Day 6 of the Grand Sawtooth Loop is a 15-mile walk out, almost all of it downhill. You leave Smith Falls before sunrise, follow the South Fork of the Payette River past Elk Lake and down a granite gorge, then walk out through meadows and burned forest to Baron Creek and the Grandjean trailhead. On paper it’s gentle. In practice, 15 miles is 15 miles, especially on tired feet, but the reward is a hot lunch, a shower and a bed.
The Route
We woke to the coldest morning of the trip, about 29°F by Adam’s reading, and the first of us were on the trail around 6:00 AM. I hit the trail at 6:15 AM, still the earliest day on this trek, but we were motivated by the promise of a burger and a shower at the end of the day. The first half hour was by headlamp.
About 20 minutes in, the South Fork Payette River Trail crosses a wide, cold creek. There’s no dry way across. Some of us took our shoes off, and some just walked through. Beyond the crossing the trail winds through different kinds of pine and in and out of flowering meadows as the light comes up. Wild blueberries grow on both sides of the trail, and we snacked on them as we hiked.
The valley opens up to Elk Lake and the surrounding meadows. Adam saw a golden eagle fly out of a tree here. Below the lake, the valley narrows into a granite gorge with whitewater and cascades, and the trail drops alongside it. Further down, the gorge opens up again into a broad meadow with the river meandering through it.
About seven miles in, the trail re-enters a burn area and gets ashy again, though it was still cool enough in the morning that we took off a layer. Around mile 9 or 10, we stepped aside for a small pack train of three horses, with a rider in front and another in back. Derek noticed coolers and rifles on board.
The trail is a single track that rises and falls more than you’d expect on a downhill day. The day heats up and your feet get tired. You cross Goat Creek in a side drainage, then reach Baron Creek, the last big landmark. A trail to the right leads up the Baron Creek valley we climbed on Day 2. We crossed Baron Creek for the last time, soaked our feet and finished the last stretch to the Grandjean trailhead.
Highlights
- A quiet, cold start. Headlamp for the first half hour, then a slow sunrise on the river.
- Wild blueberries. Along both sides of the trail near the start.
- Elk Lake. Early morning meadows and a golden eagle taking off from a tree.
- The granite gorge. Whitewater, cascades and waterfalls on the way down.
- Wildlife on the last morning. A large rabbit running the length of a wooden bridge and a ptarmigan flushing from the brush ten feet away. Adam had seen scat and tracks every day without seeing much wildlife until this morning.
- Trail crews. The condition of the trail after the fire was outstanding. Adam compared maintaining it to painting the Golden Gate Bridge: by the time crews work around the loop, it’s time to start again.
- The last creek crossing at Baron Creek. A cold soak for tired feet. Sophia had to remind her dad that it was time to go.
- Sandwiches and cold drinks at the Sawtooth Lodge. The first fresh food in six days.
How the Day Unfolded
Derek and Sophia were first on the trail, with Adam close behind, and I followed a little later with Ben. The goal was about 14 miles and a late lunch, and an early start gave us a good shot at it.
The morning was quiet. Everyone was thinking about food, a shower and a real bed. Ben and I caught up with Derek and Sophia during their last break, and we stepped aside together for the pack train. As the day warmed up, our feet got tired and we settled into a steady pace at the upper end of what we could do.
Closer to the finish line everyone started chatting a little more. Adam and Jason were already sitting at a picnic bench at the trailhead, changed and relaxed, when we arrived.
This was one of the biggest mileage days, but it was all downhill to the finish, and we maintained about a 2.75 mph pace and got to the trailhead in time for lunch.
We changed into fresh clothes from the car and drove down the road to the Sawtooth Lodge, where we had sandwiches and cold drinks. Back at the cabin we took turns in the shower, aired out our gear on the porch, and repacked. That evening we had a great dinner at the lodge and stayed up later than we should have talking in the living room.
Where to Stay
After the trip: the cabin. We shared the same rental cabin in Lowman for the night after the trip, as we had for the night before. It’s about 30 minutes from the trailhead, with showers, a porch to spread out your gear, and a living room for the post-trip debrief.
Where to Eat
Sawtooth Lodge. The closest meal to the trailhead. We went here straight from the trail for sandwiches and cold drinks, and came back for dinner that evening.
Practical Notes
- Start early. It’s 15 miles, and the day gets hot. We were on the trail by around 6:00 AM, and the last stretch through the burn zone has little shade.
- Cold morning: It was about 29°F at Smith Falls. Wear a warm layer for the first hour, because you’ll be walking by headlamp.
- Creek crossing: There’s a wide, cold crossing about 20 minutes from camp. Decide in advance whether to cross in water shoes, bare feet or boots.
- Trail traffic: Horse and pack trains use this trail. Step aside and let them pass.
- Water: Plentiful along the river, plus Goat Creek and Baron Creek near the end.
- Cell service: None until the trailhead, and spotty at best there.
The Day in Numbers
| Distance | 15.1 mi (24.3 km) |
| Elevation gain | 295 ft (90 m) |
| Elevation loss | 2,231 ft (680 m) |
| Moving time | 5h 32m |
| Elapsed time | 6h 20m |
| Start | Smith Falls, about 6:15 AM |
| Finish | Grandjean trailhead |
| Weather | Cold start (29°F), warm afternoon |
The Grand Sawtooth Loop: Trip Summary
Six days, five nights and about 70 miles with five friends. A great trip with friends. Here’s how the loop broke down.
| Day | Route | Distance | Gain | Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grandjean to Sawtooth Lake | 9.9 mi* | 3,716 ft* | 579 ft* |
| 2 | Sawtooth Lake to Middle Baron Lake | 14.3 mi | 2,723 ft | 2,887 ft |
| 3 | Middle Baron Lake to Middle Cramer Lake | 9.1 mi | 1,804 ft | 1,772 ft |
| 4 | Middle Cramer Lake to Ardeth Lake | 10.0 mi | 1,903 ft | 2,034 ft |
| 5 | Ardeth Lake to Smith Falls | 11.1 mi | 1,083 ft | 2,264 ft |
| 6 | Smith Falls to Grandjean | 15.1 mi | 295 ft | 2,231 ft |
| Total | ~69.5 mi | ~11,500 ft | ~11,800 ft |
*Day 1 figures are from Adam’s GPS.
Front-loaded climbing. More than half of the climbing came in the first two days. After that the days got shorter, the camps got better, and the miles got easier.
The best of the loop:
- Sawtooth Lake from the pass at the end of Day 1
- Baron Creek Falls and the ridges above Middle Baron Lake on Day 2
- The waterfall at Middle Cramer Lake and the whitebark pine cirque on Day 3 and 4
- Hidden Lake and the chain of lakes beyond it on Day 4
- Smith Falls and the confluence on Day 5
- The granite gorge below Elk Lake on Day 6
What to know before you go:
- The fire: Much of the loop burned in the 2024 Wapiti Fire. Expect ash, little shade, and wildflowers in the burn.
- Weather: Afternoon thunderstorms were part of Days 1 and 2. Plan your exposed sections early.
- Water crossings: Redfish Lake Creek on Day 3 and the creek on Day 6 are worth bringing water shoes for.
- Permit: Free, self-issued at the trailhead. No reservations or bear canisters required.
- Food: I ended up with just about the perfect amount of food, though I might bring a few more extras (dried fruit, Nutella and tortillas, etc.).
- Direction: We went clockwise (recommended)
Would we do it again? I might explore this area more thoroughly if it were closer. There are a lot of lakes and canyons that we didn’t even touch on this trail, but they beckoned us when we studied the maps. The one negative here is the extensive burn area.
For another perspective on the same trip, read Derek’s report at 100Peaks.com and Adam’s journal at Adam’s Treks.
Originally hiked August 8, 2025 with Jason Fitzpatrick, Derek Loranger and his daughter Sophia, Ben Novinger, and Adam Salinger.
Jeff has hiked and explored trails for over 50 years, covering everything from casual canyon walks to rugged multi-day Sierra routes. He started SoCalHiker.net in 2010 to document the trails he loves — and to make it easier for others to discover them.
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