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.

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.

Worthington Mountains, Tempahute Range

Meeker Peak is on the right, Worthington Peak is far left, then South Worthington to the right of it.

Leviathan Cave

Umetco Corp packed up and walked away from a large installation. Or were they vaporized by space aliens?

A graded road leaves highway 375 at mp LN 11.8 just east of Rachel. It runs north along the west end of the Timpahute Range then along the west side of the Worthington Mtns. It goes around the north tip of the Worthington Mtns then out into the east valley to a  4-way at N37 54239, W115 32311 where it comes back to the mountains and runs south along the east side to the turn for Leviathan Cave. The 4 miles along the east side is high clearance but smooth. From the 4-way, a graded road goes east back to pavement but I don't know the details. Gas stations are at Lund, Ash Fork, and Tonopah. Rachel might have fuel if your mode of travel is a flying saucer. But in that case, English is likely not your language so this info won't help you. Posted 2017.

• COYOTE BENCHMARK el 7900+ is the high point of Tempiute Mountain which dominates the western Timpahute Range. An easy 4wd road goes into the east saddle el 7300 as the topo shows. Take highway 375 to mp LN 20.1 and turn on a paved road. Go about 8 miles to the 4wd road at N37 39470, W115 36942 el 6050. Follow that for a bit over 2 miles to 38203, 37795 el 6850 where 2 roads switchback to the left. Take the high road for a mile and a quarter to the saddle el 7300. The reg and BM are above at 37522, 38059. It's a 70 minute hike with 600 gain and the first 400 feet goes parabolic. VODA PEAK el 7587 is what I call the interesting peak east of the paved road. Leave the paved road on a faint dirt road at N37 38499, W115 36393 el 6300. That road will end in nearly half a mile then just keep walking SE up the valley in a nice pj forest. Aim for the obvious limestone ridge on the skyline then go up to the reg at 37763, 35195. It was placed by Dan Voda in 2003. He wrote his name on the label of a Walmart peach can then put the label in the can. For the descent, walk NW over the sister summit then down the spine until a cliff gets in the way. Use a ridge on the right at 38025, 35332 el 7300 to get around it then the rest is easy.  3 hours, 1300 gain. You'll never find a more pleasant pj forest to hike in. I consider this the best hike in the range because of pristine conditions. The main road goes on and hits the highway again in 8 or 9 miles, passing some good mine stuff along the way. Posted 2017.  
• MONTE MOUNTAIN el 7957 is the high point of the Timpahute Range. It's an easy hike from Tunnel Spring. Drive the graded road in from highway 375 a bit over 7 miles and turn on a good road that a car could make if not for a 2 mile stretch with some sandy spots. The reading at that turn is N37 43884, W115 42492. Stay on the main road for 13 miles to the spring el 6550 which had a light flow from a pipe. A faint OHV track branches off about 100 feet before the spring. I was able to ride that for 2/3 mile to the end at a dry spring el 6700 where the peak was in view. I walked cow trails to a creekbed at 39063, 30738 el 6800 and went up that to the 7000 level then up the slope on the right to get on the NW ridge. A cliff band got in the way at el 7450. A class 3 crack goes up the center or there is a chicken route around the left side. The reg is at 38583, 30566. 3 or 4 hours, nearly 1500 gain. Some light brush in the flats. Nice pj forest but cattle have stomped trails all the way to the top searching for forage. Posted June, 2017.
• MEEKER PEAK el 8768 - the west side caver's route to Leviathan Cave is no longer viable because the road for that is closed at el 5000. So it's either use the west ridge of Meeker or drive all the way around to the east side. The west ridge is scenic and passes by the cave. Drive the graded road for a dozen miles in from highway 375 to a fork near a  corral. Go right for a mile and a third to N37 48521, W115 40079 then go right again on a sandy track to the legal end in a mile el 5000. The west ridge route is obvious. For the unsteepest route, I went up the west ridge almost to peak 7010 then moved left to the rim of a canyon at 49361, 36893 el 6750. I walked the rim to a fork el 6950 where it's easy to cross over to the north side then up the slope to a view of the cave at 49782, 36417 el 8050. Then I went up to the summit block where a class 2 route goes up the west side. The reg is at 49439, 35991. 7 hours, 3800 gain and 1000 of that I consider to be steep. Pleasant terrain and pj forest.  Posted 2017.
• SOUTH WORTHINGTON el 8881 is what I call the second highest peak about a mile south of Worthington Peak. The west ridge is easy. Turn off the west side road at N37 51080, W115 41743 and follow a smooth road for 4 and a half miles to the end at Wild Horse Spring el 6350, which is a useless well. A 2wd truck might make it. Walk north along the base and start up the west ridge at 53542, 37707 el 6700. It's a broad ridge and easy to zigzag up. Go over to a viewpoint on a cliff edge at 53974, 37281 el 7750 where a cave is in view. Just go up along the cliff top until crags get in the way then go straight up the slope at 53954, 37045 el 8250. It goes up steep for 200 feet and tops out at el 8450. That's the only steep part. Then it's just a stroll to the summit at 53995, 36691. Worthington Peak is only a mile away and looked easy. It wasn't. I walked east from the summit for 120 feet to get down an easy class 3 drop, only to be blocked by another cliff band at el 8600. To get around that, I dropped west to a ramp at 54165, 36786 el 8400 where all the animals get down. Then I used game trails to get back up to el 8450 where it was easy to walk level to 54521, 36611 el 8500 where I stayed along the base of another cliff to get to the last saddle el 8450. Then it was simple to go up to the top of Worthington Peak at 55057, 36693. I descended from there using the west ridge and found some circular fossils at 54897, 37174 el 8050. I angled down to the right to stay on the main ridge then trended SW to hit bottom. It was easy to walk back along the base. It took me 2 and a half hours to the top of South Worthington with 2700 gain, then was on top of Worthington in 6 hours with 700 more gain, then 8 hours and 15 minutes to come back to the start. Next time, it would take closer to 7 hours because I won't have to look for routes thru the cliffs. If there is a next time. Generally easy terrain and a pleasant forest. This is a good way to see a big chunk of this wilderness. Just doing South Worthington would be a 4 hour hike and a good one.  If you just want to do Worthington by this route, go as far as the viewpoint el 7750 then walk a shelf to a point above the cave then go a little more to the ramp el 8400 described above. I didn't do that segment, but it looked obvious as I was descending.      Posted 2017.
• WORTHINGTON PEAK has a 4wd road to el 7000 which is what most hikers use. Turn off the east side road at N37 57722, W115 33729 and go 1.8 miles to a road going left at 56711, 35048 in a mine area. Go half a mile on that road to a tricky fork and stay left. Then go .8 mile and  go right toward the peak. The road ends in a bit over a mile at 55494, 36171 el 7100 but I would park a tenth mile before that. These roads are easy 4wd but the last half mile is hard on paint. I never hiked this route but I know it circles up to the south side of the summit. I faintly recall hiking up one of the west ridges on my first trip here in 1997. Posted 2017.
• LEVIATHAN CAVE east route - most use an unmapped road that goes to the 6400 level on the east side. Turn off the east side road at N37 50948, W115 33612 el 5750 and drive a mile and a half to the end on easy 4wd. Hike west up the main canyon and get on a minor ridge at 50356, 35841 el 7050. Follow that up to a cliff at el 7400 and go around the right side and stay out of the creekbed for easier walking to get to the main saddle at 50398, 36145 el 7600. I stopped on the route there, but it apparently goes down the west side to get under crags. It looked like a lot of tedious contouring then up a steep loose slope for 400 feet or so to get thru cliffs. That would be the last obstacle. I looked for a route that stays high, but there isn't one.  I might prefer coming up the west ridge of Meeker. It's more pleasant terrain. Posted 2017.

Quinn Canyon Range, Grant Range

Hooper Peak and the Sharp Ranch.

Quinn Canyon Range high point is far left. The other one I call Quinn Peak. It's the roughest, toughest, meanest peak in the range.

The road to Cherry Creek Campground is one lane wide. This driver likely tried to dodge some tree branches and ran out of road. The real threat is the blind curves.

• Gas stations are at Lund, Ash Springs, and Tonopah. A graded  road runs along the east side of the Quinn Canyon and Grant ranges. 2  graded roads depart highway 375 and merge before reaching the northern tip of the Worthington Mtns. I used the one that starts just east of Rachel at mp LN 11.8 and runs along the west side of the Worthington Mtns. About 30 miles from the highway is a major fork reading N37 59349, W115 35404.  Left goes to Pine and Cottonwood creeks. The right fork is the main road running along the east side of the Quinn Canyon Range. The public road to Cherry Creek Campground departs from the east side road at N38 08015, W115 30929. A narrow road goes for 7 miles up canyon then a road goes left a mile to camp. There is a good creek and shady trees. The restroom is a hole in the ground that you dig. The first dispersed camps are about 3 and a half miles in from the east side road. I would check  the road before hauling a trailer in. The east side road continues on to Sunnyside and meets highway 318 at mp NY 18. A shady campround at the wildlife refuge is along the road about 7 miles before the highway . Posted 2017.
• QUINN CANYON RANGE HIGH POINT el 10185 -  jeeps can go to el 8200 and OHVs can go to 8850 up the east side. Take the 2wd high clearance road up Pine Creek to a fork at N38 07456, W115 39387 el 7200. Right goes 2wd for 4 miles to Cherry Creek Campground. But you want to go left at the fork on 4wd and there's only one road to follow to a mine and camp spot at 07471, 40862 el 8200. OHVs can go on to the end of the road el 8850 on a small plateau. Hike up the open ridge to el 9600 then angle up to craggy peak 10181. It's best to go up to the summit block at 07925, 41770 el 10120 and walk level along the west side cliff base to get past it. The rest is obvious to the reg at 07334, 42507. QUINN PEAK el 10041 is what I call the jagged peak to the north. For that, walk the crest down to the main saddle el 9300 then go up the ridge slightly right of center and that leads you into a notch at 08989, 41112 el 9800. Now drop down to the west losing 200 feet to the second gully on the right at 09054, 41140 el 9600. Start up that on talus but don't stay in it. Before you get boxed in, start moving to the left to the correct gully at 09099, 41089 el 9850. Go up that gully to the summit at 09122, 41044. No sign of humanity. To get back to the road, I walked to 08395, 41266 el 9200 then dropped down to the right to cross the creekbed and walked game trails at el 9000 for the rest. It took me 8 hours, about 4 hours per peak starting from the end of the road el 8850. The gain for the high peak  was about 2000 total and that can be done in shorts. The gain for the other was about 1200 but light brush requires long pants. A tiny stream was flowing near the end of the road at 07939, 40901 el 8500 in mid June with no snow left. Backpackers could use that and camp on the plateau el 8800. The only good camp I saw along Pine Creek is at 06777, 38635 el 6800. Posted 2017.
• COTTONWOOD CREEK SOUTH FORK - a good road goes up that to a major washout at el 6800. I walked on up along the stream on cow trails for half a mile where the road resumed. It goes up to a cluster of springs shown on the topo at el 7800 but there was just water oozing out of mud stomped by cattle. It looked like there was no vehicle access from Davis Creek either. Quinn BM is one of the peaks here but well defended by brush. Posted 2017. NORTH FORK - a road up that fork goes as far as a ford at el 6750 with a camp spot. The last mile and a quarter is 4wd. An ATV trail continues on the west bank and ends at a spring reading N38 06029, W115 43534 el 8000. Mtn bikes would work for the first mile and a quarter to a water slide. Posted 2017.
• BADGER GULCH has an ATV trail up to a saddle el 7950 as shown on the topo. Brush prevents hiking up from there. Posted 2017.
• CHERRY CREEK PEAK el 9151 is what I call the peak NW of Cherry Creek Summit. Drive half a mile west from the summit to a pullout at N38 11268, W115 36915 el 7500 where the whole route is in view. It's a steep slope thru a thin pj forest to the peak at 11863, 37552. 2 and a half hours, 1700 gain. It's very pleasant on top with good views of surrounding peaks. Next time I would try the east ridge as it looks less steep. Posted 2017.
• CAMPGROUND PEAK el 8407 is what I call the peak a mile and a quarter north of the Cherry Creek Campground. A loop can be done from the campground that includes the best part of the trail. Go up the trail along the creek for over a mile to a main fork in the canyon then go right on cow trails and start up the ridge at N38 10052, W115 38688 el 7100. It's a very pleasant ridge to the summit with a couple of minor dips. The summit is at 10389, 37383. It takes 2 and a half hours to get there with 1300 gain from the trail. Descent time depends on which route you pick. I backed up to 10373, 37596 el 8200 and followed a game trail down to the right and eventually into the bottom of the south canyon which goes down to the trail. Then it was a quarter mile back to the TH. The whole hike took me 4 hours. Another descent option is to go down the east ridge to the road where you stashed a bike at about 10305, 36604 el 7000 then ride 2 and a half miles back. It's a good idea to use wading shoes for the first fifth mile of the trail. Posted 2017.
• HOOPER PEAK el 9840+ is what I call the lonesome peak on the west rim of Hooper Canyon. Little Cherry Creek makes for long but easy access on an ancient road bed which is now cow trails. Take the trail from the campground along the creek. Wading shoes would help for the first fifth mile.  The trail cuts over to the far left bank at N38 09864, W115 38875 el 7050. The creek soon dries up and  the last water I found was a  spring on the right bank at 10723, 39886 el 7550. That's the only water in the range I didn't filter. The main canyon bends left a quarter mile beyond the spring. Stay in it to the end at a main saddle el 8250+ then go on another third mile and start up a ridge at 11829, 40020 el 8500. Go up to el 9550 then angle to 12092, 40285 el 9650 where the rest is in view. The peak is at 12516, 40199. No sign of humanity. 8 hours, 3200 gain but only 1000 is steep. 11 miles round trip. There was some light brush, mainly in the canyon, but I never used the long pants I carried. Posted June, 2017.
• HOOPER CANYON is an oddity in that it seems to be insulated from grazing and no ranch has diverted the creek. Drive over from Cherry Creek Campground for a dozen miles and turn at N38 15841, W115 37273. Go about a mile on easy 4wd to a fork. Right goes a third mile to the rim overlooking an ancient homestead. Left is the only road in use to the mouth. Then you have to drop off the rim and walk the old road up the wash. Move to 14538, 38691 for easier walking and soon the creek is flowing. A fence keeps cattle out of the canyon then a quarter mile after that is the narrows where brush blocks travel. I stopped there but the only way forward is the high west bank. Hart in his 1981 book details how he went up Hooper and over to the campground. I might do it in reverse after studying the sat image. It's an easy 1 hour hike to the narrows and back. Some light brush. Posted 2017.
• PEAK 7746 is NE of Adaven and has an easy 4wd up it with some sharp turns. Drive down canyon from Cherry Creek Campground for 4 and a half miles and turn at N38 07275, W115 34267. Follow the well preserved main road up for 3 and a half miles to the east shoulder el 7600+ of the peak for good views. I didn't think to check for a cell signal. A nearby cliff at 08906, 33881 has a good view of a spring to the north . It's an easy hike to that spring. On the drive out, stop at an OHV track reading 09092, 34479 el 7200. Walk a tenth mile on that to a saddle then drop down canyon to the spring at 09245, 33758 el 6950. It took me nearly 40 minutes to get there with some light brush. The stream enters a mini gorge then soon dries up. I could see that it wouldn't be too hard to keep going on the north bank to get thru the gorge then it would be easy pj forest to a road at the mouth, if a shuttle was set up. Cattle would ruin this but there weren't any that day. Posted June, 2017.
• DRY PEAK el 10147 is what I call the first 10000 footer north of Cherry Creek Summit. The west ridge is a pleasant route up. Drive 9 and a half miles over from Cherry Creek Campground and turn on 4wd at N38 15210, W115 36069. Go north a quarter mile and turn right up a bench. The road starts getting hard on paint at el 6400. I rode a cycle on up to el 6750 then walked to the end of the track at el 6900. From there, aim for the easiest ridge at 14809, 34082 el 7300 where the trees thin out and it's a cakewalk the rest of the way. At el 9100 some brush gets in the way but it's easy to walk around the left side into the big trees then up to the summit at 14906, 32270. I could see Bordoli Benchmark a mile to the north looked easy, so I went to it and then one more higher peak beyond it. They put the BM there because it's a  treeless crag. Just Dry Peak and back is a 5 hour hike with 3400 gain. The side trip to Bordoli BM took 3 hours. This peak has the best looking forest I saw in either range. Some of the crest north of Dry Peak has burned but was still easy to walk thru because the trees were still upright. Posted 2017.
• BORDOLI CANYON is what I call the canyon that drains east from Bordoli BM south of Rimrock Canyon. It's as easy as it looks on the map and so far has eluded wildfires. Turn off the east side graded road at N38 13115, W115 25384 and go 2 and a half miles on easy 4wd. Hike up a bench at 14670, 27262 el 6200 for a mile to 14557, 28204 el 6550 then drop to the creekbed and go up canyon in a pleasant pj forest. I wanted to go as far as the big trees that I could see from the crest. The first one is a ponderosa pine at 15168, 29854 el 7350. I went as far as 15339, 30846 el 8050 where the canyon gets cluttered and steep. I could have escaped to either rim and gone on to the crest, but it would be steep. I spent 5 hours with a grade about like RR tracks. It was a nice break from hiking peaks all the time. Posted 2017.
• TROY PEAK el 11298 is the high point of the Grant Range. Much of the east side burned. Scofield Canyon was the standard route but that road goes bad at el 6300. The road to Brady Spring is easy 4wd to el 8100. Turn off the east side road at N38 17257, W115 20456 and go nearly 3 miles then keep right at a sign for Murphy Spring on road #648. Follow that road to the end on a ridge at the wilderness boundary el 8100 near Brady Spring. You could go up the ridge but the next one north is less steep and less burned. Walk north across a drainage to get on the next ridge that has the overgrown road to the spring. Follow that ridge on up to the saddle on the crest at 19914, 29482 el 10250. The burn area ends at el 9000. Walk an elk trail on the crest to the summit block el 10700. An elk trail goes around the west side where snow lingers into July. I packed my bottles there. Four elk were hanging around nearby. One was asleep. I went over and introduced myself, but he looked at me for a minute then got up and took off. Hmmm. The route up, unless you're a climber, is to drop down the east side losing 300 feet to 19174, 29874 el 10450 then level off and go a tenth mile to a wide gully at 19111, 29905 el 10500. Go up that and it will be obvious how to curve left onto the rim at 19055, 29994 el 10800+. Then it's just a steep ridge to the reg at 19161, 30119. 6 hours, 3800 gain. Hart's 1981 book says the shelter on the summit is from a survey party in 1879. This route has the least burn of any east side route. No brush above 9000 feet, but a lot of cheatgrass and some light brush below that level. The best shady camp on the road in is at 18370, 24440 el 6200. A pipeline is used to send water from Brady Spring down to troughs along that road and the next one south for wildlife, not cattle. All these roads are on the topo. Posted late June, 2017.
• HEATH BENCHMARK el 9352 is the northernmost major peak accessed from the east side road. The south ridge works.  The east side road makes a major bend to the east at Forest Home, which is an unoccupied farm. A road goes north across it with no signs or locks on the gates, implying public access. OHVs can skirt around the west side. Once past the farm, go to a fork at N38 21792, W115 19558. Left is an OHV trail along an aqueduct. 4wds should go right for about 3 miles then turn north at 22738, 22445 el 6300 and it will soon be for OHVs only. Walk or ride the last mile to the end at el 6550 then keep going to a game trail at 23732, 22696. Follow that north up a valley aiming for a canyon at 24363, 23072 el 6950. Go up canyon a short way then go up a drainage on the right at 24482, 23090 el 7000  which gets you on the south ridge el 7050. Go up the ridge to el 7650 then walk around the left side of crags and into a saddle el 7675 behind the crags. The rest is obvious to the BM at 25622, 23623. 5 hours, 2800 gain for OHVers. 4wds will have an extra easy mile each way. It's a nice pj forest to el 7700 then some bushes are added to the mix requiring long pants. A mega spring where I filled up is near the last turn el 6300 on the drive in.  Just head for the cottonwoods. Beyond the spring, the road is an OHV trail going toward Big Spring. I rode as far as el 6700 where a steep hill killed my traction. Another road branching north going to el 7200 is long gone. The road to Wiregrass Spring and beyond seems to be gone, but the one branching to Teaspoon Spring was in decent shape for 4wds.  Posted 2017.
• WILHOITES BENCHMARK el 8311 is the high point of the Horse Range, which is a northern extension of the Grant Range. The east ridge is easy thru a pleasant pj forest. Take the graded road running SE out of Currant for nearly 9 miles to a well and stone cabin. Turn left there on easy 4wd for a bit over 7 miles to a faint road forking left el 6640. It may be closed but ends in a fifth mile anyway. Walk the flats and get on high ground at N38 45887, W115 19909 el 6800. Stay on the high ground to the crest at 46398, 21059 el 80500 then go north a fifth mile to the BM at 46554, 21085. 3 hours, 1600 gain. I felt like I deserved some kind of trophy for finding a range high point with no reg. Mtn bikes would work here, but there is no water anywhere. Posted 2017.
• RAGGED RIDGE HIGH POINT TRAVERSE el 7461 - this is a scenic area at the northern tip of the Grant Range. Take the graded road running SE out of Currant for 5 miles to a wash at N38 41691, W115 24710 el 5550. Stroll up the wash to a right fork at 40172, 24996 el 6250. Stroll up that then get on the right rim at a saddle reading 40396, 25168 el 6500. Go up the ridge to 40588, 25812 el 7350 where the rest is in view. The peak is at 40668, 25910. A 200 foot long knife edge is just before the peak. Not scary, but there might be a chicken route below it. I returned the same way, but saw later I should have gone on past the high point and found a way down for a loop. 4 hours, 2000 gain, not steep. Very pleasant terrain. RED PEAK el 6588 - the east ridge is easy for that one. Walk north up an easy wash at the east base until it opens up and you can see a saddle to go up to. The reg is at N38 42006, W115 24553. That took me 90 minutes with 1000 gain.  Posted 2017.
• BLUE EAGLE MOUNTAIN el 9561 has an easy route from the east side, but floods chewed up the road coming in by way of Andrews Spring. Even the graded part was 4wd. A 4wd might still be forced in, but it will take all day and a tank of gas. OHVs have no problem. In a 4wd, I would use the Hart route. He went up Box Canyon then down the north ridge. I did that in the 1990s and had nothing harder than class 3. It's certainly more scenic. The road to Box didn't get hit and you get to keep your paint. I don't expect the east side roads to get fixed unless grazing  resumes. Posted 2017.
• CITY IN THE SKY - the Indians had a village on a flat top el 7990 at Quinn Canyon where  I counted 18 rock rings. Turn off highway 375 at mp LN 4.1 and go about 12 miles to a main fork with a deserted ranch. Go left on a decent road to the mouth of the canyon where floods have created a couple of 4wd spots along a small stream. Go thru the canyon then to an easy 4wd road on the left at N38 01744, W115 50156. Go a mile and a quarter on that to a saddle el 7300 then climb up to the rim. Rings are scattered along the plateau but nothing is on the summit. The biggest ring I saw is at 01535, 51858. The forest is in pristine condition but for one small burn area. It has a ring it too.  PEAK 8868 is a high one nearby that's easy to get at. Turn off the main road at 02132, 50306 and go a mile and a half on easy 4wd to the end el 7550 on the far side of a burn area. It's a shady hike up the ridge to the summit at 02333, 47049. A sea of mahogany blocks further progress. Posted 2019.

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  Ring at City in the Sky

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Huge corral at Quinn Canyon