Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor AdventureSawtooth National Recreation Area
FreeHike, camp, fish and raft among four mountain ranges and hundreds of glacial lakes at the head of the Salmon River.
Photo: HalcyonToast, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite
Redfish Lake
Redfish Lake Rd, off ID-75 about 5 miles south of Stanley · Stanley, ID
Why you should go…
Redfish Lake is a 4.5-mile alpine lake south of Stanley, set at 6,547 feet with Mount Heyburn and Grand Mogul rising over its far end. It is named for the sockeye salmon that once turned the water red at spawning time. Forest Service beaches, picnic areas, campgrounds and a visitor center line the north shore. Redfish Lake Lodge, built in 1929, runs a marina with boat rentals and a hiker shuttle across the lake to the Redfish Inlet Trailhead.
- #alpine lake
- #swimming beach
- #boating
- #hiking
- #camping
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Redfish Lake, ordered by straight-line distance.
