Idaho · Hiking

Wacko's Way

Wacko's WayPhoto: JF Hobbs — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
1.2 mi
round trip
133 ft
climb
5,484 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Sep
best months

Wacko's Way is a short, easy hike on Bureau of Land Management land in the Pocatello Field Office in Idaho, about 1.2 miles long with a total elevation gain of 133 feet. It is an out-and-back route that starts and ends at roughly the same point, with the high point at 5,484 feet and the low at 5,341 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and open to both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. The nearest town is Pocatello, and the trail sits within the BLM's Pocatello Field Office. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Pocatello show May highs around 68°F and September highs around 77°F, while July and August average in the upper 80s. Several other short hikes lie within a few tenths of a mile, including Top of the First, South Paw and Otta Here. Climbers can find the Redhill Trail Bouldering area about 3.6 miles away.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep

    Best time to visit Wacko's Way

    Best months: May–June and 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.

    1. Jan

      36° / 20°

      13 wet · 11 snow

    2. Feb

      41° / 22°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    3. Mar

      51° / 29°

      10 wet · 6 snow

    4. Apr

      58° / 34°

      10 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      68° / 42°

      10 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      78° / 49°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      89° / 57°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 56°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 48°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 37°

      7 wet · 2 snow

    11. Nov

      46° / 27°

      9 wet · 6 snow

    12. Dec

      35° / 20°

      13 wet · 11 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pocatello 2 Ne, ID, 1.2 mi away at 4,832 ft. The station sits about 700 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

Serengeti TrailPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Serengeti Trail

~10 min drive

2.46-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 696 ft elevation gain

EAST TRAIL CREEKPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

EAST TRAIL CREEK

~12 min drive

1.96-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,022 ft elevation gain and loss.

Mcnabe CreekPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mcnabe Creek

~16 min drive

6.85-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,901 ft elevation gain.

City Creek TrailPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

City Creek Trail

~11 min drive

1.08-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 210 ft elevation gain

Middle City CreekPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Middle City Creek

~13 min drive

Middle City Creek is a 1.54-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 682 feet of elevation loss.

Sterling JusticePhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sterling Justice

~12 min drive

11.34-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 539 ft gain.

Cherry Springs SouthPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cherry Springs South

~18 min drive

Cherry Springs South is a 1.27-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 35 feet of elevation gain.

BuckskinPhoto: JF Hobbs, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Buckskin

~16 min drive

4.75-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,662 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

North Fork Gibson Jack--John

~13 min drive

7.45-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,285 ft gain

HIKE

Top of the First

Next door

Top of the First is a hiking trail in Idaho.