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Hiking Trails
McCall Area Suggested Hiking, McCall Ranger District * 208-634-0400
New Meadows Area Suggested Hiking, New Meadows Ranger District * 208-347-0300
With approximately 2,000 miles of trail on the Payette National Forest, there is diversity for all users to enjoy. The following is a list of some of the Forest’s more popular trails in the immediate McCall area.
Trail Difficulty Ratings:
Easy: for someone in fair hiking/backpacking condition. Moderate: for someone in good hiking/backpacking condition. Difficult: for someone in excellent hiking/backpacking condition. Use extreme caution on trails with a stream crossing during the spring runoff..
ACCESS OFF OF WARREN WAGON ROAD:
Upper Payette Lake Interpretive Trail - A short handicap assessable nature trail located near the Upper Payette Lake Campground.
Twenty Mile Trail #085 – The trailhead is 18 miles north of McCall on Warren Wagon Road. There is a wooden trailhead sign on the road. A short dirt road to the right leads to the new trailhead with a horse-unloading ramp, hitching rails and toilet by the large parking area. There is plenty of room to park horse trailers. There is a bulletin board with trail information. This trail is an easy hike for approximately the first 3 miles. After that, it begins to climb steeply for another 3 miles into the high lakes area. Trailhead elevation is 5600’ and the lakes are at 7800’. This is a good trail to see wildlife, especially deer. The fishing is excellent in the four very scenic Twenty Mile Lakes but it is a recommended overnight trip for many hikers. Much of the area burned in the Blackwell and Corral wildfires of 1994. The vegetation is regenerating nicely. (Trail Difficulty – MODERATE)
Victor Creek Trail #117 – The trailhead is 3 miles past the Twenty Miles Trailhead on Warren Wagon Road. There is limited parking right at trailhead. Although the trail is 12.5 miles long, a short hike of slightly over a mile thru heavy timber brings the hiker to a large meadow, which offers an impressive view of the mountains on the opposite side of the Payette River. The trail is used to access several lakes especially Trail Lake and Victor Lake. Vegetation in much of the area is regenerating after the 1994 wildfires. (Trail Difficulty- MODERATE)
Josephine Lake #316 – Take the Warren Wagon Road past Upper Payette Lake. Drive over the Secesh Summit, down about 3 miles, turn left at sign marked Josephine Lake. The road is very rough 3 miles to the trailhead for an ordinary passenger car. The trail is a steep ½ mile hike to a small 13-acre lake tucked into a granite cirque. The lake elevation is 7400’ with a 120’ elevation gain. A short hike, but a vicious one. Not for the faint of heart. This is a favorite fly-fishing spot. It’s worth the hike; it’s a beautiful lake. (Trail Difficulty – EASY) I would say Moderate!
Loon Lake #81, #80 or #84 – Travel North on Warren Wagon Road to the Chinook campground, approximately 8 miles past the Burgdorf junction. Enjoy a 5.25 mile trek to beautiful Look Lake. This a 10.5-mile round trip hike with only a 200’ elevation gain. Many people do this as a long day hike. (Better start early!) The trail can be done in a loop. The recently complete bridge at the Chinook Campground means you no longer have to ford the Secesh River. It is also recommended as an overnight trip, leave plenty of time for fishing and swimming. A pleasant shorter trip is the 3.5-mile walk to the suspension bridge that crosses the Secesh River. Don’t cross the river at the start of the trail, but keep to the left. This is actually a more scenic hike along the river. Horses use the other trail, crossing the river at the trailhead, more. You’ll encounter a dustier trail and some good old horse apples along the way. It doesn’t appear to very scenic along the way, as you are winding up and down the mountains. If I were going to hike in, I’d start early and hike to the left along the river. It is a hotter hike, as you are out in the open along the river. I’d still prefer it to the dust from the horses. Starting Elevation is 5675 and the lake elevation is 5800’. This trail is also very popular for mountain bikes; keep an eye out for them. I believe they mostly hit the “horse” trail side. If you were riding horses into the lake, I’d be sure to cross the river at the trailhead. The left side hike can get quite narrow in spots. It can be alarming for a horse to meet on coming traffic and have them walk around them with their backpacks. Outside the campground there is a horse use area. This area includes an unloading ramp, hitching rails, plenty of room to park horse trailers, and some nice outside restroom physicality’s.
There are many more trails, we will have a list of them at the Cabin and where the trail heads start with all the information concerning the hike.
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