Trail Overview
Windy Devil - Horseshoe Canyon is an ideal scenic connector for offroaders of all skill levels looking to explore the historic Mackay Mine Hill area in Idaho's majestic Lost River Mountains. Spanning approximately 1.4 miles, this easy four-wheel-drive trail links the Mackay Mine Hill Tour route with the Rio Grande Trail or the main Windy Devil and Blaze Canyon tracks. Rising to an elevation of just over 8,000 feet, the route offers breathtaking panoramic views of high-desert peaks and lush canyon terrain. Drivers will navigate a relatively gentle descent of about 770 feet when traveling from east to west, making it an excellent, low-stress addition to a full day of trail riding in the White Knob Mountains.
With a technical rating of 2, this dirt route is highly accessible for stock four-wheel-drive vehicles, SxSs, and dirt bikes. While the trail is generally well-maintained and easy to traverse, early spring travelers should expect deep snow drifts and heavy mud in the forested sections, making late spring through autumn the best season to visit. The surrounding landscape is rich in Idaho mining history, and keeping a watchful eye on the hillsides often rewards visitors with sightings of local wildlife. Staging is conveniently located southwest of Mackay at the intersection of Smelter Avenue and Segfried Lane, allowing riders to easily access this scenic mountain connector.
Difficulty
These roads will experience erosion during high runoff, but generally they're easy to travel. If you're there too early in the spring, you will encounter snow and/or mud in some of the forests.
History
Set in the shadows of Mount Borah and the towering Lost River Range, this area is rich in mining history. Named after John W. Mackay, the Nevada mining engineer who funded the local copper mines, the nearby ghost town of White Knob and the surrounding valley boomed in the late 1800s as 'Copper City' before Mackay was officially founded in 1901.
