Sawtooth Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sawtooth Lake |
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Sawtooth Lake and Mount Regan
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 Sawtooth Lake
Location in Idaho
Sawtooth Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Custer County, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 44°10′20″N 115°03′49″W / 44.1722°N 115.0637°W |
| Type | Glacial |
| Primary outflows | Iron Creek to Salmon River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 0.88 mi (1.42 km) |
| Max. width | 0.42 mi (0.68 km) |
| Surface elevation | 8,435 ft (2,571 m) |
Sawtooth Lake is a beautiful alpine lake located in Custer County, Idaho, United States. It sits high up in the Sawtooth Mountains, which are part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. This amazing lake is about 6.8 miles (11 km) southwest of a town called Stanley.
Exploring Sawtooth Lake
You can reach Sawtooth Lake by hiking a trail that starts from the Iron Creek trailhead and campground. This trail is about 5 miles (8 km) long. To get to the Iron Creek trailhead, you can use State Highway 21 and then turn onto Sawtooth National Forest road 619.
High Up in the Mountains
Sawtooth Lake is very high up, at 8,435 feet (2,571 meters) above sea level. Because it's so high, the lake often stays frozen until early summer! At the southern end of the lake, you'll see a tall mountain called Mount Regan, which is 10,190 feet (3,106 meters) high.
Hiking and Camping Adventures
Sawtooth Lake is located inside the Sawtooth Wilderness. This is a special protected area where you might need a wilderness permit. You can usually get these permits at the trailheads. The hike to Sawtooth Lake from the Iron Creek trailhead is one of the most popular hikes in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
The trail goes up about 1,710 feet (521 meters) in elevation. The whole trip, going there and back, usually takes about 5 to 6 hours. Along the way, you'll get amazing views of other places like Alpine Lake, Alpine Peak, and the beautiful Sawtooth Valley.
Visitors are allowed to camp almost anywhere in the National Forest. Many people use Sawtooth Lake as a base camp. From there, they can go on even more hikes deeper into the northern Sawtooth Wilderness.
