Boulder Chain Lakes
- 8.1 mi
- round trip
- 1,558 ft
- climb
- 10,182 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 6 h ago
Is Boulder Chain Lakes open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Sawtooth National Forest.
Paradise Prescribed Burn Restricted Access
Agency alert covering Sawtooth National Forest · USFS · Sawtooth National Forest
Grandjean Area, Road, and Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Sawtooth National Forest · Order 0414-04-165 · USFS · Sawtooth National Forest
Over-Snow Vehicle and Bicycle Prohibitions
Agency alert covering Sawtooth National Forest · Order 0414-00-028 · USFS · Sawtooth National Forest
Occupancy and Use - Food Storage
Agency alert covering Sawtooth National Forest · Order 0414-04-143 · USFS · Sawtooth National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Sawtooth National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Boulder Chain Lakes is a hard hike in Idaho's Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area within the Sawtooth National Forest. The route is an out-and-back of about 8 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 1,558 feet, taking you from a low point of roughly 8,760 feet to a high of about 10,182 feet. The trail is on natural surface and allows horses, so riders can take it as well as hikers. It is open year-round, and the Forest Service manages the land. The climb is a steady one, and the route's length and gain make it a serious outing. Baker Lake and Livingston Mill-Castle Divide both lie within about a mile and a half, and Walker Lake is about 2.3 miles away. Paddlers can reach Germania Creek, about 4.8 miles off.
Local outfitters
- The Sawmill Station14 mi away
- Camp Perkins16 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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GERMANIA CREEK
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22.08-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,648 ft elevation gain and loss.
WASHINGTON LAKE
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Quicksand Meadows Trail
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Photo: roy.luck, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)FRENCH CREEK
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