Idaho · Trail 291

Navigation

Navigation Trail is an 8.1-mile trail in Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Idaho Panhandle National Forests 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 end48.7366° N, 116.8590° W · Directions ↗
Other end48.8181° N, 116.9617° 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

Length8.1 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers291
ForestIdaho Panhandle National Forests (unit 0104)
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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Navigation Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.16 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.70 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.91 inches of precipitationApril: 1.65 inches of precipitationMay: 2.19 inches of precipitationJune: 2.10 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.24 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.82 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.06 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.80 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.41 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.45 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.2°F averageFebruary: 31.1°F averageMarch: 38.8°F averageApril: 47.1°F averageMay: 56.4°F averageJune: 61.9°F averageJuly: 68.8°F averageAugust: 67.6°F averageSeptember: 58.1°F averageOctober: 45.7°F averageNovember: 35.7°F averageDecember: 28.4°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Porthill 1 SW, 23 miles from the trail midpoint at 1,799 feet, station USC00107264 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 21 inches a year.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed 06/01 to 09/30 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed
Mountain bikingAllowed 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

Navigation Trailhead #291
No season published
0.1 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.

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

  • Prescribed
    Sl Rx - Limestone Timber Sale

    25 mi from the trail midpoint · 38 acres

  • Prescribed
    Np Rx - High Noon Stewardship

    28 mi from the trail midpoint · 345 acres

  • Prescribed
    Sl Rx - Lost Creek Stewardship

    28 mi from the trail midpoint · 24 acres

  • Prescribed
    3R Rx - Silver Gna

    30 mi from the trail midpoint · 100 acres

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

Explore

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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 Navigation Trail?

The Forest Service records 8.1 miles under this name in Idaho Panhandle National Forests, the sum of 1 segment.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Navigation Trail?

Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Navigation Trail start?

The line begins at 48.7366° N, 116.8590° W and ends at 48.8181° N, 116.9617° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Navigation Trailhead #291, 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Navigation 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 Navigation Trail?

Navigation Campground (0.1 mi), Plowboy Campground (0.2 mi) and Beaver Creek (Idaho) (0.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 5 with site counts and booking links.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Navigation 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 Navigation Trail?

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

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Navigation 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 Navigation Trail?

Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Forest Service unit 0104. The trail is in Idaho.

Source: Idaho Panhandle National Forests official page

Is there a fire near the Navigation Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Sl Rx - Limestone Timber Sale at 25 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named Navigation in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0104. 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.