Van Point
- 10.0 mi
- round trip
- 355 ft
- climb
- 6,097 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Van Point 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.
Van Point is a 10-mile out-and-back hike in the Palisades Ranger District of Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises about 355 feet from a low point of 5,616 feet to a high of 6,097 feet, and it is rated hard. The route is on natural surface, and it is open to both horses and bikes. That makes it a versatile option for riders and pack animals. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Swan Valley weather station show July highs around 85°F with lows near 46°F, and September cools to highs around 75°F. That station sits about 700 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Bear Creek Trail and Bear Creek lie about a mile away. Calamity campground is about 3 miles off, and Riverside Park Campground & Day Use Area is about 4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Greys River Cove13 mi away
- The Virginian RV Park26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit Van Point
Best months: June–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
30° / 11°
10 wet
Feb
35° / 14°
9 wet
Mar
45° / 22°
10 wet
Apr
56° / 27°
12 wet
May
66° / 35°
13 wet
Jun
75° / 41°
10 wet
Jul
85° / 46°
8 wet
Aug
84° / 44°
8 wet
Sep
75° / 37°
8 wet
Oct
59° / 29°
8 wet
Nov
43° / 20°
9 wet
Dec
32° / 12°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Swan Valley, ID, 11.1 mi away at 5,397 ft. The station sits about 700 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Anton Molodtsov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Little Elk Creek
~9 min drive
7.39-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,225 ft elevation gain.
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BEAR CREEK
~2 min drive
7.84-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,263 ft elevation gain.
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Bear Creek By-Pass
~3 min drive
Bear Creek By-Pass is a 1.16-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 43 ft of elevation gain.
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ELK MOUNTAIN
~4 min drive
7.82-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 4,647 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Bear Creek Trail
~1 min drive
8.1-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,594 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Pine Creek
~2 min drive
3.69-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,531 ft elevation gain.
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Current Creek
~4 min drive
2.69-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 961 ft of elevation gain.
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SOUTH FORK BEAR CREEK
~7 min drive
15.22-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,592 ft elevation gain and loss.
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NORTH FORK BEAR CREEK
~7 min drive
10.7-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,896 ft elevation gain
HIKE
MUDDY CREEK
~3 min drive
3.38-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,132 ft elevation gain.
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