Idaho · Hiking

Red Cliffs Trail

1.0 mi
round trip
1,160 ft
climb
5,929 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Red Cliffs Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Idaho's Challis Field Office, about a mile from the town of Challis. The trail is 1 mile long, and it rises about 550 feet from its starting point, making the total round trip about 1,100 feet. The high point is 5,929 feet, and the steepest stretch comes in the first quarter mile, where the grade reaches about 29%. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Challis airport weather station, which sits roughly 900 feet lower, show June highs around 75°F and September highs near 74°F, with lows in the low to mid 40s. Winters are cold, with January highs near 29°F. The trail is on natural surface, and it is open to horses and bikes. The trip takes about an hour. Close by, the Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger District offers river fishing about a mile away, and Rocky Road and the Foothills hike are both about a mile off. Blue Mountain Trail is a little farther, at about 1.2 miles.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Red Cliffs Trail

    Best months: May–June and August–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.

    1. Jan

      29° / 11°

      7 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 17°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      49° / 25°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 31°

      7 wet

    5. May

      67° / 40°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 46°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      87° / 52°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 50°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 42°

      5 wet

    10. Oct

      59° / 32°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 21°

      6 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 11°

      7 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Challis Ap, ID, 1.5 mi away at 5,033 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.