Big Smoky - 7072

Big Smoky (7072) is a long and brutal 18.1-mile trail in the Sawtooth National Forest, about an hour north of Ketchum, Idaho. Starting from the Canyon Trailhead on FS 70089, it runs northwest before linking into Mule Creek. The route climbs steadily for 2,600 feet over its length. The trail begins mild and open but quickly ramps up in difficulty, cutting along a shelf above Big Smoky Creek with high-consequence exposure. About three miles in, it passes Skillern Hot Springs before alternating between wooded terrain and narrow side-hill sections tight against the river. The ground surface is mostly hard-packed dirt with gravel patches and extended stretches of large, loose, and embedded boulders. Obstacles include multiple 1–2+ foot water crossings with no bridges, heavy plant overgrowth, and rock fields with basketball-sized rocks.