Idaho · Hiking

Kelly Creek Loop

Kelly Creek LoopPhoto: BY-YOUR-⌘ from Spain, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
3.7 mi
round trip
576 ft
climb
6,765 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jul–Aug
best months

Is KELLY CREEK LOOP open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Sawtooth National Forest.

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

Kelly Creek Loop is a moderate out-and-back hike in Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area, part of the Sawtooth National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail stretches about 7.3 miles round trip, with a total elevation gain of 576 feet. The route starts at roughly 6,416 feet and reaches a high point of 6,765 feet before descending back to the starting elevation. The climb is steepest around mile 3.2, where the grade reaches about 9%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July averages at the nearby Stanley weather station run to highs near 80°F and lows around 34°F, and September cools to about 70°F by day. That station sits roughly 500 feet lower than the trail's high point, so expect temperatures up top to run a bit cooler. The trip takes about 2.5 hours. Stanley Lake and the Stanley Basin Cutoff both lie about a mile away. Elk Creek Campground and Stanley Lake Campground are each within about 3.5 miles.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jul–Aug

    Best time to visit KELLY CREEK LOOP

    Best months: July–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

      26° / -3°

    2. Feb

      33° / -1°

    3. Mar

      43° / 9°

    4. Apr

      50° / 18°

    5. May

      60° / 26°

    6. Jun

      69° / 31°

    7. Jul

      80° / 34°

    8. Aug

      79° / 32°

    9. Sep

      70° / 25°

    10. Oct

      56° / 19°

    11. Nov

      38° / 10°

    12. Dec

      25° / -2°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stanley, ID, 3.7 mi away at 6,249 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

STANLEY LAKEPhoto: BY-YOUR-⌘ from Spain, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

STANLEY LAKE

~2 min drive

7.52-mile out-and-back trail to Stanley Lake in Idaho with 687 ft elevation gain.

LUPINE LOOP SKIPhoto: BY-YOUR-⌘ from Spain, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

LUPINE LOOP SKI

~4 min drive

0.51-mile loop in Idaho with 81 ft elevation gain and 82 ft loss.

ELK MOUNTAIN CUTOFFPhoto: Argyleist from Sugarhood, Utah, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

ELK MOUNTAIN CUTOFF

~5 min drive

11.14-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,386 ft elevation gain.

LITTLE BASIN CREEKPhoto: U.S. Forest Service employees, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

LITTLE BASIN CREEK

~5 min drive

5.44-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,397 ft elevation gain and loss.

SEGO LOOP SKIPhoto: treegrow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

SEGO LOOP SKI

~6 min drive

2.92-mile out-and-back ski trail in Idaho with 488 ft elevation gain

Alpine Way TrailPhoto: Fredlyfish4 at English Wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Alpine Way Trail

~9 min drive

35.46-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,745 ft elevation gain.

ELK MOUNTAIN LOOKOUTPhoto: Stephen Hanafin from Twin Falls, ID, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

ELK MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

~7 min drive

6.14-mile out-and-back trail to Elk Mountain Lookout in Idaho with 1,923 ft gain

Iron Creek-Stanley Lake TrailPhoto: Fredlyfish4 at English Wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Iron Creek-Stanley Lake Trail

~7 min drive

1.16-mile out-and-back trail with 162 ft gain and loss, reaching 6,593 ft.

Redfish Creek - Baron Creek TrailPhoto: Argyleist from Sugarhood, Utah, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Redfish Creek - Baron Creek Trail

~14 min drive

42.35-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,444 ft elevation gain.

ELK MOUNTAINPhoto: Fredlyfish4 at English Wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

ELK MOUNTAIN

~8 min drive

7.12-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 626 ft gain and 7,120 ft max elevation.