Idaho · Hiking

Buffalo River Trail

Buffalo River TrailPhoto: Jeremiah Ro, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.5 mi
round trip
33 ft
climb
6,296 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Buffalo River Trail open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

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

Buffalo River Trail is an easy out-and-back hike in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest, within the Ashton/Island Park Ranger District. It is a short route of about 2.5 miles with a low elevation gain of 33 feet, so the climb is barely worth a mention, and the trail stays within a narrow band between about 6,266 and 6,296 feet. The trail is on natural surface, and the Forest Service allows both bikes and horses. It is not an accessible trail, so plan for that if you need a route that works with mobility aids. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Island Park show July and August highs around 77°F with lows in the low 40s, while winter highs there sit in the mid-20s. The trail is open year-round. Buffalo Campground and the PONDS TRAIL C are both about 0.2 miles away, and Island Park Reservoir is about 1.3 miles off. Box Canyon, a hike about 1.2 miles away, is the closest other trail.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Buffalo River Trail

    Best months: May–September. 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.

    1. Jan

      27° / 6°

    2. Feb

      30° / 7°

    3. Mar

      39° / 14°

    4. Apr

      47° / 23°

    5. May

      59° / 32°

    6. Jun

      67° / 38°

    7. Jul

      77° / 43°

    8. Aug

      77° / 40°

    9. Sep

      68° / 32°

    10. Oct

      51° / 24°

    11. Nov

      36° / 14°

    12. Dec

      25° / 6°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Island Park, ID, 0.3 mi away at 6,290 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

PONDS TRAIL CPhoto: Jeremiah Ro, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

PONDS TRAIL C

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