Dwyer-Smith
- 21.5 mi
- one way
- 5,231 ft
- climb
- 6,238 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Dwyer-Smith open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Bitterroot National Forest.
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger and Darby-Sula Districts Nov. 3
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger District end of October
Agency alert covering West Fork Ranger District · USFS · West Fork Ranger District
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger District Oct. 26
Agency alert covering West Fork Ranger District · USFS · West Fork Ranger District
Two Prescribed Burns Planned for the week of Oct. 5 - Piquett Creek & Cameron Gap
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Bitterroot National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Dwyer-Smith is a hard hike of about 21.5 miles in Idaho's Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, within the West Fork Ranger District of the Bitterroot National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface route with a total elevation gain of about 5,231 feet, rising from roughly 2,700 feet to about 6,240 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July and August highs around 76°F with lows in the upper 30s, while winter highs stay near freezing. The Salmon River hike starts just 0.1 mile away, and Fawn Ridge and Runaway Ridge are both within about 3 miles. For an overnight base, Wendover Campground is about 7 miles off.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Dwyer-Smith
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.
Jan
31° / 5°
Feb
33° / 8°
Mar
38° / 13°
Apr
46° / 20°
May
57° / 28°
Jun
64° / 35°
Jul
76° / 39°
Aug
76° / 36°
Sep
65° / 31°
Oct
52° / 24°
Nov
36° / 14°
Dec
28° / 5°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dixie N, ID, 30.3 mi away at 5,740 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Salmon River
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Horse Creek Trail
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Runaway Ridge
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Elkhorn Mountain
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4.20-mile out-and-back trail to Elkhorn Mountain in Idaho with 123 ft elevation gain.
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~15 min drive
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Devils Toe
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Stripe Creek-Divide
~18 min drive
5.69-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,322 ft elevation gain.
