Baker Lake

The Trail

This easy trail is about 1.9 miles long one way with a 840 foot elevation change. The trail meanders through forested area, much of which was burned by forest fire, climbing gently as it takes hikers to a picturesque mountain lake.

Topographical Map (red = Baker Lake Trail)

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

The trail starts from a gravel lot and soon crosses a bridge. It heads through areas thick with burned lodgepole pines that were devastated in the 2013 Beaver Creek fire. We did this trail most recently during the fall, which made for some pretty fall colors in the brush foliage along the way.

Trailhead

The trail also passes close to the stream in many spots.

There is a trail that appears to turn off and head up the side of a mountain away from the lake about 1.4 miles up from the trailhead (shown in green on the maps above). This trail connects to other trails that run between the lakes in the area and is the trail I used many years ago to hike from Prairie Lakes to Baker Lake. This trail was quite difficult and tricky to follow when I did it previously, as it completely disappeared in places and frequently went straight up and down mountainsides without switchbacks. However, you can still see it on the Forest Service map as trail 7138 Baker Ck - Norton Ck and 7134 Norton Creek -Prairie Creek.

Shortly after passing this trail hikers will arrive at the lake. There are trails that follow the shoreline some along the side of the lake. I also hiked up a bit farther for a different view from above.

Baker Lake

Baker Lake from further up the mountainside

This lake is popular for fishing, but there are restrictions of fishing for native trout. This lake is also popular for picnics and also works well for a short backpacking trip.

This trail is open to dogs, but they must be kept on leash. Vault toilets are available at the trailhead.

Directions

This trail is located in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area near Sun Valley, Idaho. To get here, take ID-75 north until you reach Baker Creek Rd. on your left. Turn left onto this road and continue to its end to reach the parking area for the trail.

GPS Coordinates: N43° 41.447' W114° 39.277'