Home to beautiful Payette Lake, the picturesque town of McCall, Idaho, is a place where the outdoors is always ready to be explored, no matter the season. It’s also my favorite place to visit in Idaho!
McCall is perfect for family vacations, friend trips, or romantic getaways with plenty of outdoor activities, friendly locals, and a laid-back vibe. Plus, McCall boasts open meadows, rugged mountains, picturesque lakes, long canyon stretches, and countless hiking trails in the surrounding areas.
I can’t wait to share the best hikes in McCall, Idaho. Each hike in McCall, features a trail with its own rewarding view, glistening lake, rushing waterfall, or scenic mountaintops.
From a 4-mile hike of the Payette Lake’s Peninsula to difficult alpine lake hikes, every hiking trail near McCall features its own elevation gain and scenery. The difficulty level ranges with each trail, but don’t let that deter you!
The trails surrounding McCall, Idaho, are home to family-friendly, easy-to-moderate trails for all experience levels wishing to catch a glimpse of views they normally would not get anywhere else.
Take a peek at these best hikes near McCall Idaho below!
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8 Best Hikes Near McCall Idaho
Boulder Lake Hike | Moderate
Located near Lake Fork, Idaho, Boulder Lake Hike spans about 6.9 miles. Looping around a scenic lake often used for fishing, this hike is best visited from the months of May to October. With an elevation of 1,633 feet, Boulder Lake Hike is considered moderate in difficulty level—perfect for beginner hikers searching for a step up in intensity or for experienced hikers desiring a more moderate intensity.
It is recommended to park at Louie Lake Trailhead where visitors can walk, or in this case hike, to Louie Lake where, once you hit the top of the levee, you should be able to note the entrance of Boulder Lake Trailhead (facing the north side).
If you’re looking to check out any other trails nearby, head to Payette Lake Peninsula Trail situated in Payette National Forest, leveled as easy in the difficulty scale. It runs 4 miles long with an elevation gain of 121 feet best hiked from the month of April to November.
Hiking Trail Information:
Louie Lake | Moderate
Searching for a gratifying and stunning, picturesque view while hiking? Louie Lake is the hike to get your posterior chain in gear!
Running around 5 miles with an elevation of 2,158 feet near McCall, Idaho, Louie Lake is considered a moderate hike best traveled from May to November. It is important to note that a big portion of the trail is used as a fire road, so it is not uncommon to share or be cautious of off-road vehicles. Many hikers boast the rewarding view of the beautiful Louie Lake during the hike, make sure to bring a camera! Also, beware of flies in the hot summer months as there can be quite a lot.
Hiking Trail Information:
Twin Lakes | Easy
Holy smokes! Everyone needs to check out Twin Lakes, a 2.1-mile trail located near Pollock, Idaho. Best hiked from the months of May to October, this trail is designated as “easy” in terms of experience and difficulty level, but is essentially perfect for all levels as the trail breaks off—-note the “twin” in the title—into two breakoff points.
Beginners and families can choose the easy, and short, one-mile hike for a fun family outing or scenic hike. Around the half-mile mark more experienced hikers, or those looking to work hard for a gratifying rewarding view, can veer off to climb and hike Granite Mountain Lookout where hikers can soak in the views and take memorable photos.
Hiking Trail Information:
Upper Hazard Lake | Easy
Considered one of the easier trails to hike in terms of difficulty level, Upper Hazard Lake spans about 5.1 miles near Pollock, Idaho. With an elevation level of 577 ft., this trail is less difficult—-breathing is nice, isn’t it?—-in terms of strain on the lungs and the body. It grows a range of wildflowers with the trail path clearly defined for trail goers.
It is important to note that this trail can get busy during the day as runners and fishers often use this scenic route.
Hiking Trail Information:
Box Lake | Hard
One of the harder trails to hike in Idaho, Box Lake spans 7.1 miles with an elevation gain of 2,247 ft. On this trail, you’ll see hikers, runners, mountain bikers, horse riders, and backpackers, making their trek up the path. This trail has an average of about 4 hours and 30 minutes in terms of time spent completing the hike. Many hikers take rest stops in the many shaded areas, catching their breath (and their wits!) as they bask in the view of the beachy lake, and mountains!
Hiking Trail Information:
Goose Creek Falls | Easy
Easy in terms of difficulty level, Goose Creek Falls has an elevation gain of 685 feet, the trail running about 3.1 miles with an estimated average of 1 hour and 40 minutes of time to finish the trail. Located near New Meadows, Idaho, Goose Creek Falls is notorious for its featured waterfall and naturally gorgeous trail path.
For directions starting at McCall, travel north on Highway 55 for about five miles, then take a right turn on Goose Lake Road (also known as Forest Road 257) up to Brundage Mountain Ski Resort.
Hiking Trail Information:
Loon Lake | Moderate
A moderate level hike, Loon Lake is one of the longer hiking trails at 11.9 miles and an elevation gain of 1,295 feet. The trial is situated near Warren, Idaho, with a stunning lake that encompasses the rewarding and worthwhile hike. Best hiked from the month of March to October, most Loon Lake hikers start at Chinook Campground to travel over the campground bridge over to Loon Lake trail.
For a fun piece of history, check out the real story of the Loon Lake bomber—a B-23 bomber, termed “Dragon Bomber”, that crashed into Loon Lake in 1943. All eight men on the bomber survived, having successfully crash-landed on the frozen lake.
Hiking Trail Information:
Blue Lake | Moderate
Designated as moderate-level, Blue Lake is a three-mile loop or a one-mile hike to the lake. One of Idaho’s best-kept secrets, Blue Lake is situated outside of Cascade, Idaho, and the Boise National Forest, by Granite Peak and Snowbank Mountain.
There is easy access to this trail path during the months of summer and spring. Enjoy the vibrant smell and sight of pine, and the sway of boisterous wildflowers on this stunning, trail to Blue Lake.
Hiking Trail Information:
From beginners to Mount Everest-worth level hikers, these best hikes near McCall are ready to be trekked and explored.
Take a camera, bottle of water, and sunscreen with you on these scenic and unforgettable hiking trail paths. Whether it be Loon Lake, flowing with a dosage of historic information, or Twin Lake with its gratifying views, each and every single one of these hikes near McCall, Idaho, are worthy of the effort.
Share this article with friends and family. Get your hiking gear ready to go on a hike! Got any favorite hikes in the area, please share them in the comments!
Looking to hike in Boise? Check out these trails.
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