Idaho · Hiking

Herd Lake Campsite Trail

Herd Lake Campsite TrailPhoto: BLMIdaho, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
2.2 mi
round trip
357 ft
climb
7,235 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Herd Lake Campsite Trail is an easy out-and-back hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Idaho's Challis Field Office, about 2.2 miles long with a 357-foot elevation gain from a low point of 6,952 feet to a high of 7,235 feet. The trail is on natural surface and is open to horses, so riders can take it as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Chilly Barton Flat show July highs around 82°F with lows near 47°F, and the station sits about 1,000 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Herd Lake Campground is just 0.3 miles away, and the Herd Lake Trail is 0.7 miles off. The Upper Lake Creek Trail and Toolbox-Herd Creek are both within about 3 miles.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Herd Lake Campsite Trail

    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

      31° / 7°

      4 wet · 4 snow

    2. Feb

      34° / 11°

      4 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      44° / 21°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      53° / 28°

      7 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      63° / 35°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 41°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 47°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 45°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 37°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 28°

      5 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 18°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      30° / 9°

      5 wet · 4 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Chilly Barton Flat, ID, 19.2 mi away at 6,260 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.