Black Lake
- 13.6 mi
- round trip
- 2,463 ft
- climb
- 8,415 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 23 h ago
Is Black 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.
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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Cold Mountain
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Disappointment Creek
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Horse Creek Trail
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Salmon River
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Devils Toe
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Waugh Mtn-West Horse Trail
~19 min drive
2.86-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 955 ft gain and 8,359 ft max elevation.
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Cramer Basin
~21 min drive
Cramer Basin is an 11.46-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,748 ft of elevation gain.
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Salmon River
~12 min drive
15.38-mile out-and-back trail on Salmon River in Idaho with 98 ft elevation gain.
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Elkhorn Spring
~19 min drive
Elkhorn Spring is a 1.00-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 39 feet of elevation gain.
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Whimstick Creek
~13 min drive
9.37-mile out-and-back trail at Whimstick Creek in Idaho with 1,567 ft of elevation gain.
