Sawtooth National Recreation Area

 

In central Idaho, USA, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA or Sawtooth NRA) offers you beautiful mountainous scenery.

Managed by Sawtooth National Forest, SNRA consists of the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness areas, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, and the Sawtooth Wilderness. Thanks to the more than three hundred high-elevation alpine lakes and forty mountain peaks of more than 10,000 feet, you’ll be spoilt for choices for spectacular scenery and vistas. Explore Sawtooth National Recreation Area by enjoying a wide array of outdoor activities, including backpacking, hiking, camping, rafting, photography, boating, fishing, and many more.

Where is Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Sawtooth National Recreation Area is located in the US state of Idaho’s central region. Check this National Parks in Idaho Map to find Sawtooth National Recreation Area on the Hawaii Map.

Places to Visit Nearby

There are many attractions near Sawtooth National Recreation Area, including:

• Tandem Base
• Snake River Canyon Trail
• Shoshone Falls
• Perrine Bridge
• Centennial Waterfront Park
• Dierkes lake
• Buzz Langdon’s Visitor Centre
• Herrett Centre for Arts and Science, and many more

The closest cities and towns to Sawtooth NRA are:

• Stanley
• Ketchum
• Sawtooth City and others

Things to Do

• Beachcombing
• Sand Play
• Mountain Biking
• Road Cycling
• Cabin Rentals
• Campground Camping
• Dispersed Camping
• Group Camping
• RV Camping
• Fishing:
  • Lake and Pond Fishing
  • River and Stream Fishing
• Backpacking
• Day Hiking
• Horse Camping
• Horse Riding
• Big Game Hunting
• Game Bird/Waterfowl
• Small Game Hunting
• Nature Viewing:
  • Viewing Plants
  • Viewing Scenery
  • Viewing Wildlife
• OHV Riding & Camping
  • OHV Camping
  • OHV Road Riding
  • OHV Trail Riding
• Outdoor Learning
  • Interpretive Areas
  • Visiting Visitor Centres
  • Visitor Programs
• Picnicking
  • Group Picnicking
  • Picnicking
• Scenic Driving
• Water Activities
  • Boating – Motorised and Non-Motorised
  • Swimming
  • Tubing
  • Waterskiing
  • Windsurfing
• Winter Sports
  • Skiing/Snowboarding
  • Snowmobiling
  • XC Skiing/Snowshoeing

Hiking

Sawtooth National Recreation Area has more than 700 miles of hiking and backpacking trails for you to enjoy.

Best Hiking Trails

1. Tin Cup Hiker

   This is a 20.6 miles (33.15 km) long loop trail near Idaho’s Stanley. You’ll need around ten and a half hours to complete this challenging trail. June to October is the best time to visit Tin Cup Hiker. Enjoy some solitude on this hiking trail during quieter times of the day.

2. Redfish Lake to Saddleback Lake

   Redfish Lake to Saddleback Lake is a popular trail for hiking, camping, and backpacking. May to September is the best time to visit this 8.6 miles (13.84 km) long hiking, camping, and backpacking trail. It will take around five hours to complete this and back trail near Idaho’s Stanley.

3. Redfish Lake to Alpine Lake

   It is a challenging trail route, which is 11.51 miles (18.51 km) long. Redfish Lake to Alpine Lake is an out and back trail near Idaho’s Stanley that will take you around six hours to complete. The best time to visit this trail for hiking, camping, and backpacking is May to September.

4. Lily Pond and Redfish Lake Creek Falls

   Explore the 1.7 miles (2.74 km) long out and back trail of Lily Pond and Redfish Lake Creek Falls. Enjoy hiking, fishing, and camping on this popular trail, which will take around an hour to complete. June to October is the best time to visit this trail.

5. Sawtooth Lake and Alpine Peak

   The Sawtooth Lake and Alpine Peak trail is a challenging out and back trail near Idaho’s Stanley. This hiking, camping, and backpacking trail will take around seven and a half hours to complete.

List of Trails for day hiking and backcountry hiking:

• Day Hiking and Backpacking Trails:

  • Fairfield Ranger District
    • Abbot Campground
    • Baumgartner Campground
    • Bear Creek Transfer Camp
    • Big Peak Trail
    • Big Smoky Trail
    • Bird Creek Campground
    • Blue Ridge Trail
    • Boardman Creek Trail
    • Bowns Campground
    • Bremner Trail
    • Canyon Transfer Camp
    • Centennial Trail Route
    • Chaparral Campground
    • Five Points Campground
    • Hunter Creek Transfer Camp
    • Iron Mountain Trail
    • Johnson Creek Trail
    • Lime Creek Trail System
    • Middle Fork Lime Creek Trail
    • North Fork Lime Creek Trail
    • North Fork Ross Fork Trail
    • North Fork Soldier Trail
    • Paradise Trail
    • Perkons Lake Trail
    • Pioneer Campground
    • Ross Fork Machine Trail
    • Shake Creek Trail
    • Skeleton Creek Trail
    • Smoky Mountain Trails System
    • Soldier Creek-Miller Creek Trail
    • Soldier Mountain Trail System
    • South Fork Boise River Corridor
    • South Fork Boise River Trail System
    • South Fork Ross Fork Trail
    • Virginia Gulch Trail
    • Willow Creek Campground
    • Willow Creek Trail
  • Ketchum Ranger District
    • Boundary Campground
    • Copper Creek/Garfield Campground
    • East Fork Baker Creek Campground
    • Federal Gulch Campground
  • Minidoka Ranger District
    • Albion Division
      • Bennett Springs Campground
      • Independence Lakes Campground
      • Lake Cleveland Campground – East Side
      • Lake Cleveland Campground – West Side
      • Mt. Harrison Interpretive Site
      • Pomerelle Ski Resort
      • Thompson Flat Campground
    • Black Pine Division
      • War Eagle Peak Trail
    • Cassia Division
      • Bear Gulch Campground
      • Big Bluff Dispersed Camping Area
      • Bostetter Campground
      • Diamondfield Jack Campground
      • Lower Penstemon Campground
      • Pettit Campground
      • Porcupine Springs Campground
      • Third Fork Campground
      • Upper Penstemon Campground
    • Raft River Division
      • Clear Creek Campground
    • Sublett Division
      • Mill Flat Campground
  • Sawtooth National Recreation Area
    • Alturas Lake and Pettit Lake Areas
      • Alturas Inlet Campground
      • Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B
      • Alturas Lake Creek Trailhead
      • Alturas Tent Camping Area
      • Bowery Trailhead
      • Cabin Creek Trailhead
      • Champion Creek Cutoff Trailhead
      • Champion Creek Trailhead
      • Chemeketan Campground – Salmon River Headwaters
      • Fisher Creek Trailhead
      • Fourth of July Creek Trailhead
      • Gladiator Trailhead
      • Grand Prize Trailhead
      • Hell Roaring Creek Trailhead
      • North Shore (Alturas) Campground
      • Pettit Lake Campground
      • Pettit Lake Day Use Area
      • Prairie Creek Trailhead
      • Smokey Bear (Alturas) Campground
      • Three Cabins Creek Trailhead
      • Tin Cup Hiker Trailhead
      • Titus Creek Trailhead
      • Twin Creek Trailhead
      • Williams Creek Trailhead
    • Galena Lodge
      • Harriman Trail
      • Grinder Loop Trail
      • Psycho Trail
      • Rip and Tear Trail
      • Cherry Creek Loop Trail
      • Titus Lake Trail
      • Old Toll Road Trail
      • Gladiator Pass Trail
    • Redfish Lake Recreation Complex
      • Chinook Bay Campground
      • Glacier View Campground
      • Little Redfish Lake
      • Mountain View Campground
      • Mt. Heyburn Campground
      • North Shore Picnic & Beach Areas – Day Use Location
      • Outlet Campground
      • Point Campground
      • Redfish Inlet Campground
      • Redfish Inlet Trailhead
      • Redfish Lake
      • Redfish Trailhead
        • Fishhook Creek Trail
      • Sockeye Campground
      • Sunny Gulch Campground
    • Salmon River Area
      • Boulder Creek Trailhead
      • Casino Creek Campground
      • Casino Creek Trailhead
      • Holman Creek Campground
      • Lower O’Brien Campground
      • Mormon Bend Campground
      • Riverside Campground
      • Rough Creek Trailhead
      • Salmon River Campground
      • Stovepipe Springs
      • Upper O’Brien Campground
      • Whiskey Flats Campground
    • Stanley Lake & Hwy 21
      • Alpine Way Trailhead
      • Elk Creek Campground – Hwy 21
      • Elk Meadow Trailhead
      • Elk Mountain Trailhead
      • Grandjean Campground
      • Grandjean Trailhead
      • Iron Creek Campground
      • Iron Creek Trailhead
      • Sawtooth Lodge
      • Sheep Trail Campground – Hwy 21
      • Stanley Lakearea description
        • Lake View Campground
        • Stanley Lake Campground
      • Stanley Lake Trailhead
        • Alpine Way Trailhead
      • Trap Creek Campground – Hwy 21
  • Wood River Valley Area
    • Adam Gulch Trailhead
    • Baker Creek
    • Boulder Mountain Goat Interpretive Site
    • Boundary Creek Trailhead
    • Caribou Campground
    • Cherry Creek Picnic Area
    • Cougar Dispersed Camping Area
    • Easley Campground (Wood River Valley Area)
    • Galena Lodge (Wood River Valley Area)
    • Galena Summit Overlook
    • Lake Creek Trailhead
    • Murdock Campground
    • Murdock Trailhead
    • North Fork – Big Wood River
    • North Fork Campground
    • North Fork Wood River Trailhead
    • Oregon Gulch Trailhead
    • Pole Creek Guard Station
    • Prairie Creek
    • Sawtooth NRA Headquarters
    • Wood River Campground

• Backpacking Hiking Trails Only

  • Fairfield Ranger District
    • Willow Creek Transfer Camp
  • Alturas Lake and Pettit Lake Areas
    • Perkins Lake
    • Yellowbelly Lake
  • Wood River Valley Area
    • Wood River Picnic Area

• Day Hiking Trails Only

  • Ketchum Ranger District

    • Adams Gulch Area Trails
    • Baker Creek Snowmobile Trail
    • Baker Lake Trail
    • Bald Mountain Ski Resort
    • East Fork Big Wood River Snowmobile Area
    • Fox Creek Area Trails
    • Norton Lake Trail
    • Pioneer Cabin
    • Pioneer Cabin Trails
    • Sun Valley Ski Area Trails
    • Trail Creek Area Trails
  • Minidoka Ranger District
    • Cassia Division
      • Father and Sons Campground
      • Schipper Campground
    • Sublett Division
      • Sublett Campground
  • Sawtooth National Recreation Area
    • Mill Lake Trail
    • Miner Lake Trail
    • Prairie Lakes Trail
    • Redfish Lake Recreation Complex
      • Orval Hansen Point Beach
      • Outlet Recreation Day Use – Day Use Location
      • Sunny Gulch Pavilion & Picnic Area – Day Use
    • Salmon River Area
      • Snyder Springs Picnic Area
    • Sawtooth Wilderness Trails

Facts

• The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is spread across 730,864 acres (1,141.97 sq mi or 2,957.7 sq km).
• The headquarters of Sawtooth National Recreation Area is situated around 7 miles (11 km) north of Highway 75’s Ketchum.
• The ranger station of Sawtooth NRA is located near the northern boundary of Stanley.
• It was established on August 22, 1972.
• 1.5 million people visited Sawtooth National Recreation Area in 2013.

Best Time To Visit

June to September is the best time to visit the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are:

• Sawtooth NRA Headquarters: Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5 pm
• Ketchum Ranger Station: Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5 pm
• Stanley Ranger Station: Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5 pm
• Supervisors Office in Jerome: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4.30 pm

Tickets

• US$80 Annual Pass
• Senior Pass:
  • US$20 Annual Senior Pass
  • US$80 Lifetime Senior Pass
• Access Pass: Free (Lifetime)
• Every Kid Outdoors: Free
• Volunteer Pass: Free

US National Parks Map