Idaho · Hiking · Near Jackson

Water Canyon

5.9 mi
round trip
2,545 ft
climb
8,539 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Water Canyon 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.

Water Canyon is a moderate out-and-back hike in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest, within the Palisades Ranger District. The trail is about 5.9 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 2,545 feet, taking you from a low point of about 6,000 feet to a high of about 8,500 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is open year-round. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. That makes it a flexible option for a day on foot or on horseback, with the added option of bringing a bike along. The climb is a steady one, and the high point at about 8,500 feet gives you a good reason to plan for the extra effort. The route is a short drive from several other destinations. Corral Canyon and Spring Canyon are both within about half a mile, and South Fork Rainey Creek is about a mile away. For an overnight stay, Palisades Creek campground sits about 5.4 miles off.

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Tie CanyonPhoto: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Poison CreekPhoto: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Old SheepPhoto: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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