Elk Meadow
Elk Meadow Trail is a 6.5 miles trail in Payette National Forest, Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1, minimally developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Payette National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 45.2643, -116.1003 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.2850, -116.0452 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 6.5 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 500 |
| Forest | Payette National Forest (unit 0412) |
| States | Idaho |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed year-round |
| E-bikes | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedPayette National Forest Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedWeasel Rx
35 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Elk Meadow Trail?
6.5 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Payette National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Elk Meadow Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Elk Meadow Trail start?
The line begins at 45.2643, -116.1003 and ends at 45.2850, -116.0452. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Elk Meadow Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Elk Meadow Trail?
Hazard Lake (4.8 mi) is within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Elk Meadow Trail?
Trail class 1, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Elk Meadow Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Elk Meadow Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Elk Meadow Trail?
Payette National Forest, Forest Service unit 0412. The trail is in Idaho.
Is there a fire near the Elk Meadow Trail?
2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Payette National Forest Rx at 26 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named ELK MEADOW in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0412. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.