Idaho · Hiking · Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness

Cold Meadows

55.0 mi
round trip
705 ft
climb
7,410 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Cold Meadows open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.

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

Cold Meadows 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 Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that climbs from about 4,558 feet to about 7,410 feet over 55 miles. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Warren, Idaho, put July and August highs around 79°F with lows in the mid-30s. That station sits roughly 1,500 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The trail is rated hard, and it is not open to bikes. Horses are allowed. Several other routes and a campground lie within a few miles, including Sliver Creek, Whimstick Creek and Frog Spring Ridge, and Chamberlain Basin campground.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Cold Meadows

    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

      35° / 7°

    2. Feb

      41° / 7°

    3. Mar

      46° / 17°

    4. Apr

      50° / 20°

    5. May

      59° / 27°

    6. Jun

      68° / 34°

    7. Jul

      79° / 37°

    8. Aug

      79° / 35°

    9. Sep

      69° / 30°

    10. Oct

      56° / 23°

    11. Nov

      41° / 16°

    12. Dec

      34° / 9°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Warren, ID, 28.2 mi away at 5,907 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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.