Loon Lake

Hike Name: Loon Lake Location: central ID Length: 6 Submitted by: Patrick Neeser Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more Idaho trail reviews Idaho national parks Idaho state parks
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Description
This hike is possibly the finest river hike I've ever taken. It goes 4 miles downstream on the Secesh river through granite outcroppings, meadows and lodgepole pine forest. the river is clear, with a gravel and sand bottom with occassional white sand pocket beaches. Can be swam or fished in. At 4 miles the trail crosses a bridge and heads up a short 1.5 mile slope through lodgepole forest. Loon lake is .5 miles from the meadow at the top. The camps on the lake are at the outlet or .75 mile around the right side of the lake. The lake itself is surrounded by fir forests. Loon mountain is situated on the south end of the lake and provides an excellent backdrop to this pristine (and deep) high(6000ft) mountain lake.

As a side note, at the left end (near the inlet)of the lake a WWII bomber sits near the shore in the forest. It seems that it crashed in a snowstorm and the crew was discovered two weeks later after hiking out to McCall. All in all a very good, top end, Idaho hike. I've seen Moose, elk, deer, bear, and a lone wolf in and near the lake.

Directions to Hike
Go to McCall and follow Warren Wagon rd around the north shore of Payette Lake. Go appxrotimately 30 miles to the end of the pavement. Don't miss Burgdorf Hot Spring .5 miles up the dirt rd. to the left. Go straight about 6 miles until you see the signs for Chinook campground on your right. Go to the campgrounds and where the rd. dead ends is the well marked trail head.

Contact Information
Payette National Forest ranger station in McCall Idaho.

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