Salmon-Challis National Forest · Idaho · Trail 6179

Bear Valley Lakes NRT

Bear Valley Lakes NRT is a 5.4 miles trail in Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately 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 Salmon-Challis 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 end44.7929, -113.7798 · Directions ↗
Other end44.8021, -113.8677 · 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

Length5.4 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesOpen to at least one motorized use
AccessibilityNot evaluated
National designationNational Recreation Trail or other national designation
Trail numbers6179
ForestSalmon-Challis National Forest (unit 0413)
StatesIdaho
Detail publishedmanagement 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.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed 06/15 to 11/15 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/15 to 11/15 (month/day)
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round
MotorcycleAllowed year-round
E-bikesAllowed 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

Open 5/15 · listed none
0 mi

Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.

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

  • Wildfire
    Doublesprings

    33 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,779 acres · 60% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

5.4 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Salmon-Challis National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Bear Valley Lakes NRT start?

The line begins at 44.7929, -113.7798 and ends at 44.8021, -113.8677. The nearest recorded trailhead is Bear Valley Trailhead/Upper Campground, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bear Valley Lakes NRT 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 Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

Bear Valley Horse Camp (0 mi) is within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bear Valley Lakes NRT a national trail?

Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

Salmon-Challis National Forest, Forest Service unit 0413. The trail is in Idaho.

Source: Salmon-Challis National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Bear Valley Lakes NRT?

1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Doublesprings at 33 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named BEAR VALLEY LAKES NRT in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0413. 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.