Idaho · Hiking

Lime Creek

Lime CreekPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
10.6 mi
round trip
2,555 ft
climb
7,083 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Lime Creek is a hard hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Idaho's Salmon Field Office, about 2.5 miles from the town of Elk Bend. The route is an out-and-back of about 10.6 miles, with a one-way climb of roughly 2,555 feet from a low point of 4,323 feet to a high of 7,083 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Leadore, which sits about 1,000 feet lower, show July highs around 83°F with lows near 41°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 30°F and lows near 5°F. The Goldbug Hot Springs Trail and the Warm Springs cross-country ski area are both about 1.5 miles away. Badger Basin and Rattlesnake are a little farther, at about 4 and 5 miles.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Lime Creek

    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

      30° / 5°

    2. Feb

      34° / 8°

    3. Mar

      43° / 19°

    4. Apr

      52° / 25°

    5. May

      62° / 32°

    6. Jun

      71° / 38°

    7. Jul

      83° / 41°

    8. Aug

      81° / 40°

    9. Sep

      71° / 34°

    10. Oct

      55° / 25°

    11. Nov

      40° / 16°

    12. Dec

      29° / 6°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Leadore #2, ID, 33.7 mi away at 6,000 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.