Lightning Basin
- 3.5 mi
- round trip
- 583 ft
- climb
- 6,830 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Lightning Basin open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Boise National Forest. It doesn't name Lightning Basin, so check the source for the area it covers.
UPDATED Sept. 19 - Crooked Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure
Agency closure covering Boise National Forest · Order 0402-03-140 · USFS · Boise National Forest
Lava Fire Road Closure
Agency alert covering Boise National Forest · Order 0402-06-84 · USFS · Boise National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Boise National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Lightning Basin is a moderate out-and-back hike in the Emmett Ranger District of Idaho's Boise National Forest, about 3.5 miles long with a one-way climb of 583 feet. The trail starts at a low point of about 6,242 feet and reaches a high of about 6,830 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Deadwood Lodge show July highs around 82°F with lows near 40°F, and September highs around 73°F. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the basin run cooler. The trail is on natural surface and allows both horses and bikes. Onion Valley is about a mile away, and Lightning Ridge and Granite Basin are within 4 miles. Rattlesnake Campground is about 6 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Riverpond Campground11 mi away
- Arrowhead RV Park24 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit Lightning Basin
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.
Jan
35° / 8°
Feb
36° / 12°
Mar
42° / 16°
Apr
49° / 22°
May
61° / 30°
Jun
70° / 35°
Jul
82° / 40°
Aug
81° / 38°
Sep
73° / 32°
Oct
57° / 26°
Nov
40° / 16°
Dec
31° / 9°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Deadwood Lodge, ID, 20.4 mi away at 5,948 ft. The station sits about 900 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
Photo: Fokket, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Station Creek
~19 min drive
4.33-mile out-and-back trail at Station Creek in Idaho with 1,250 ft gain
HIKE
Onion Valley
~2 min drive
4.39-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,386 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Anderson Creek
~8 min drive
Anderson Creek is an 11.03-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,942 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
MOUNTAIN TOP
~17 min drive
2.08-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 733 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Granite Basin
~7 min drive
4.41-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 855 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Lightning Ridge
~4 min drive
11.67-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 475 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
TABLE MOUNTAIN
~18 min drive
24.8-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 4,054 ft elevation gain and 5,734 ft max elevation.
HIKE
MAIN SCRIVER LOOP
~17 min drive
2.54-mile loop in Idaho with 735 ft gain and 1,026 ft loss.
HIKE
Lightning Ridge
~8 min drive
3.57-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 86 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
LIGHTNING RIDGE
~5 min drive
7.06-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,878 ft elevation gain and loss.
