Lower Ward Peak
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 41 ft
- climb
- 6,746 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Lower Ward Peak open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Idaho Panhandle National Forests. It doesn't name Lower Ward Peak, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).
Emergency Road Closure Lightning Creek / Forest Road 419
Agency closure covering Idaho Panhandle National Forests · Order 0104-06-26-002 · USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Emergency Road Closure Forest Road 225, Slate Creek
Agency closure covering St. Joe Ranger District · Order 01-04-04-26-001 · USFS · St. Joe Ranger District
Abandoned Mines Area Closure
Agency closure covering Idaho Panhandle National Forests · Order 1-04-00-25-001 · USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Idaho Panhandle Seasonal Food Storage Order
Agency closure covering Idaho Panhandle National Forests · Order 01-04-00-24-001 · USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Heavy Truck Traffic on FS Road 209
Agency alert covering Idaho Panhandle National Forests · USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Lower Ward Peak is a short, steep out-and-back hike in the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 0.4 miles long, with a one-way climb of about 40 feet from a low point of 6,689 feet to a high of 6,746 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mullan Pass show July and August highs around 70°F with only about six wet days a month, while winter highs stay near 28°F. The trail is natural-surface and bikes are allowed, but it is not accessible. Ward Peak lies about 0.3 miles away, and Square Lake and Hub Hazel Lakes are each about a mile off. For an overnight stay, Up Up Lookout is about 5 miles away.
Local outfitters
- CDA River RV49 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Lower Ward Peak
Best months: July–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
28° / 19°
19 wet
Feb
28° / 19°
17 wet
Mar
34° / 22°
19 wet
Apr
40° / 27°
17 wet
May
50° / 36°
15 wet
Jun
58° / 42°
13 wet
Jul
70° / 52°
6 wet
Aug
69° / 51°
6 wet
Sep
59° / 44°
8 wet
Oct
44° / 32°
13 wet
Nov
32° / 23°
17 wet
Dec
27° / 18°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mullan Pass Vor/Dme, ID, 18.4 mi away at 6,028 ft. The station sits about 700 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: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)Crystal Lake
~6 min drive
7.36-mile out-and-back trail to Crystal Lake in Montana with 2,359 ft elevation gain.
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Ward Peak
Next door
2.67-mile out-and-back trail to Ward Peak in Idaho with 902 ft elevation gain.
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Square Lake
~2 min drive
0.60-mile out-and-back trail to Square Lake in Idaho with 84 ft gain.
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UP-UP / DEER CREEK
~7 min drive
22.27-mile loop trail in Montana with 3,010 ft elevation gain and 5,716 ft max elevation.
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CRADDOCK PEAK
~9 min drive
5.86-mile out-and-back to Craddock Peak in Idaho with 1,710 ft gain
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Hub Hazel Lakes
~2 min drive
6-mile out-and-back trail to Hub Hazel Lakes in Montana with 552 ft gain
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Clear Lake
~3 min drive
0.80-mile out-and-back trail to Clear Lake in Idaho with 59 ft of elevation gain.
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BIG CREEK / RIVERS CREEK
~14 min drive
39.44-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 5,575 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Haggerty Ridge
~12 min drive
4.70-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,418 ft elevation gain.
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Ward Creek
~4 min drive
5.48-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,362 ft elevation gain.
Also worth it near here