Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Idaho / Frank Church Wilderness

Bighorn Crags to Ship Island Lake

Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness, Salmon-Challis National Forest (North Fork Ranger District)

The Bighorn Crags are a cluster of granite spires and high lakes deep inside the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service describes alpine lakes at or above 8,000 feet, cirque basins, cliffs, and narrow ridges climbing past 10,000 feet. The trip described here follows the main trail from Crags Campground to Ship Island Lake, home to what SummitPost calls the most popular campsites in the Crags.

The trailhead is at the end of a long, rough dirt road, and one trip report credits those miles of dirt with keeping crowds away. Even so, the Forest Service says visitation here is high compared with other parts of the wilderness. Ship Island Lake takes a long day of up-and-down hiking to reach.

The hike

Most visitors start at Crags Campground, which SummitPost puts at 8,400 feet. One AllTrails reviewer describes the first mile out of the campground as switchbacks, followed by about 1.5 flatter miles, and then it’s up one hill and down another. The Forest Service says most trails in the Crags have grades under 10 percent, with short pitches of 15 to 18 percent.

SummitPost’s mileage table is a handy guide to the lakes along the way. Cathedral Lake comes first at 4.2 miles, and SummitPost says it’s a common first-night camp for people who start hiking the day they arrive. One trip report describes a 500-foot climb after the saddle north of Cathedral Rock, then the view opening onto Wilson and Harbor Lakes, which SummitPost lists at 6.7 miles. They sit just off the main trail near Fishfin Ridge. A 1997 trip report says Beaver Slide Pass near Fishfin Ridge was reportedly covered in snow and ice that July, forcing a longer detour.

Beyond Wilson and Harbor, the same trip report describes descending below Fishfin Ridge, a final climb to a saddle above Airplane Lake, and a long descent to the shore of Ship Island Lake. SummitPost puts the lake at 10.6 miles from the campground; other sources say about 11 or 12. SummitPost calls Ship Island the largest lake in the Bighorn Crags, over 1.2 miles long. The Forest Service’s elevation profile runs about 11 miles from the campground to the lake.

Other lakes branch off the network. SummitPost lists Welcome Lake at 7 miles, Birdbill and Gentian Lakes at 7.6, Big Clear Lake at 9, and Terrace Lakes at 10.6. One 2019 account says there’s reportedly an unofficial trail between Ship Island Lake and Terrace Lakes, but it isn’t an official trail and looked like a tough slog. The same account warns that some trails in the Crags have serious exposure, with narrow sections washed out above drops of several hundred feet.

The Forest Service says cutthroat trout live in most of the lakes, and many also hold rainbow or golden trout. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and deer are often seen, and sometimes elk and bears. One trip report describes watching a wolf chase a deer, which escaped by swimming across Ship Island Lake.

The Forest Service calls this a fragile area with thin soils and short growing seasons, and it says the trees may look young because of their small size but are actually very old. Visitation is high compared with other parts of the wilderness, and so are the impacts, so camp on durable ground and don’t cut switchbacks. The Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1980, the Forest Service notes.

Tips

Camping

The Forest Service says campsites suitable for backpackers are abundant in the Crags. The maximum group size is 20, and groups of 10 or more should contact the North Fork Ranger Station for campsite recommendations. The Forest Service guide asks visitors to camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams, use existing sites in popular areas, and use a stove rather than a fire. Where fires are permitted, it says to use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires. It also advises storing food and trash securely. We found no permit requirement for the Crags; confirm with the North Fork Ranger District.

At the trailhead, the Forest Service lists 14 campsites at Bighorn Crags Campground with picnic tables and fire grates, plus a separate horse camp. The page mentions piped drinking water but also says potable water is not available, so bring your own to be safe.

Inside Intel: SummitPost says the most popular campsites in the Crags are at Ship Island Lake. One group that made the full push in a day searched a while and found a great site about a quarter mile up the north shore. If you’d rather not go that far, SummitPost says Wilson and Harbor Lakes, at about 6.7 miles, make an excellent base camp for day hikes, including a day trip on to Ship Island. One large group found the best spot for them at the outlet of Wilson Lake after checking Harbor Lake first.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

A tent for camps above 8,000 feet:

Every lake in the Crags sits high, and help is a long drive away. See which tents held up in independent testing.

Read the full guide →

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.