Exploring The Sawtooth Mountains With a Baby
The Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho just may be the best kept secret for outdoor adventure in the United States. Despite going during peak season (Mid August), we were able to score a beautiful campsite at Redfish Lake and have an amazing week exploring the mountains with our 11-month old. We didn’t have an RV, we just had a nice tent and a love of hiking to bring us there. We highly recommend this area for adventures big and small, and for kids both younger and older. We learned a few tricks along the way, which we are happy to share with you below.
- Scoring a campsite
- Redfish Lake Lodge
- The ranger station
- Some of our favorite hikes
- Stanley, ID
- Other activities in the area
Scoring a Campsite
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has over 30 campgrounds and over 700 sites. Being that it’s a national recreation area, it has some advantages to a national park yet still gets major federal funding to be nice. This results in some of the finest public campgrounds I’ve ever seen. In some of the more popular areas you get incredible privacy in large sites that include a dining area, fire pit, parking zone, and tent pad. The site you see in this image was part of the Sockeye campground which is the furthest campground along Redfish lake that is accessible by car. I think it was only $22 per night.
The beauty of this campground was that it’s first-come, first-served so if you get there early in the morning, chances are you’ll get a spot. You might have to come back a day or two later or go to a neighboring site, but chances are good you’ll find a spot nearby. Or, you can plan months ahead and get one online. But if you’re like us, timing exactly which day you’ll arrive isn’t the easiest feat.
Redfish Lake Lodge
Sitting on the far end of Redfish Lake, the Redfish Lake Lodge is the epicenter of activities in the area. Home to a beautiful lodge with surprisingly good value food and drinks, the lodge also serves as an activity hub for both land and water play. But the best feature is the boat launch, where you can book a boat shuttle to the far end of the lake to drop you off for the day and get into the heart of the mountains. It’s well worth the fare to get you into some of incredible terrain. The Redfish Inlet Campground serves those who are self-sufficient will be even closer to the amazing trail network that begins right at the campground.
The lodge has live music every Wednesday and Saturday night in the summer and is open to the public. It’s the perfect way to wind down after a long day exploring the mountains or sunbathing by the lake.
The Trails
You will find countless trails of all shapes and sizes throughout the Sawtooth mountains. Being that this was our first big trip as a family, we opted for day hikes only. But those more seasoned to backpacking with little ones will find ample opportunities for overnight camping in the wilderness. There is always another saddle to crest, another lake to swim in, and another peak to conquer if so inclined. Visit Idaho has a good Beginner’s Guide to Hiking the Sawtooth Mountains, and we are happy to share our experience below.
Alpine Lake is a demanding, full-day hike, but even casual hikers can accomplish this. We saw people crushing beers on the boat ride over at 9 a.m. and wearing tennis shoes! No judgment, just stating that you don’t need the latest and greatest gear!
The hike starts in the forest and follows the Redfish Lake inlet valley up toward the treeline. You’re in the subalpine for the majority of the hike with incredible views the entire way. Here are a few images that showcase some of the beauty we saw:
Final Thoughts
The Sawtooth Mountains are a gem of a destination for adventurous families of all types. You can camp in plush conditions right by the lake, go backpacking in the backcountry, or roll up with your RV with the whole kit n’ caboodle. The Redfish Lake Lodge is a great base of operations to start or end your day, and the surrounding mountains and lakes will keep you busy for a trip of any duration. Don’t forget to pack water and snacks!