Idaho · Hiking · Near Idaho City

Elkhorn Loop

10.2 mi
round trip
16 ft
climb
6,449 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Elkhorn Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Boise National Forest. It doesn't name Elkhorn Loop, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Elkhorn Loop is a 10.2-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho's Boise National Forest, within the Idaho City Ranger District. The trail is an easy walk with a total elevation gain of 16 feet, so it's a low-effort outing for anyone who wants to spend time on foot, horseback or on a bike. The trail is open from November 16 through May 14, and the parking area is called Banner Ridge Trailhead. Bikes and horses are both allowed, and the surface is natural. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically June through September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 70°F in June to about 82°F in July, with lows in the 30s and 40s. That station sits about 500 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. Banner Ridge Yurt and the Aspen Grove cross-country ski area are both within a third of a mile. Mountain View campground is about 3 miles away, and the Crooked River offers canoeing roughly 6 miles off.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Mountain View

    Campground

    Campground · 3.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Diamond Lil's Restaurant & Saloon

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 19 mi
  • If it rainsj.a.woodhouse from United States, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Kirkham Hot Springs

    Hot spring

    Hot spring · 3.3 mi from Idaho City

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: j.a.woodhouse from United States, CC BY 2.0 (commons)

More in Idaho City

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Elkhorn Loop

    Best months: June–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

      35° / 8°

    2. Feb

      36° / 12°

    3. Mar

      42° / 16°

    4. Apr

      49° / 22°

    5. May

      61° / 30°

    6. Jun

      70° / 35°

    7. Jul

      82° / 40°

    8. Aug

      81° / 38°

    9. Sep

      73° / 32°

    10. Oct

      57° / 26°

    11. Nov

      40° / 16°

    12. Dec

      31° / 9°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Deadwood Lodge, ID, 29.4 mi away at 5,948 ft. The station sits about 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.