36737, 32615 el 9100 where it gets steeper and rougher. Turnarounds for jeeps are scarce. I parked my 125 there and walked up to a fork at el 10000 where ATV trail #6143 goes left down to Devils Lake. I stayed right on a road that loses 100 feet and goes into a saddle el 9995. The road goes up along the ridge then I stepped up to a foot  trail at 35548, 33104 el 10250 and followed that nearly to the top of peak 10624 then had to lose 500 feet down to saddle 10126. From there it's best to stay on the ridge center to the summit at 35584, 31364. I skirted a bump a third mile before the summit but nasty talus caused that to backfire. A half dozen goats there were no doubt laughing at me. They can run on that stuff. Stay on top. That took me 5 and a half hours with 2700 gain. Few hikers will tolerate that jeep road unless they have an ATV, and those were still making it to el 10200. I couldn't see any sign of jeeps above 9000. Most hikers are using the north fork of Little Timber Creek, but I couldn't find any info on that. A 4wd goes up the east ridge to el 8500, but it likely has private land issues for driving. It's not on the MVUM. A loop might work up Timber then down the east ridge to that road. Posted August, 2018.
• MILL MOUNTAIN el 10793 has an easy north ridge that goes on forever. This peak doesn't exist according to peakbagger.com, so a map from that site isn't available. Use the Lee Creek Rd which goes west from the Leadore store and comes back to ID 28 at mp 103.3. Turn off that  road at N44 43816, W113 34304 and go 1.7 miles on a bumpy high clearance road to a fork. FR 6 goes left for 6 miles to Mill Lake. Any 4wd can make it but it will take all day because it's a rubbly mess. The right fork is FR 10 and luckily it's smooth because that's the way you want to go. Drive nearly 4 miles on that to a Patterson Creek sign and walk up the creek 300 feet to a closed road reading 44146, 37833 el 7650. Go south on that a third mile to a saddle el 7753. Here the road switches back and I stayed on it to el 8200 then walked thru a burn area to top of the north ridge. But I think it would be better, but a little steeper, to only walk a third mile up the road from saddle 7753 and cut into a saddle at 43902, 38043 which is on the west side of point 8020. Go west up along the edge of the burn to the top. Then aim for an elk trail at 43357, 38904 el 9100 that goes across a minor saddle and up to a clearing at 43170, 38856 el 9100. It's smooth sailing on to a dense section where elk go thru at 42543, 38519 el 9350. Next, there's only one bump to get around. Walk to 41854, 39101 el 9750 on the west side of it then stay near that level for a third mile to the last saddle el 9800. A goat trail goes on up to the summit at 41005, 39491. That took me 7 hours with 3500 gain, hardly any steep. No brush or bugs. I saw a herd of over 100 elk in the burn area. The ground was shaking. FR 10 goes around the mountain to Hayden Creek then a road goes down to Lemhi. A 2wd truck could make it that day. That would make a good mtn bike loop. FR 10 is too good. The FS needs to send a crew in there to dump some rocks on it. Another possible route for this peak is to use the trail going NW from Mill Lake to the saddle el 9450. That trail is still there, it's the road that kills you. That trail could also be used for a hike to Buffalo Skull Lake. That didn't look hard from the summit view I had. Posted August, 2018.
• MCFARLAND CAMPGROUND is a fee site on ID 28 at mp 103.6. There's a free one at mp 109.3, but mosquitoes will make you pay with blood. Posted 2018.
• GOAT MOUNTAIN el 9943 has a 4wd road up Cedar Gulch and another one on the west rim, as the topo shows. Use the graded road running along the north side of the Lemhi River to get to the Cedar Gulch road at N44 45814, W113 29726. There is a graded road to the SE that connects to ID 28. On the Cedar Gulch road, stay left at main forks to get to a fork at 47171, 28691 el 6500. The left fork goes up the west rim, but is steep and only for seasoned 4 wheelers. I only made it to el 7600 on my 125, but I could see that a jeep would make it over 8000. The right fork is a better road but could get blocked by trees. It goes into the canyon and up along the creekbed then there is one more fork. Stay left and it goes up steep to el 8300 and fades. Hike to a saddle at 48710, 26837 el 8800 then a spotty game trail goes up the ridge. The summit is at 49402, 26329. 2 and a half hours, 1700 gain. The route is in a pleasant forest most of the way. One other possibility is a road from Montana that joins the CDT north of Goat Mtn at peak 9205. On the sat image it looks to be in use. Posted August, 2018.
• McNUTT PEAK el 10327 is what hikers call the peak towering over Basin Lake el 8890. It's an easy loop hike but the drive to the lake is a headache. Turn off  ID 28 at mp 109.3 and drive 3 and a half miles to a main fork at the end of pavement. Go right and there's only one main road to follow for 7 miles to el 6800 where 4wd starts. It's 4 more miles to the lake. Rocks embedded in the road slow 4wds to a crawl but none are big enough to threaten an oil pan. I saw a big pickup at the lake. Walk across the dam to a grassy clearing on the far shore and go up to a meadow at N44 50294, W113 51393 el 9050. Backpackers will find good camps and a stream here and plenty of mosquitoes early in the season. Keep walking to an elk trail at 49994, 51593 el 9400 and that soon goes to a meadow el 9500 with a good spring where I filled bottles. Go up the slope on the south side of the meadow to 49789, 51533 el 9800 then it's easy to the peak at 49597, 51779. I had a view of the crest to peak 10720, which is called Tendoy Peak, and couldn't see anything for sure blocking that route. The internet has info about that peak. The north peak el 10127 is a mile of easy walking then there are several descent options. I went down to 50328, 51798 el 9800 and kept drifting to the right to stay out of rocks. That took me 3 hours, 15 minutes with 1500 gain, less than 300 is steep. Peak 10127 is the last 10000+ peak going north in the range. Posted July 28, 2018.
• LEM PEAK el 10985 can be done as a loop from Buck Lakes over the top to Bear Valley Lakes. The trail up Bear Valley Creek is open to cycles and bikes, but not the side trail to Buck Lakes. The trail is such a rocky mess that cycles hardly ever use it anyway. Turn off  ID 28 at mp 109.3 and drive 3 and a half miles to a main fork at the end of pavement. Stay left and follow the main road for 5 miles to a main fork el 5900 just inside the forest boundary. There is a shady pullout there and more a mile up the left fork. Stay right at the main fork on FR 9 for 5 miles to the TH at the end el 6800. Cars make it there. A fenced campground is a mile before the TH and a small unfenced one is at the TH, no fees. Walk across the bridge and go 2.35 air miles up the canyon to a sign at the first fork el 7700 in the trail. Go left to the end of the trail at the first of the Buck Lakes el 8474. Walk along the right side of the lake to a minor ridge at N44 47010, W113 50162 el 8550. Go west up that then north to cabin ruins at 47167, 50397 el 8850 where the peak and SE ridge are in view. A small lake is 200 feet past the cabin then just keep going up canyon toward the SE ridge. I filled bottles at a spring along the way at 47092, 50895 el 9050 where mosquitoes converged on me for the first time. Get on the left rim at 47000, 51144 el 9500 and the rest is obvious to the summit at 46839, 51986. I could look down and see the trail cutting across the NW ridge like the topo shows, so I went down the steep ridge on a goat route. When crags get in the way the route goes along the west base of them. I got back on center at a notch about halfway down  reading 46937, 52174 then went on down to the trail. It drops to a tundra on the valley floor and nothing but cairns mark the way along the creek. It makes a right turn to 47664, 51607 el 9250 but is still hard to see. It really isn't needed because the forest is easy to walk thru all the way to the main trail at 48147, 51938 el 9100 near the biggest and most scenic lake el 9135. Now just follow that main trail, which is #6179, back to the start. Some springs are right on the trail. I used one at 48191, 49707 el 7800. That took me 9 hours with 4200 gain. A couple of spots on the NW ridge might be called class 3, but they're easy. There's no brush but mosquitoes were thick around the 9000 level. The trail is smooth for nearly the first mile, so cycles and mtn bikes are practical that far. Only mad dogs ride beyond there and some did because I saw fresh dirt bike tracks at the big lake el 9135. About 2 miles in at 48039, 49175 el 7450 is where backpackers could set up a base camp. Or just use one of the Buck Lakes as a basecamp and go up to the peak then return the same way. That wouldn't be a bad weekend. This is one of the best hikes in the range with a good peak and half a dozen lakes. The route is so obvious that a hiker with a topo map on a smartphone won't need coordinates except for that notch on the NW ridge. Posted July 27, 2018.
• LONG MOUNTAIN el 10728 has a rocky cycle trail to el 9050 on the east ridge. Drive the same as Lem Peak but turn off FR 9 at the sign for Kadletz Creek Rd reading N44 46494, W113 44712 el 6529. Go nearly 3 miles on easy 4wd, or maybe even 2wd to camp spots where the road shrinks to an ATV trail el 7950. The trail soon goes to a meadow with a tricky crossing where I lost it but found it again at 44806, 48028 el 8300. ATVs make it to el 8900. They're not supposed to use the trail, but rules are for suckers. The trail tops out at el 9050 then get off it and walk south 300 feet to get on the east ridge then go up to the summit at 43802, 49209. It was obvious how to make a loop back to the start. I followed goat trails on the high ridge to the saddle before the last bump el 10645 then dropped down on easy scree. Then I strolled on down to goat trails at 44312, 49365 el 9700 to get down a steep section. I stayed on the ridge another half mile then dropped down to the right and went on to a gully at 44844, 48611 el 8700. That gully goes down to cascades along the creek. From there, I followed along the foot of the talus slope a short way then cut over to a stream at 44891, 48323 el 8300. Cow trails run along the left side of the stream for less than a third mile back to the main trail then it's a short walk to the TH. That took me 5 hours, 20 minutes with 2800 gain. No brush, but a few mosquitoes and some boggy meadows. Posted July 30, 2018.
• POISON PEAK el 9364 has a road to el 8700 on the SE ridge, but it's a 4 wheeling adventure to get there. Turn off ID 28 at mp 113.9 and follow the good McDevitt Creek Rd for over 5 miles to a sign for Mormon Canyon. Go up that canyon to a main fork el 7500 and keep right on easy 4wd to get on the crest. Go on to a fork at N44 54268, W113 47524 el 8300. The right fork stays on the crest but gets rocky. The left fork is eroded and goes to North Basin then Copper Basin then on to the SE saddle el 8205. A spur road goes up out of the saddle to el 8700 then it's a cakewalk to the Poison Benchmark at 53499, 52257. 4wds can go on south on the crest for another mile then a dense forest prevents hiking to peak 10127. On the way out I took the rocky crest road north to a fork with signs for Haynes Creek and McDevitt Creek. I went down the latter and it was pretty good but had small logging operations. Jeeps have no trouble with all this after July when the road is dry and hopefully cleared of trees. A big pickup was in Copper Basin that day. A huge, sunny pullout is 2 and a half miles in from ID 28. Posted July, 2018.
• LEWIS AND CLARK ADVENTURE ROAD  is what the BLM has designated a 36 mile loop by way of Lemhi Pass. Follow signs from Tendoy to the pass. A free, small campground is about 5 miles along on Agency Creek. The pass has displays and is day use only. Follow signs north on road #185 back to Tendoy. The BLM has developed Sharkey Hot Spring el 5400 just a few miles before the end of the loop. The loop is graded but it gets steep and some small rocks might cut into car tires. GOLDSTONE MOUNTAIN el 9909 is one hike to do along this loop. About 9 miles south of Lemhi Pass is where FR 184 forks to the right reading N45 03323, W113 27982 el 7900. Take that high clearance road for a bit over 5 miles to a fork at 05348, 31223 el 8494. Road #186 goes left, but stay straight for a mile and a half on a narrow 4wd road to the CDT at 06066, 30692 el 8600. That 4wd road is mtn bikeable. Then it's a matter of just walking the CDT to the NW ridge of the peak at el 9600 then stroll half a mile to the summit at 07135, 34578. That took me 5 and a half hours with nearly 2000 gain, none steep. On the return I had to detour around a fire burning a couple miles west of the peak in upper Park Creek.  Posted 2018.
• SAL MOUNTAIN el 9593 caps off the northern end of the Lemhis. A road goes up the NE ridge to point 7073. From Baker, take paved Baker Rd for half a mile then turn on graded Withington Rd. Follow that for 4 and a half miles to where the grader turns around. Shady creekside pullouts start there el 5250. Stay on the main road, FR 31, and it will climb up the north side of the canyon and go on to a fork at N45 02541, W113 50186 el 6650 where you go left. 2wd trucks might get that far. In a tenth mile are mudholes and then it's easy 4wd for nearly a mile to the NE ridge el 7050. A fire in 2003 burned the ridge but it was easy to weave and hop fallen trees. At el 8750 a trail comes onto the ridge and goes on to the lookout on the summit at 00918, 50575. A reg in the lookout was signed by firefighters in 2003. It needs a book. That took me nearly 4 hours with 2550 gain, no brush. The south fork of Withington has a bad road that ends at mine ruins el 6850 in the burn area. The trail to the summit starts there but I couldn't find it and it would likely be a tree hopping nightmare anyway. Posted July, 2018.
• TWELVEMILE CREEK has a good high clearance road and a nice forest. Turn off US 93 at mp 292.9 and the road goes 9 miles to a gate. A gushing spring is about halfway along.  Two wheelers are allowed beyond the gate. A good stream is 2 and a half miles past the gate at N44 57319, W113 52181 el 7100. A mile beyond there the trail goes parabolic. I wouldn't ride a mtn bike beyond there. Cattle are along the first 6 miles. Posted 2018.

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  Basecamp for Big Creek Peak

  
  

  

  Yellow Peak as seen from Big Creek Peak. Try and spot the goats.