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Best Riverside Hikes in Idaho

The directory currently contains 19 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Idaho. Their average mapped distance is 17.8 km and average recorded ascent is 624 m (2,047 ft); the longest route in the set is 50.0 km.

This subset represents 18% of the 105 quality-checked routes in Idaho. Its average distance is 17.8 km, compared with 41.3 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 624 m (2,047 ft), versus 907 m (2,976 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 1 routes (5%) are rated easy, 8 (42%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (5%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

11.0 km

Pettit Creek Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

567 m

Meadow Creek National Recreation Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

Pettit Creek Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
11.0 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
669 m
Typical duration
3 hr 18 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Goose Creek Falls Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Hard

Queens River Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
22.4 km
/ 13.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,066 m
Typical duration
6 hr 30 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Trail Creek Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
8.6 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
898 m
Typical duration
3 hr 8 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Coal Creek Trail #41

Idaho · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
26 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Alpine Creek Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
1 hr 18 min
  • River
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Trail Creek Lakes Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Lake
  • River
Moderate

Goose Creek Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
105 m
Typical duration
2 hr
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Twin Creek Ridge Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
898 m
Typical duration
3 hr 7 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Easy

Graham Creek Trail #33

Idaho · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
58 min
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Kennally Creek Pack Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
13.2 km
/ 8.2 mi
Elevation gain
551 m
Typical duration
3 hr 34 min
  • River

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Meadow Creek National Recreation TrailIdaho41.9 km567 m10 hrExpertJune to October
Iron Creek-Stanley Lake TrailIdaho23.4 km723 m6 hr 13 minHardJuly to September
South Fork Payette River TrailIdaho32.3 km1,324 m9 hr 13 minExpertJuly to September
Redfish Creek - Baron Creek TrailIdaho34.0 km1,363 m9 hr 42 minExpertJuly to September
Trout Creek National Recreation TrailIdaho32.5 km1,275 m9 hr 12 minExpertJune to October
Pettit Creek TrailIdaho11.0 km669 m3 hr 18 minModerateJuly to September
Lochsa River Historic TrailIdaho26.8 km1,066 m7 hr 32 minHardApril to October
Goose Creek Falls TrailIdaho1.9 km45 m27 minModerateJune to October
Snake River National Recreation TrailIdaho50.0 km924 m12 hrExpertApril to October
Queens River TrailIdaho22.4 km1,066 m6 hr 30 minHardJuly to September

Meadow Creek National Recreation Trail, Iron Creek-Stanley Lake Trail, Redfish Creek - Baron Creek Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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