Saddle

There is very little water enroute. You will cross a stream at the beginning and end of the hike, but the only other source is just before the 2-mile mark, and that small stream runs dry in low-water years. The flip side is that much of the hike is in the shade, so water is less of a factor than with sunny hikes.

From downtown Ketchum, it is an easy 7.5-mile drive with only the last tenth mile on a dirt road. Click here for directions. There is parking for about 15 cars and it is rarely full.

There are bathrooms at the trailhead.

May through October

Take the left fork at the signed junction that marks the trailhead – the right fork takes you to Oregon Gulch. There is an easy water crossing within the first 250 feet as you make your way through an open meadow with the forest climbing up the hill to your left. A quick turn to the left takes you into the forest where you will begin a steady but easy climb.

At the .8-mile mark, views of the Boulder Mountains peek through the trees and at 1 mile, a hillside meadow opens in front of you, providing good views of the Wood River Valley and the Smoky Mountains.

There is an opportunity at about the 1.3-mile mark to better your views of the valley by shooting through two bushes to the left and accessing a user-made trail that climbs a modest grade along a knob for about 500 feet.

The main trail begins to descend after the junction with that user-made trail and re-enters the forest at about 1.5 miles. The trail winds through the forest and just before the 2-mile mark, come to a plank bridge that crosses a small, sometimes dry creek. Shortly afterwards, you will enter an open area lined on your left by smallish aspen trees and around the 2.15-mile mark, you will come to the destination, which is Saddle’s junction with the popular Chocolate Gulch trail.

For those looking to lengthen the hike, the Chocolate Gulch/Northfork trail will add just over 4 miles to make an 8.3 mile loop.