Idaho · Hiking

Bull Moose

Bull MoosePhoto: U.S. Forest Service employees, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
5.0 mi
loop
893 ft
climb
7,635 ft
high point
Loop
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Bull Moose open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Sawtooth National Forest.

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

Bull Moose is a 5-mile loop hike in Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area, part of the Sawtooth National Forest. The trail rises from about 6,600 feet to about 7,600 feet, with a total elevation gain of 893 feet, and is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and open to horses. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Stanley, at a lower elevation, show July and August highs around 80°F with only five or six wet days a month. That station sits roughly 1,100 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The hike takes about two hours. Redfish Ridge is less than a mile away, and Williams Creek is about 1.7 miles off. Redfish Lake and Redfish Inlet Campground are both within about 3.6 miles.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Bull Moose

    Best months: June–August. 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

      29° / 4°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 7°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 14°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 21°

      12 wet

    5. May

      60° / 30°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      69° / 35°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 39°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 37°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 31°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 24°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 14°

      12 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 6°

      14 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stanley Rs, ID, 6.5 mi away at 6,495 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

REDFISH RIDGEPhoto: U.S. Forest Service employees, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

REDFISH RIDGE

~1 min drive

6.1-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,055 ft elevation gain.

HuckleberryPhoto: U.S. Forest Service employees, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Huckleberry

~3 min drive

5.60-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 896 ft gain.

Redfish Inlet TrailPhoto: WaterArchives.org from Sacramento, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Redfish Inlet Trail

~6 min drive

1.14-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 329 ft gain.

Redfish Ridge TrailPhoto: J. Crane, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Redfish Ridge Trail

~4 min drive

6.14-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,031 ft elevation gain and loss.

Grand Mogul TrailPhoto: WaterArchives.org from Sacramento, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Grand Mogul Trail

~6 min drive

14.76-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 941 ft elevation gain.

Bench LakesPhoto: U.S. Forest Service employees, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bench Lakes

~7 min drive

1.88-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 278 ft elevation gain.

Hell RoaringPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Hell Roaring

~8 min drive

10.12-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 636 ft gain.

Alice Lake-Redfish LakePhoto: Observer12, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Alice Lake-Redfish Lake

~6 min drive

6.32-mile out-and-back trail to Alice Lake-Redfish Lake in Idaho with 888 ft gain.

Fishhook TrailPhoto: bgwashburn, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Fishhook Trail

~10 min drive

2.55-mile lollipop trail in Idaho with 66 ft elevation gain.

Marshall Lake CutoffPhoto: treegrow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Marshall Lake Cutoff

~9 min drive

1.17-mile loop with 577 ft gain and loss, max elevation 7,159 ft.