Top Mountains in Idaho

Idaho's mountains are among the most remote and least-visited significant summits in the lower 48 — the central Idaho batholith has extraordinary alpine terrain that sees a fraction of the traffic of comparable ranges in Colorado or California.

Borah Peak (12,662 ft)
The highest point in Idaho, in the Lost River Range east of Mackay. The standard Chicken-Out Ridge route (7 miles round trip) is a demanding non-technical hike with one exposed knife-edge ridge section (the "Chicken-Out Ridge") that requires nerve and reasonable scrambling ability. The summit gives views across the Snake River Plain and most of the Lost River Range. Borah Peak was the epicenter of the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake (magnitude 6.9 — the largest earthquake in Idaho's recorded history); the fault scarp from that quake (up to 9 feet of vertical displacement) is visible at the base of the mountain.

Hyndman Peak (12,009 ft)
The highest summit in the Pioneer Mountains above Sun Valley — accessible from the Hyndman Creek trailhead south of Ketchum. The Pioneer Mountains are less frequented than the Sawtooths and give a more solitary alpine experience. The Hyndman Creek approach is a long, moderate hike.

Thompson Peak (10,751 ft)
The highest summit in the Sawtooth Range — the most dramatic mountain range in Idaho, with jagged granite spires of extraordinary sharpness. The Sawtooths are geologically young (the granite is hard and erosion-resistant); the spires have not been rounded by glaciation as much as older ranges. The approach to Thompson Peak is long (15+ miles round trip); the summit gives views of the Stanley Basin and hundreds of alpine lakes.

Castle Peak (11,815 ft)
The highest summit in the White Cloud Peaks, adjacent to the Sawtooths. The White Clouds are composed of white quartzite and limestone rather than the Sawtooths' gray granite — giving them a distinct appearance. The approach from Fourth of July Creek (trail from Sawtooth NRA) is the standard route.

Roman Nose (9,131 ft) and the Selkirk Crest
The Selkirk Crest in the northern panhandle has exceptional alpine terrain — the Long Canyon and Roman Nose areas are accessible from the Priest Lake corridor. Mountain goats are commonly seen on the Selkirk Crest.