We traveled to Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho during the month of June in 2020. This area was remote but a popular spot for Idahoans but limited for outside visitors. The natural features of the Salmon River, Redfish Lake, and Stanley lake were breathtaking and promised adventure.
I would recommend to come prepared for unpredictable weather if you visit in June as we experienced torrential rains, wind, and some snow. Peak travel time there is late July and August.
Sawtooth Mountain range is packed with features fed from 4 underground volcanos referred to as Bruneau-Jarbidge caldera. We stayed at the Little Redfish Lake Campground and our campsite had its own private access to the lake. The lakes had pristine waters with the jagged peaks rising in the background. We spent our time kayaking, fishing, hiking, and biking. While my younger boys spent all their time building rafts to float in the lake while we kayaked and paddleboarded around it.
It was cold in June but we didn’t find the lake as cold as the mountain ones in Colorado which are fed from snowmelt. We soon found out that the area has an abundance of hot springs because of the caldera deep below. These hot springs are a local secret and the only way to find out about them is from one of the locals. Here is one we discovered off Salmon River and we were only told about the mile maker on the highway for its location. But there are many more of the hot springs hidden throughout Sawtooth and along Salmon River.
And I would recommend Craters of the Moon for your visit to Idaho. Just south of the Sawtooth Range, Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. It was fascinating and a must see for my two young boys who are obsessed with rocks and volcanos. These are from an active fissure thousands of years ago and the most recent lava flow and rocks are located at Craters of the Moon National Monument. We stayed in the main area but there are different rainbow lava rocks, a blue lava field, and many more that can be discovered that only the locals know about. Some caves and trails are closed due to recent seismic activity. In fact, we couldn’t go to Stanley Lake because they had a recent earthquake in May of 2020 and the popular beach collapsed.
Bottom Line: Sawtooth National Forest is worth a visit but be sure to check for updates prior to travel due to volcanic activity.
