Boise National Forest · Idaho

Trout -Thunderbolt

3.1 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 091004 · trail class 2 · typical grade trail_grade · tread 12-18 inches wide · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle, e-bike · motorized use allowed

Trailhead Trout Creek / Thunderbolt Trailhead Drive there

Trout Creek / Thunderbolt Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

The Trout Creek / Thunderbolt Trailhead is signed and gated. FS Trail served is #091.

Information about Trout Creek Campground:

Trout Creek / Thunderbolt Trailhead is near the campground

The Trout Creek Campground, near Landmark, Idaho, offers 5 campsites in a peaceful, remote setting near mountain slopes covered in dense pine forest. Peak season for the campground is typically early June through late September. It can be accessed by most vehicles; however the road is narrow and may be rough in spots.

Natural Features:

The campground sits in a pretty mountain meadow a stone's throw from several creeks including the scenic Johnson Creek, a tributary of the South Fork Salmon River. Wildlife watchers may see deer, elk, bear and moose. Bald eagles are often spotted soaring overhead.

Recreation:

The campground is near the trailhead to Thunderbolt Lookout and several trails into the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness. Check on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for non-motorized and motorized trails. The area is a popular destination for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message.

The South Fork Salmon River and Johnson Creek offer opportunities for fishing. Berry picking and hunting are popular pastimes in season.

Nearby Attractions:

The tiny community of Yellow Pine is north of the campground approximately 15 miles and offers limited services. The popular Yellow Pine Music & Harmonica Festival is held annually in August.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Boise National Forest

All 494 trails in Boise National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.