Big Chief
- 10.1 mi
- round trip
- 4,581 ft
- climb
- 8,348 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Big Chief open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.
Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-638 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Brundage Mountain Resort Snowcat Route Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-637 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Lost Valley Log Hauling
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · USFS · Payette National Forest
Granite Mountain Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-635 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Gordon Titus Upper Elevation Parking Lot Winter Restrictions
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-543 · USFS · Payette National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Big Chief is a hard hike in Idaho's Payette National Forest, within the Krassel Ranger District. The trail is about 10 miles long, and the climb is steep: the route rises from about 6,240 feet to about 8,348 feet, with a total gain of about 4,581 feet over the course of the out-and-back. The steepest stretch comes at about 1.3 miles in, where the grade reaches 30 percent. The trail is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. The Forest Service manages the land, and the hike is open year-round. Plan on about 5.5 hours for the trip. Several other hikes sit close by. Meadow Creek is about a mile away, and Thunder Mountain Trail and Riordan Lake Trail are each about 2 miles off. For an overnight stay, Johnson Creek Guard Station is about 7 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Black Bear RV Park36 mi away
- Arrowhead RV Park41 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lake Creek
~24 min drive
16.78-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,270 ft elevation gain.
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MEADOW CREEK
~2 min drive
5.02-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,323 ft elevation gain and loss.
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THUNDER MOUNTAIN
~4 min drive
1.84-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 389 ft elevation gain and 6,858 ft max elevation.
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Thunder Mountain Trail
~4 min drive
4.58-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,525 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Riordan Lake Trail
~4 min drive
8.84-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 1,856 ft elevation gain and loss.
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RIORDAN LAKE
~9 min drive
2.78-mile out-and-back trail to Riordan Lake in Idaho with 923 ft of elevation gain.
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Bear - Riordan Trail
~7 min drive
12.34-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,796 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Mule Hill
~8 min drive
Mule Hill is a 5.70-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,981 feet of elevation gain.
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Pistol Lake
~15 min drive
1.75-mile out-and-back trail to Pistol Lake in Idaho with 477 ft gain.
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Indian Creek
~7 min drive
22.08-mile point-to-point trail in Idaho with 1,353 ft elevation gain.
