Switchback
- 6.4 mi
- round trip
- 2,027 ft
- climb
- 7,760 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Switchback open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Boise National Forest. It doesn't name Switchback, 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.
Switchback is a 6.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Lowman Ranger District of Idaho's Boise National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from about 6,026 feet to about 7,760 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,027 feet, and is rated moderate. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. The route is an out-and-back, so the 2,027-foot gain is one way. Bull Creek lies about 0.7 miles away, and Rice Lake is about 1.6 miles off. Long Lake and Telephone Ridge are each about 2.3 miles away. For an overnight stay, Stolle Meadows Cabin is about 5.6 miles from the trail.
Local outfitters
- Arrowhead RV Park21 mi away
- Riverpond Campground34 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Stupid Dingo, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)WEST SIDE WARM LAKE
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14.34-mile out-and-back trail to West Side Warm Lake in Idaho
Photo: Stupid Dingo, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Vulcan Hot Springs
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1.59-mile out-and-back trail to Vulcan Hot Springs in Idaho, 131 ft elevation gain.
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RICE LAKE
~3 min drive
1.9-mile out-and-back trail with 1,098 ft elevation gain and loss in Idaho.
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WARM LAKE / DEADWOOD
~5 min drive
33.86-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,729 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: Stupid Dingo, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Wewukiye
~9 min drive
8.76-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 577 ft of elevation gain.
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BULL CREEK
~1 min drive
1.28-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 694 ft elevation gain
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TELEPHONE RIDGE
~4 min drive
2.12-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,135 ft elevation gain
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CURTIS CREEK
~11 min drive
29.02-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,436 ft elevation gain/loss
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Porter Creek
~7 min drive
27.59-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,812 ft elevation gain.
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Long Lake
~4 min drive
1.39-mile out-and-back trail to Long Lake in Idaho with 442 ft of elevation gain.
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