Shafer Butte
Campground
Campground · 2.9 mi from the trail
Idaho · Hiking · Near Idaho City
Sinker Creek
- 6.3 mi
- round trip
- 309 ft
- climb
- 5,436 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Is Sinker Creek open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Boise National Forest. It doesn't name Sinker Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.
UPDATED Sept. 19 - Crooked Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure
Agency closure covering Boise National Forest · Order 0402-03-140 · USFS · Boise National Forest
Lava Fire Road Closure
Agency alert covering Boise National Forest · Order 0402-06-84 · USFS · Boise National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Boise National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Sinker Creek is a 6.3-mile out-and-back hike in the Mountain Home Ranger District of Idaho's Boise National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from about 4,775 feet to about 5,436 feet, a climb of 309 feet one way, and is rated hard. The route is on natural surface, and both horses and bikes are allowed. That makes it a versatile option for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Boise show July highs around 88°F with lows near 58°F, while winter brings highs in the upper 30s and regular snow days from December through February. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Several other spots sit close by. The #121 Pat's mountain biking trail is just 0.1 mile away, and the Eastside hike is about half a mile off. Climbers can head to Atomic Boulders, about a mile away, and Shafer Butte campground is roughly 2.9 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Frontier Point Nordic Lodge
Restaurant
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsCamEQ, Facade of Art Museum designed by Trout Architects and Mark Mack in 1988, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: CamEQ, Facade of Art Museum designed by Trout Architects and Mark Mack in 1988, Public domain (commons)
More in Idaho CityLocal outfitters
- Riverpond Campground26 mi away
- Lake Point Campground28 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Best time to visit Sinker Creek
Best months: May–June and September–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.
Jan
37° / 24°
13 wet · 9 snow
Feb
43° / 27°
12 wet · 6 snow
Mar
51° / 32°
13 wet · 5 snow
Apr
58° / 36°
11 wet · 3 snow
May
68° / 43°
11 wet · 1 snow
Jun
77° / 49°
7 wet
Jul
88° / 58°
4 wet
Aug
86° / 58°
3 wet
Sep
76° / 50°
5 wet
Oct
61° / 40°
7 wet · 1 snow
Nov
46° / 30°
12 wet · 5 snow
Dec
37° / 23°
14 wet · 9 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boise 7 N, ID, 4 mi away at 3,885 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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3.28-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 185 ft of elevation gain.
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~2 min drive
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Photo: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bogus Creek Loop
~3 min drive
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Eastside
Next door
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Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)#LT3 Doug Fir Loop
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~3 min drive
0.86-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 65 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
#125 Freddys Stack Rock Trail
~2 min drive
7.28-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,689 ft elevation gain and loss.
