Bench Lake
Location: South Central Idaho
Trip Starts: Redfish Visitor’s Center
Trip Ends: Redfish Visitor’s Center
Total Distance: 8 miles
Hike Type: In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Trails Used: Redfish Lake, Bench Lake
Trail Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Trip Type: Day or Overnight Hike
More Information:
Redfish Lake Visitor Center
HC 64, Box 9900
Stanley, ID 83278
(208) 774-3376
Highlights:
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has approximately 750 miles of trails, 40 peaks rising over 10,000 feet and 300+ high mountain lakes that make for spectacular scenery and vistas. The Sawtooth NRA is managed by the US Forest Service and consists of 750,000 acres of scenic mountain country.
This hike near Stanley, Idaho is to the Bench Lakes, a series of four lakes just west of Redfish Lake. A short side trail from the Redfish Lake Trail takes you to the Bench Lakes which are 3.1 miles from the visitor’s center. You’ll climb to a maximum of 6840 feet during this hike and have a chance to explore a number of high alpine lakes.
More Details:
- click to see trail photos from this hike in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area: June 30, 1998
- click to view a detailed trip report of this backpacking trip to Bench Lake: June 30, 1998 (password required)
- click to yourhikes.com for a brief trip report of this overnight camping trip near Stanley: June 30, 1998
- click to view a backpacker log report for this hike past Redfish Lake: June 30, 1998
- click to view maps: area map, detailed map (password required)*, profile map*
- click for the Other Destinations discussion forum
- click here to add your hike, trip report, or feedback for this destination
- note, the * indicates these items are not linked but coming soon
