Lower Yellowjacket
- 11.1 mi
- round trip
- 1,283 ft
- climb
- 5,361 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jun
- best months
Is Lower Yellowjacket open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Stoddard Bridge Construction Closure
Agency alert covering Salmon-Challis National Forest · Order 0413-07-17 · USFS · Salmon-Challis National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Salmon-Challis National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Lower Yellowjacket is a moderate out-and-back hike in Idaho's Salmon-Challis National Forest, on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District. The trail covers about 11 miles, with a total climb of roughly 1,280 feet from a low point around 4,333 feet to a high of about 5,361 feet. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Taylor run from highs near 76°F in June to about 88°F in July, with September easing back to around 76°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Winter is cold and snowy, with highs near 30°F from December through January. The trail is on natural surface and is open year-round. Horses are allowed. Several other outings lie close by. Little Jacket is about 1.2 miles away and Duck Creek Point about 1.9 miles. Yellowjacket Creek, a paddling route, is about 3.3 miles off, and Yellowjacket Guard Station campground is about 6 miles away.
Local outfitters
- The Sawmill Station48 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Apr, Jun
Best time to visit Lower Yellowjacket
Best months: April, June and September–October. 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
31° / 16°
10 wet · 7 snow
Feb
38° / 19°
8 wet · 5 snow
Mar
50° / 27°
10 wet · 3 snow
Apr
59° / 33°
12 wet · 1 snow
May
68° / 40°
13 wet
Jun
76° / 45°
11 wet
Jul
88° / 51°
7 wet
Aug
87° / 50°
6 wet
Sep
76° / 41°
6 wet
Oct
58° / 33°
8 wet · 1 snow
Nov
41° / 25°
10 wet · 4 snow
Dec
30° / 17°
11 wet · 7 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Taylor Rch, ID, 16.7 mi away at 3,835 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Bplewe, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)BEAGLE CREEK
~11 min drive
18-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 4,385 ft elevation gain/loss
Photo: Bplewe, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Upper Yellowjacket Cr.
~11 min drive
Upper Yellowjacket Cr is a 17.23-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 1,696 feet of elevation gain.
HIKE
Middle Fork Peak Cut Off
~5 min drive
1.32-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 649 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Brush Cr-Sheep Cr
~13 min drive
4.65-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 610 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
WOODTICK CUTOFF
~14 min drive
6.98-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 5,101 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Bear Creek Pt.
~12 min drive
34.86-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 5,066 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Upper Yellowjacket Cr.
~16 min drive
4.95-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 854 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
HOODOO TRAIL
~13 min drive
5.22-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho with 1,934 ft elevation gain and loss.
HIKE
PARADISE CR. CUTOFF
~19 min drive
9.44-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 5,165 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Little Jacket
~2 min drive
33.17-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,994 ft elevation gain.
