Middle Fork Elk Creek
- 5.7 mi
- round trip
- 1,349 ft
- climb
- 6,818 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Middle Fork Elk Creek open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.
Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-638 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Brundage Mountain Resort Snowcat Route Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-637 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Lost Valley Log Hauling
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · USFS · Payette National Forest
Granite Mountain Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-635 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Gordon Titus Upper Elevation Parking Lot Winter Restrictions
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-543 · USFS · Payette National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Middle Fork Elk Creek is a hard hike in the McCall Ranger District of Idaho's Payette National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 5.7 miles long, and the one-way climb gains about 1,350 feet, taking you from a low point around 5,470 feet to a high of about 6,820 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Warren run to highs near 79°F in July and August, while temperatures on this trail run cooler than that station's figures because the route climbs higher. The trail is on natural surface, and bikes are allowed. West Fork Elk Creek and South Fork Elk Creek both lie about 0.6 miles away. Rattlesnake Peak is about 4.5 miles off, and Shiefer campground is about 4.6 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Black Bear RV Park34 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Middle Fork Elk Creek
Best months: June–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.
Jan
35° / 7°
Feb
41° / 7°
Mar
46° / 17°
Apr
50° / 20°
May
59° / 27°
Jun
68° / 34°
Jul
79° / 37°
Aug
79° / 35°
Sep
69° / 30°
Oct
56° / 23°
Nov
41° / 16°
Dec
34° / 9°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Warren, ID, 12.3 mi away at 5,907 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
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West Fork Elk Creek
~1 min drive
6.98-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,292 ft elevation gain.
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NORTH FK LOGAN CREEK
~10 min drive
1.96-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,409 ft gain/loss
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SOUTH FORK CHAMBERLAIN CREEK
~18 min drive
18.48-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,675 ft elevation gain/loss.
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GRIMMET CREEK
~20 min drive
2.3-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 755 ft gain/loss.
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South Fork Elk Creek
~1 min drive
8.37-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,835 ft elevation gain.
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Parks Peak Cut-Off
~15 min drive
3.83-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 25 ft of elevation gain.
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Estep
~21 min drive
7.58-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,723 ft elevation gain.
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S/F SHEEP CREEK
~21 min drive
1.02-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 794 ft elevation gain/loss.
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Rattlesnake Peak
~8 min drive
16.70-mile loop with 4,917 ft gain at Rattlesnake Peak in Idaho.
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Tailholt
~18 min drive
4.18-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 98 ft gain.
