Idaho · Hiking

Navigation

NavigationPhoto: gcchang, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
16.5 mi
round trip
358 ft
climb
2,730 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Navigation open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Idaho Panhandle National Forests. It doesn't name Navigation, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Navigation is a 16.5-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho's Priest Lake Ranger District, part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The trail rises from a low point of 2,448 feet to a high of 2,730 feet, with a total elevation gain of 358 feet. It is a hard route, and the Forest Service manages the land. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows bikes, but it is not accessible. The trailhead is called Navigation Trailhead, and the hike is open from June 1 to September 30. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 83°F with only five or six wet days a month, while winter brings highs near freezing and regular snow days. Beaver Creek campground sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Lakeshore hike is 0.4 mile off. North Blacktail is about 2 miles away, and Lion's Creek, a climbing area, is about 6 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Navigation

    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

      32° / 22°

      16 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      37° / 22°

      13 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      14 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      57° / 31°

      13 wet

    5. May

      68° / 39°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 44°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 48°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 46°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 39°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 32°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 27°

      15 wet · 5 snow

    12. Dec

      31° / 22°

      17 wet · 11 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Priest Rvr Exp Stn, ID, 26.7 mi away at 2,371 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.