Idaho · Hiking · Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness

Black Lake

13.6 mi
round trip
2,463 ft
climb
8,415 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Black Lake open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Black Lake is a hard hike in Idaho's Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, on the Krassel Ranger District of the Payette National Forest. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs from about 6,100 feet to about 8,400 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 2,460 feet over roughly 13.6 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is open year-round. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, but bikes are not permitted. That makes it a ride for pack animals rather than a bike route. Farrow Mountain sits just 0.2 miles away, and Coyote Spring is about 3.4 miles off. For an overnight base, Cold Meadows Airfield and Cottonwood Creek are both about 4.1 miles from the trail.