Mountain · 1 route

Observation Peak

9,150 ft · Idaho

Summit
9,150 ft
Routes
1 way up
Season
Year-round

Route up Observation Peak

  1. Observation PeakModerateabout 1,013 ft of climbing2.4 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up Observation Peak, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Observation PeakMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About Observation Peak

Observation Peak is a summit in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest, about 9 miles from the town of Stanley. It sits among a cluster of trails, campgrounds and climbing areas on the forest's western side, which makes it a natural target to pair with a longer stay in the area. The closest trailhead option is the Trail Creek Lakes Trail, about a mile and a half away, with the North Fork Baron-Sawtooth Lake Trail a bit farther. Grandjean Campground, under 3 miles off, makes a convenient base, and climbers can head to Baron Spire, also known as Old Smoothie, about 7 miles away.

Forecast on Observation Peak

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Questions about Observation Peak

How tall is Observation Peak?

9,150 ft (2,789 m).

How many routes go to the summit of Observation Peak?

One: Observation Peak.

When is the best time to climb Observation Peak?

Year-round.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in Idaho

Facts about this place

Where it is

Nearest town
Stanley, Idaho · 9.1 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Sawtooth National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Observation Peak open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Sawtooth National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Sawtooth National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.