Rapid River Ridge
- 3.2 mi
- round trip
- 1,017 ft
- climb
- 6,319 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Rapid River Ridge 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.
Rapid River Ridge is a moderate out-and-back hike in Idaho's Payette National Forest, within the New Meadows Ranger District. The trail rises from about 5,278 feet to about 6,319 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,017 feet over a route of about 3.2 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. The route is natural-surface and allows both horses and bikes. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Warren, Idaho, run to highs around 79°F in July and August, with lows in the mid-30s. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the ridge's high point, so temperatures up top run a little cooler. The Rapid River Ridge Trail lies about 0.6 miles away, and the Oxbow Trail and Rapid River are each about 1.3 miles off. For an overnight stay, Smokey Boulder Dispersed is about 8 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Black Bear RV Park30 mi away
- Oregon Backcountry Outfitting41 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Rapid River Ridge
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, 35 mi away at 5,907 ft. 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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Oxbow Trail
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26.17-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,355 ft elevation gain.
