Elk Lake (Sawtooth Wilderness)
Encyclopedia
Elk Lake is an alpine lake
in Boise County
, Idaho
, United States
, located in the Sawtooth Mountains
in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
. The lake is approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Stanley
and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) southeast of Grandjean. Located in the remote central Sawtooth Wilderness
, Elk Lake is most easily reached from the Grandjean trailhead to the northwest and downstream along the South Fork of the Payette River.
Elk Lake is a shallow non-glacial lake (in contrast to almost all other lakes in the Sawtooths) that is largely wetlands due to sedimentation. There are several glacial lakes upstream of Elk Lake, including Vernon Lake
, Edna Lake
, Ardeth Lake
, and Virginia Lake
.
Edna Lake is in the Sawtooth Wilderness and wilderness permit can be obtained at trailheads.
Alpine lake
Alpine lakes are classified as lakes or reservoirs at high altitudes, usually starting around 5,000 feet in elevation above sea level or above the tree line....
in Boise County
Boise County, Idaho
Boise County is a rural mountain county in the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census; it was estimated at 7,571 in 2007...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located in the Sawtooth Mountains
Sawtooth Range (Idaho)
The Sawtooth Range is part of the Rocky Mountains, located within a few miles south of Stanley, Idaho, in the Western United States. Much of mountain range is within the Sawtooth Wilderness, part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area...
in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Sawtooth National Recreation Area
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area located in central Idaho, within the Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests. The recreation area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and includes the Sawtooth Wilderness...
. The lake is approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Stanley
Stanley, Idaho
Stanley is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. The population was 100 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Idaho is located in Stanley.-Geography:...
and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) southeast of Grandjean. Located in the remote central Sawtooth Wilderness
Sawtooth Wilderness
The Sawtooth Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Wilderness was upgraded in 1972 from "primitive area" status, affording greater protections of the habitat...
, Elk Lake is most easily reached from the Grandjean trailhead to the northwest and downstream along the South Fork of the Payette River.
Elk Lake is a shallow non-glacial lake (in contrast to almost all other lakes in the Sawtooths) that is largely wetlands due to sedimentation. There are several glacial lakes upstream of Elk Lake, including Vernon Lake
Vernon Lake (Idaho)
Vernon Lake is an alpine lake in Boise County, Idaho, United States, located high in the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The lake is approximately southwest of Stanley and southeast of Grandjean...
, Edna Lake
Edna Lake
Edna Lake is an alpine lake in Boise County, Idaho, United States, located high in the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The lake is approximately southwest of Stanley and southeast of Grandjean...
, Ardeth Lake
Ardeth Lake
Ardeth Lake is an alpine lake in Boise County, Idaho, United States, located high in the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The lake is approximately south of Stanley...
, and Virginia Lake
Virginia Lake (Sawtooth Wilderness)
Virginia Lake is an alpine lake in Boise County, Idaho, United States, located high in the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The lake is approximately southwest of Stanley and southeast of Grandjean...
.
Edna Lake is in the Sawtooth Wilderness and wilderness permit can be obtained at trailheads.
See Also
- List of lakes of the Sawtooth Mountains (Idaho)
- Sawtooth National ForestSawtooth National ForestSawtooth National Forest is in Idaho and Utah was protected in 1905 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt as the Sawtooth Forest Reserve. Today the forest administers over 2.1 million acres of some of the most remote forestland in the lower 48 states, and there are over 1,000 lakes and 3,000...
- Sawtooth National Recreation AreaSawtooth National Recreation AreaThe Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area located in central Idaho, within the Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests. The recreation area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and includes the Sawtooth Wilderness...
- Sawtooth Range (Idaho)Sawtooth Range (Idaho)The Sawtooth Range is part of the Rocky Mountains, located within a few miles south of Stanley, Idaho, in the Western United States. Much of mountain range is within the Sawtooth Wilderness, part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area...