Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Elk City, Idaho

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The Magruder Corridor

This scenic trail is a must see. It traverses from Idaho to Montana along an historic route. Most of the main trail is graded forest road with some paved sections. It's very remote with no…
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Total Miles
139.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Van Camp trail 16

Trailhead is off the highway with limited parking of about 200 feet of one-lane parking. Use caution when unloading, as this part of the highway can get busy during spring and early summer with rafters,…
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Total Miles
3.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

War Eagle Lookout Tower Trail

This is an easy trail that starts in Secesh and runs up to the War Eagle Lookout Tower at 8214 feet in elevation. This Lookout tower is staffed during the summer months by the Forest…
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Total Miles
13.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Burgdorf to French Creek

Traveling from east to west, this route begins with a flat, wide forest service road that slowly climbs through lush meadows, easily accessible camping and evergreen forest. The route eventually narrows to a single track…
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Total Miles
25.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Crystal Mountain

This is a short trail that can be combined with the War Eagle Lookout Trail. The trail is gravel/dirt and leads you up to a mountain full of Crystals called Crystal Mountain. After you have…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su

Pierce to Superior FS 250

This route follows French Creek until it reaches Orogrande Creek and continues along Orogrande Creek until it meets the North Fork of the Clearwater River. This junction includes both the Bungalow Creek Ranger Station, Bungalow…
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Total Miles
38.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Saddle Camp

This is an easy access road from Highway 12 to the trails and roads to the north. This is one of the few access points to the Lolo Motorway from 12. There is a camping…
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Total Miles
8.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Horse Creek Lower Section

The trail picks up from the campground area and water access. It winds through a beautiful Canyon with massive rock features and a mostly burned-out forest with some sections of dense pines closer to the…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lost Horse Creek Trail

This is a beautiful trail that leads from US 93 up to Twin Lakes. The trail follows Lost Horse Creek for much of the drive and offers excellent camping opportunities at spots spaced out along…
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Total Miles
20.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Horse Creek

Nice out and back trail through a burned-out forest, so you get amazing views of the mountains and valleys. Pit toilets and a campground near the end. The trail comes down from the top of…
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Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Bare Cone Lookout

This longer trail is mostly straightforward. However, the map shows a spaghetti of trails in the area. Most of them seem to be gated old logging roads. Many show evidence of fire rings and people…
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Total Miles
10.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Wood Creek

A mostly well-graded and narrow trail. Some pullouts to pass. The trail starts in the valley south of Painted Rocks Lake. The Tarmac ends and this one begins. You follow along the creek for a…
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Total Miles
8.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Blue Joint Trailhead Trail

Beautiful easy trail that begins by driving over the dam/spillway for Painted Rocks Lake. The trail borders the lake for a mile or so and offers amazing views of the water with limited access. Access…
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Total Miles
6.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Full Creek Crossing

This trail is a gravel road with many potholes along the way. The scenery is beautiful, with many different locations to pull over and camp. At the end of the route, you will come to…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Woods Ridge Loop

An easy single-lane dirt road that is very narrow with steep shelves and drops from the side with no guard rail. The views are to die for and you are rewarded with long sweeping views…
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Total Miles
9.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Coal Creek ATV/UTV

The narrow trail is an out and back. Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valleys as you head up. Probably a good area for hunting. Saw deer and rabbit and coyote tracks. The road…
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Total Miles
1.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Salmon Creek T4800

Trail is smooth with gentle grades.
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Total Miles
6.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Little Blue Joint

Narrow, one-lane shelf road with very few pullouts for oncoming traffic. Great views up an amazing burned-out hillside. A nice out and back with access to the Little Blue Joint Creek hiking trail about halfway…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Coal Creek

An easy trail up into the mountains with a few side trails. There are a few dispersed camping spots scattered around. The trail is generally easy with plentiful pullouts for oncoming traffic and ends at…
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Total Miles
6.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Beaver Ridge Lookout

Standard Forest Service road that begins off Highway 12 and takes you up to the Beaver Ridge Lookout. Beaver Ridge road starts as a single lane road with pull outs, a few miles in the…
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Total Miles
15.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Coal Creek Offshoot

A narrow, one-lane, seldom traveled trail that runs along the ridge. Very narrow and almost no pullouts. No real camping unless you camp in the road near the end. The trail is becoming incredibly overgrown,…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lower Little Blue Joint

A quick out and back side trip from the Little Blue Joint Trail. It features an amazing 270deg view of the mountain range at the end and a wide-open area to walk around and explore.…
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Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Coal Creek to Blue Joint

Great crossover trail from Coal Creek to Blue Joint. The trail heads up into the hills with great views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Not very many pullouts for oncoming traffic and not a…
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Total Miles
6.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Old Coal Creek Dead End

This is a muddy, rutted, out and back trail. No camping was noticed along the route. The road may be impassable when wet or snowy. Nice viewpoints along the way. You may see Elk, which…
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Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Blue Joint Coal Creek Ridge

A very nice scenic loop around the top of the ridge. There are a few dispersed camping spots along the way. Amazing expansive views of the Blue Joint Bay and the Painted Rocks Lake. Some…
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Total Miles
4.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Wheeler Creek

Stunning trial up the side of the mountains. Near the top, you are rewarded with amazing views of the surrounding mountains. You may see Elk cutting across the trail and be aware of potentially downed…
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Total Miles
4.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lower Tough Bonnie Blue

An easy graded shelf road. The trail leads to many other trails that are open during the Summer months. Mostly narrow, with plenty of pullouts for income traffic. Very few dispersed camping spots right along…
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Total Miles
3.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Little Boulder Slate

Easy trail that runs along the east side of Painted Rocks Lake. Some dispersed camping and a few elevated views of the lake. Be aware of an uphill "Y" that leaders to private property. The…
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Total Miles
4.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Slate Creek

An easy graded out and back. The trail begins at a nice campground and follows the Slate Creek for a while before it turns uphill to climb to amazing views overlooking The Painted Rocks Lake…
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Total Miles
8.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Boulder Point Lookout Trail

An easy trail to the Boulder Point Lookout Hike Trailhead. This is a mostly graded trail with pullouts for oncoming traffic. No crazy views through the trees as you ascend the side of the canyon.…
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Total Miles
3.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa