Trip report by Denis Du Bois.
Sawtooth Lake is the "Bright Angel Trail" of the Sawtooth Wilderness. And, like the Grand Canyon, this trail is steep and gets its share of heavy use during the summer. Still, it is a short hike, and if you can only do one day-hike in this wilderness, Sawtooth Lake is the one.
Photo: Sawtooth Lake.
It is, I'm told, the largest of the lakes within the wilderness area. Certainly, there are much larger lakes in the neighboring Sawtooth National Recreation Area (namely Redfish, Pettit, and Alturas Lakes). Sawtooth's size, combined with the height of the peaks around it (all are about 9400'-plus peaks) make it breath-taking.
Take the trail to Alpine Lake (of Iron Creek) and continue past the turnoff for Alpine. The switchbacks begin immediately, and take you directly above Alpine Lake with a nice view of it. In about a mile, you reach Little Sawtooth Lake, and Sawtooth Lake's outlet is just a hundred yards further.
The trail forks here. The right fork goes to McGown Lakes, Trail Creek Lakes, and Stanley Lake, and the left fork takes you to the beautiful Baron Creek valley. Either trail leads immediately to excellent views over Sawtooth Lake, and both eventually lead to the Grandjean Campground on the west side of the mountains. By going left, you will come to a small knoll, a nice perch for lunch.
For a big view of the Stanley valley on your hike out, watch for a short footpath out onto a rock ledge, among the switchbacks above Alpine Lake. The footpath goes left when the trail switches to the right. Late afternoon is the best light for pictures from here.
Stats: 4 miles, 1720' elevation gain, high point (the lake) 8430.
Getting there: The trail starts from the Iron Creek Campground.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.