Senate Meadows Loop

Senate Meadows Loop is a short, easy mountain biking route in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of Idaho, part of the Sawtooth National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the loop makes a quick outing in this corner of the recreation area. The route is an out-and-back about 3.6 miles long, with a low point at 7,456 feet and a high of 7,601 feet. The steepest stretch, a 7% grade, comes about 1.2 miles in. The whole trip adds up to a climb of 131 feet, so it works well for a short ride or as a warm-up before linking to other trails nearby. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Stanley put July and August highs around 80°F with lows near 39°F, and these months see the fewest wet days. That station sits about 1,000 feet below the place, so temperatures on the loop run a little cooler. Winter is cold, with January highs typically in the upper 20s. The Cherry Connector starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Pioneer Cemetery Loop and Cemetery Loop are both about 0.3 mile off. Farther out, Chemeketan Campground is about 5.6 miles away.