Snow Lake Trail #185 - ID Panhandle NF, ID

Overview: Easy hike to Snow Lake in the Selkirk Mountains. Camping or fishing at the lake is an option or can be combined with Bottleneck Lake Trail# 187 for a fairly easy 12.50-mile hike.


Hike: The trail starts next to a large, brown Forest Service sign and is easy to spot. The first 1.50 miles is a shared trail with Bottleneck Lake Trail #187 on an old road. The incline is mild, and hiking the old road is easy. There are several water crossings, which are generally easy but may be more challenging during spring runoff. The largest crossing is Corner Creek.Not long after Corner Creek, at 1.50 miles, there is a signed junction. Stay left to continue on Snow Lake Trail. The trail continues uphill, mostly on an old road bed. Views through the trees are somewhat limited, but there are glimpses of the surrounding ridgelines, including Bottleneck Peak to the west. Snow Creek can be heard along the trail but stays mostly hidden. You will cross Bottle Creek and Snow Creek as you gently climb uphill.

There is an obvious fork at about the 3-mile mark, take the left fork to stay on the main trail. There are some rocky sections of trail, but those are short-lived and it is mostly good footing. Eventually, Snow Lake comes into view ahead of you. Following the trail along the north side of the lake, and across a few boardwalks, leads to a nice campsite, and probably the best views of the lake. The surrounding granite walls of the cirque are impressive. A tall peak looms over the south end of the lake, but the near vertical walls around the lake look challenging at best.

After enjoying the views, retrace your steps back downhill, which goes by quickly with the good trail conditions.

2023-07-03 LindaAnn