Salamander Lake
- 2.6 mi
- round trip
- 674 ft
- climb
- 8,171 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is Salamander Lake open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Salamander Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest, within the Dubois Ranger District. The trail is about 2.6 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 674 feet, taking you from a low point of 7,480 feet to a high of 8,171 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, with horses and bikes allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lakeview, Montana, show July and August highs around 77°F with lows in the low 40s, while winter highs there sit in the mid-20s. That station sits roughly 1,460 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The hike is open year-round. Trail Creek Cutoff lies about 0.8 miles away, and Trail Creek and Lake Creek are each about 1.4 miles off. For an overnight stay, Steel Creek Group Campground is about 7.2 miles away.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Salamander Lake
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.
Jan
24° / 4°
Feb
27° / 5°
Mar
36° / 14°
Apr
47° / 24°
May
59° / 32°
Jun
67° / 38°
Jul
77° / 43°
Aug
77° / 41°
Sep
67° / 35°
Oct
51° / 25°
Nov
36° / 15°
Dec
24° / 5°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lakeview, MT, 6.6 mi away at 6,710 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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.
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