Browns Lake
- 1.6 mi
- round trip
- 499 ft
- climb
- 8,296 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Browns Lake 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.
Browns Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in Idaho's Sawtooth Wilderness, part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area within the Sawtooth National Forest. The trail is about 1.6 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 499 feet, taking you from a low point of 7,795 feet to a high of 8,296 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, with horses allowed and bikes not. The hike is open year-round, and the surrounding wilderness makes it a natural base for exploring the area's lakes and trails. Scenic Lake is about 1.8 miles away, and Pats Lake is about 2.2 miles off. For an overnight stay, Graham Cabin sits about 6.2 miles away, and the North Fork Boise River offers canoeing about 6.5 miles from the trail.
Local outfitters
- Camp Perkins16 mi away
- The Sawmill Station41 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
HIKE
Mount Cramer Trail
~15 min drive
17.75-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 939 ft gain.
Photo: Stupid Dingo, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Alpine Creek Trail
~17 min drive
7.50-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 12 feet of elevation gain.
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Fork Boise River
~18 min drive
4.94-mile out-and-back trail on the North Fork Boise River in Idaho.
HIKE
Everly Lake
~7 min drive
2.29-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 369 ft gain
Yellowbelly Trail
~16 min drive
16.26-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,233 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Bayhouse
~7 min drive
5.67-mile loop trail in Idaho with 1,488 ft gain.
HIKE
Neinmeyer Creek-Johnson Creek
~4 min drive
14.49-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,557 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Three Island Lake
~9 min drive
1.06-mile out-and-back trail to Three Island Lake in Idaho with 290 ft of elevation gain.
Alice Lake - Redfish Lake Trail
~16 min drive
20.49-mile lollipop trail from Alice Lake to Redfish Lake in Idaho
HIKE
Ten Lake Basin Trail
~11 min drive
7.48-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 894 ft gain.