West Fork Lake Backpack

Check it out Distance: 12 miles round trip Difficulty: Moderate Hiking time: 6 hours or overnight Season: Late June through mid-November Maps: USGS Smith Peak, Shorty Peak, Caribou Creek, Grass Mountain, plus Bonners Ferry Ranger District travel plan map Info: Bonners Ferry Ranger District, (208) 267-5561

Backpacking trip notes:

Access: From north end of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, at Kootenay River bridge, head north on Highway 2/95. Drive 15 miles and bear left onto Highway 1. Drive 1 mile and turn left toward Copeland. Cross Kootenay River and bear right (north) on West Side Road. After a mile, paved road bends left and becomes Forest Road 281 (Smith Creek Road). At end of pavement is overlook of Smith Falls Hydroelectric Plant. From here, drive 1-1/3 mile and bear right onto Road 655 toward Hidden Lake. (Left Fork leads to another trailhead for West Fork Lake.)

Go 2-1/2 miles, passing turnoff to Shorty Peak trailhead, and bear left at fork onto Road 2545. Drive nearly 3 miles and bear right and uphill short way to trailhead.

Attractions: Route leads to options that satisfy any hiker’s energy level. Cut trip short to hole up at Hidden Lake. Seek shelter in rainy weather at rustic but dry West Fork Cabin. Press on through old-growth timber to camp at West Fork Lake, good base for extended off-trail hiking toward lookout tower, Lion Head Ridge and Abandon Mountain. Lakes hold fish, hills hold huckleberries in August-September. Trails beautifully maintained, with boardwalks over most bogs.

Comments: From trailhead, switchback up on Trail 102 before contouring on gentle trail through timber 30-45 minutes to Hidden Lake. Bear left at lake, along south end where trail passes through campsites and crosses outlet. On east side of lake at large campsite, bear east and up on Trail 102. This is toughest stretch on route as trail climbs steeply nearly 1/2 mile to trail junction. Continue straight, heading onto Trail 21 and walking about 2 miles to West Fork Cabin, a weathered Forest Service building open to public use.

Trail crosses BEHIND cabin and bears left. Go about 1/4 mile to junction with Trail 347. Bear right and cross creek.

Hike through old cedars and ferns then come to beautifully laid out stretch of trail that climbs up through granite talus. Fork in trail leads 50 yards to one of few campsites at lake. Camping also found away from lake at south end.

Unmaintained trails continues up to Caribou Lakes as well as to West Fork Ridge, site of fire lookout. Cabin destroyed decades ago, but tower still stands.

Many options make trip ideal for families with kids. Short hike to Hidden Lake allows anglers to bring inflatable raft, since brushy shoreline makes fishing difficult from land.

Be prepared for onslaughts of mosquitoes in June-early August.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of area

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - Routes: Classic Trips in the Inland Northwest