Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Idaho / Sawtooth Mountains

Queens River Loop

Sawtooth Wilderness, Boise National Forest side (Queens River Trailhead near Atlanta)

The Queens River Loop circles the far southwestern corner of the Sawtooth Wilderness, climbing one river canyon, crossing high country past a string of alpine lakes, and descending the next canyon over. At about 30 miles, it’s a trip of four days or more. One trip report says it offers far more solitude than the better-known Sawtooth destinations, but recent hikers also report plenty of brush and deadfall.

This one is for experienced backpackers. Trail conditions on parts of the loop have been rough in recent years, and several stretches require patience and navigation.

The hike

The loop begins at the Queens River Trailhead near Atlanta, at the southern end of the Sawtooth Mountains. Outdoor Project suggests starting up the Queens River side and covering most of its 12 miles on the first day. That leaves more relaxed days to explore the lakes at the divide and down the Little Queens River. It also saves some of the steepest climbing for the end of the trip, when your pack is lighter. An AllTrails reviewer agrees that clockwise from the Queens River trailhead is the way to go.

Outdoor Project’s mileage for the Queens River side: 2.6 miles to “the portal,” 6.3 miles to Queens River Falls, and 6.6 miles to the Nanny Creek crossing. The Idaho Trails Association says the Queens River steadily gains elevation over the first twelve miles. One AllTrails reviewer warns that a river crossing on this side is usually wide and swift until late summer.

The high point of the trip is the Pats Lake Trail (#494). The Idaho Trails Association says this section has steeper ups and downs. One AllTrails reviewer mentions a great jumping rock at Arrowhead Lake, and another called Pats Lake one of the most beautiful, pristine lakes in the Sawtooths. A 2022 trip report passes along one hiker’s story that the lake is named for a woman named Pat who cooked for the trail crew.

Past Pats Lake, the route drops toward Johnson Creek and then climbs to High Pass and into the Little Queens River drainage. Side trails lead to Browns Lake and Scenic Lake. onX says Scenic and Browns are two of only three alpine lakes within reasonable distance of the trailheads here, with Leggit Lake the third. AllTrails describes Scenic Lake as backed by the striking north face of Nahneke Mountain. onX also notes the remnants of the Little Queens Mine and the Money Prospect cabin along the lower river. It warns that the second and third crossings of the Little Queens River may require wading at medium to high flows.

Fire has shaped this country. onX says the Queens and Little Queens drainages burned significantly in 2013. A 2022 trip report describes the whole lower Little Queens canyon as open, burned landscape with blackened snags and bright fireweed. The same writers say some trails in the area hadn’t been cleared since the 1992 Idaho City Complex Fire. onX adds that the Little Queens canyon, while pretty, is less dramatic than other Sawtooth drainages, and the long walk can feel like a treadmill.

Conditions are the main story in recent reviews. Several AllTrails hikers describe a mile and a half or more of slow travel through thick, head-high brush near Pats Lake, where the trail becomes hard to follow. Another describes a four- to five-mile stretch on the Queens River side with heavy overgrowth and deadfall. The Idaho Trails Association ran a ten-day volunteer project on the Queens River and Pats Lake trails in August 2025, but we don’t know how much was cleared.

The payoff is wild country. One reviewer who called the trail frustrating at times still described the scenery and backcountry as amazing.

Tips

Camping

Camping is dispersed in the Sawtooth Wilderness. A Sawtooth Wilderness permit is required. Outdoor Project says campfires are allowed only in a fire pan or fire blanket and are prohibited at some lakes, and asks hikers to check restrictions posted at trailheads. The Forest Service’s wilderness order also prohibits campfires within a quarter mile of any trail and caps groups at 12 people from May through November. Camp at least 100 feet from water and trails, and store food securely.

At the trailhead, one club guide describes Queens River Campground as having four campsites on the Middle Fork of the Boise River.

Inside Intel: Browns Lake gets high marks. One AllTrails reviewer camped there, called it gorgeous, and said the trail south from Browns back to the trailhead was easy and beautiful. If you hike counterclockwise instead, one trip report made Scenic Lake its first-night destination. Whichever way you go, Outdoor Project’s advice is to get most of the long Queens River climb done on day one so the lake days aren’t rushed.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Wide, swift crossings on the Queens River:

One reviewer warns that a Queens River crossing is usually wide and swift until late summer, and the Little Queens may need wading at medium to high flows. Here's how to pick your spot and time your crossing.

See the water-crossing tips →

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.