Echols Ridge
Echols Ridge Trail is a 6.1-mile trail in Payette 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 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 | 45.1555° N, 116.5583° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.1816° N, 116.4867° W · 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 is recorded as 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 6.1 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 187 |
| 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 |
| 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.
Trails nearby
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
- PrescribedBrush Rx
8 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,000 acres
- PrescribedRailroad Rx
10 mi from the trail midpoint · 375 acres
- PrescribedCold Rx
14 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,094 acres
- PrescribedGoose Rx
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 529 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Idaho
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Echols Ridge Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.1 miles under this name in Payette National Forest, the sum of 5 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Echols Ridge Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Echols Ridge Trail start?
The line begins at 45.1555° N, 116.5583° W and ends at 45.1816° N, 116.4867° W. 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 Echols Ridge 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 Echols Ridge Trail?
Black Lake Campground (2 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Echols Ridge Trail?
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 Echols Ridge Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Echols Ridge Trail?
Payette National Forest, Forest Service unit 0412. The trail is in Idaho.
Is there a fire near the Echols Ridge Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Brush Rx at 8 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named Echols Ridge 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.