Big Hazard Lake
- 0.6 mi
- round trip
- 20 ft
- climb
- 6,984 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Big Hazard Lake 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 Hazard Lake is a short, easy hike in the New Meadows Ranger District of Idaho's Payette National Forest, about 0.6 miles long and rated easy. It's a low-elevation outing, with the trail's low point at 6,954 feet and its high point at 6,984 feet, and it's a natural-surfaced route that works well on foot and for bikes. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Warren, Idaho, run to highs around 79°F in July and August, with lows in the mid-30s. That station sits well below the lake, so temperatures here run cooler. Hazard Lake campground and the Lava Ridge National Recreation Trail are both about 1.3 miles away. The Upper Hazard/Hard Creek Basin Trail is about 1.4 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Black Bear RV Park23 mi away
- Arrowhead RV Park49 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Big Hazard Lake
Best months: June–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
35° / 7°
Feb
41° / 7°
Mar
46° / 17°
Apr
50° / 20°
May
59° / 27°
Jun
68° / 34°
Jul
79° / 37°
Aug
79° / 35°
Sep
69° / 30°
Oct
56° / 23°
Nov
41° / 16°
Dec
34° / 9°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Warren, ID, 23 mi away at 5,907 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Lava Ridge National Recreation Trail
~2 min drive
13.01-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 1,615 ft elevation gain.
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Upper Hazard/Hard Creek Basin Trail
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8.27-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 430 ft elevation gain.
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Kennith Lake
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ELKHORN CREEK
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Vance Creek
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Vance Creek Trail
~3 min drive
3.96-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,214 ft elevation gain.
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Scribner Lake
~5 min drive
0.82-mile out-and-back trail to Scribner Lake in Idaho
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Center Ridge Trail
~13 min drive
18.28-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 5,166 ft gain/loss and 7,541 ft max elevation.
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Little French Creek Meadow
~4 min drive
7.86-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,936 ft elevation gain.
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Serene Lake
~5 min drive
3.20-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 758 ft elevation gain.
