Idaho · Hiking

Flat Canyon

6.9 mi
round trip
1,276 ft
climb
7,436 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Flat Canyon 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.

Flat Canyon is a hard hike in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest, within the Ashton/Island Park Ranger District. The trail is about 6.9 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,276 feet, and it rises from a low point of 6,120 feet to a high of 7,436 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is an out-and-back. The trail is natural-surfaced and open year-round. Bikes and horses are allowed, and it is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Island Park weather station, which sits about 1,100 feet lower, show July and August highs around 77°F with lows in the low 40s. Winter is cold, with January highs near 27°F and lows around 6°F. Nearby options include Camp Ridge, about 2.9 miles away, and Trail Canyon and Moose Creek, each about 3.4 miles off. Warm River Cabin, a campground, is about 3.4 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Flat Canyon

    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, 13.2 mi away at 6,290 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

Moose CreekPhoto: cjennr76, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Moose Creek

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Mesa Nature TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mesa Nature Trail

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Box CanyonPhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Boundary Creek Trail

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Trail CanyonPhoto: cjennr76, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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North Gate PathPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Bechler Backcountry Office

~20 min drive

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BIG BEND RIDGE TRAIL

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