Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Idaho / Sawtooth Mountains

Vernon and Ardeth Lakes from Pettit Lake

Sawtooth Wilderness, Sawtooth National Recreation Area (Tin Cup Trailhead at Pettit Lake)

Farley Lake from Sand Mountain Pass, on the route to Ardeth Lake
“Farley Lake from Sand Mountain Pass, on the route to Ardeth Lake” by Fredlyfish4 , CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source · Resized for the web

Ardeth Lake sits in a deep granite basin in the interior of the Sawtooth Wilderness. Outdoor Project calls it one of the most remote spots in the range. From the Tin Cup Trailhead at Pettit Lake, the route below follows the start of the Alice–Toxaway Loop, branches off past Edith Lake, crosses a pass to the Edna and Vernon Lakes, and reaches Ardeth on day two. The way out climbs over another pass to Toxaway Lake.

It’s a big trip, around 25 miles over three days, but it takes you well past the busier lakes near the trailhead.

The hike

The route starts at the Tin Cup Trailhead at Pettit Lake, the same trailhead as the Alice–Toxaway Loop. One Backcountry Post trip report describes reaching Farley Lake at about three miles, a good spot for a break. There, the writer left the Alice–Toxaway route and headed up toward Edith Lake. The writer says the White Clouds come into view from the turnoff and describes Edith Lake’s water as crystal clear.

Above Edith Lake, a sign put Edna Lake 3.5 miles ahead. The trail climbs to a pass with views back to Farley and Yellow Belly Lakes, then descends past Rendezvous Lake. The trip reached Edna Lake late on day one. The writer found it busy and kept going about five minutes to Vernon Lake, where they found a great campsite away from the crowd. The first day totaled about 10.1 miles.

The next morning was a short two-mile hike to Ardeth Lake. Outdoor Project describes Ardeth as filling a deep granite basin, with a triple buttress rising directly above the south shore and a steep, blunt granite ridge on the northeast side. It says the lake is smaller than Sawtooth Lake in the Iron Creek drainage but has a similar feel, probably because of its size and even shoreline. The trip report’s final morning brought a great view of Glens Peak over the lake.

Outdoor Project notes several side trips from here. Glens Peak can be climbed by several Class 2–3 routes and linked into a traverse from the Ardeth–Vernon saddle to Spangle Divide. The upper Middle Fork trail connects over Spangle Divide to Ardeth Lake. Outdoor Project’s approach from the Grandjean trailhead is 17 miles, but the Forest Service closed that trailhead on July 23, 2026, after debris flows.

A runner on the Idaho Wilderness Trail, writing for the Idaho Conservation League, describes the country north of Ardeth. After skirting Ardeth, the trail makes a short, steep climb to a small unnamed lake, then descends past Vernon and Edna Lakes before climbing past Hidden Lake to the Cramer Divide. The runner calls Cramer Divide the high point of the Sawtooth Wilderness section and one of the most dramatic views in the range. The runner also saw several hikers around Ardeth and fewer beyond it.

For the way out, the Backcountry Post writers filled up on water and climbed over a pass to Toxaway Lake. They didn’t find a campsite they liked and ended up hiking all the way out that day, a tough 13 miles back to the trailhead. That makes the full trip roughly 25 miles. You could also return the way you came.

On that trip, camping pressure eased the farther in they went: crowds at Edna Lake, plenty of room at Ardeth.

Tips

Camping

Camping is dispersed in the Sawtooth Wilderness, and your self-issued permit covers it. Discover Sawtooth says to camp at least 100 feet from water and trails, use existing impacted sites where they exist, and avoid meadows. The Forest Service order limits groups to 12 people from May through November and requires dogs to be on a short leash on trails in midsummer. For food, Discover Sawtooth recommends a bear hang, canister, or bear-proof bag; the recreation area’s food storage order doesn’t apply inside the wilderness.

Outside the wilderness, at the trailhead end, a Forest Service order in effect since June 19, 2026 (0414-04-162) prohibits camping anywhere other than a developed campground between Forest Roads 208 or 362 and Pettit Lake. If you want to camp near the trailhead the night before, use a developed campground.

Inside Intel: If Edna Lake is crowded, keep walking. The Backcountry Post writers found no good spot at Edna, but just five minutes farther at Vernon Lake found a great campsite without the people. At Ardeth, the lake is big and has plenty of campsites around it, so there’s no need to crowd other groups. The same writers had another party start setting up just 15 yards away and asked them to move on. Give other campers room.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.