45 – Sawtell Peak Island Park
Sawtell Peak, located near Island Park, Idaho, rises to 9,884 feet and offers some of the most breathtaking views in the region. Accessible via a 12-mile gravel road (typically open from June through October), the summit provides sweeping vistas of the Island Park Caldera, Henrys Lake, and even distant views of Yellowstone and the Tetons on clear days. The route to the top passes through diverse landscapes, from sagebrush flats to alpine meadows, which are especially vibrant with wildflowers in mid to late summer.
At the summit, you’ll find a radar facility operated by the FAA, though the surrounding area remains open to the public. There’s also a trailhead about 1.7 miles below the summit for those interested in hiking. Whether driving or walking, visitors should be prepared for unpredictable mountain weather and rough road conditions, but the views from the top make the effort well worth it.
More Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawtell_Peak
Coordinates: 44.56233, -111.44437
Elevation: 9858 ft
Difficulty: 2
What to Expect: No info
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13 Check-Ins
Cold and windy. No view from the top because of the clouds. Nice views from a bit lower on the mountain. The road had a fair amount of washboard but otherwise was good gravel.
Not many ~10K summits one can drive to. Views would have been better without smoke 🙁
Fantastic site with an amazing view. It's a climb, but doable. You could get here in a minivan. The road was well graded and while there are some switchbacks, it's nothing crazy. You will feel a bit of exposure since it's a long way down, so take your time.
I really enjoyed this ride! The road all the way to the top is in very good condition for dirt. It does get a bit steep near the top, so it's more like a 2.5, in my opinion, especially coming down on the switchbacks. Great view!
There was a ton of traffic the day that we went--I nearly got run off the road! The view at the top was amazing.
Have always wanted to enjoy this view. Nice road up with mild tourist dodging.
I got this site on Alec’s 3 day 1300 mile ride day 2... WOW, I can see for miles.
long climb up with quite a few switchbacks. It was very windy up top, but my, what a view. Well worth the trip.
This one was a fail! Road does not open until June so couldn't get clear in. I will be coming back to ride this all the way in later in the year. I've done it in a jeep but not on a big adventure bike.
Wow, super good views all around.
Cold and windy. No view from the top because of the clouds. Nice views from a bit lower on the mountain. The road had a fair amount of washboard but otherwise was good gravel.
Not many ~10K summits one can drive to. Views would have been better without smoke 🙁
Fantastic site with an amazing view. It’s a climb, but doable. You could get here in a minivan. The road was well graded and while there are some switchbacks, it’s nothing crazy. You will feel a bit of exposure since it’s a long way down, so take your time.
I really enjoyed this ride! The road all the way to the top is in very good condition for dirt. It does get a bit steep near the top, so it’s more like a 2.5, in my opinion, especially coming down on the switchbacks. Great view!
There was a ton of traffic the day that we went–I nearly got run off the road! The view at the top was amazing.
Great view. Nice road.
I made it about 5 miles past the gate, snow got to be too much.
This was an easy 2 and the views were stunning
Have always wanted to enjoy this view. Nice road up with mild tourist dodging.
I got this site on Alec’s 3 day 1300 mile ride day 2… WOW, I can see for miles.
long climb up with quite a few switchbacks. It was very windy up top, but my, what a view. Well worth the trip.
This one was a fail! Road does not open until June so couldn’t get clear in. I will be coming back to ride this all the way in later in the year. I’ve done it in a jeep but not on a big adventure bike.
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