Arid Peak Lookout, Avery, ID

Arid Peak Lookout is located in the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests (1 hr 37 min east of Coeur d'Alene, ID) with an elevation of 5,275 feet. The site is normally open from the end of June to the end of September. There is a fee of $45.00 per night.

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Campsite Reviews (26)

4.5 out of 5

5 star		58%
4 star		31%
3 star		12%
2 star		0%
1 star		0%

@AndrewK5708668 · Camped on Aug 19, 2024 at Campsite #1

Fantastic!

@EmilyNA052732A · Camped on Aug 7, 2024 at Campsite #1

BEAUTIFUL spot!! Do not trust Google Maps like we did to find the trailhead. There were tons of propane, plenty of kitchen supplies, but was running very low on TP. The huckleberries are abundant!

@VeronicaPF689A · Camped on Jul 23, 2024 at Campsite #1

I'm giving this review 3 stars, not so much because of the lookout but because of my experience getting in and out. First, I met in-person with the forest ranger in St Marie, ID day of, to check on the conditions and what route we should take. We were heading on after our stay via I-90 East, so we wanted to enter via Avery, ID, and exit to Wallace, ID. She confirmed that the weather was clear, 0 wildfire risk, and said that we should 'follow the state gravel road through Moon Pass to Wallace'. I then checked with locals in Avery and St. Marie to confirm that the roads were passable for our VW Beetle. Getting to the lookout from Avery was easy. We had to take a bit of detour from the directions online based on the forest ranger's rec, but we had a full paper map with each road pass-ability marked out (so AWD-recommended vs. high-clearance needed etc). There was one part on the way with 4WD-recommended, but being cautious in a normal car worked just as well. Our hike was not strenuous to the lookout, but as we reached the top we noticed louder and louder thunder. Taking note that the smoke around us was only getting denser making it impossible to see if a fire started, we decided to hike out -- though we got to see the lookout before we left, it was great! Then lightening struck around 50 ft from us, and we ran back to the car.After running the 2.5 miles, the storm had passed over us with no impact on the road, so as night fell we decided to go on over the gravel road to Wallace. The way to get to Wallace involved going through Moon Pass, a 4-way dirt intersection. Now, based on the map we could either go straight or right to get to Wallace, with both roads marked as passable for all vehicles and no clear label for 'Moon Pass'. We went straight, as it was less windy. DO NOT DO THIS. It is an old dirt forest service road. It would've been nearly impossible in a high-clearance car; we barely made it after 1.5 hours. ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK/WALK AHEAD IN THE DARK!

@KristineA610AF · Camped on Sep 13, 2023 at Campsite #1

Nice hike to the Lookout.

@JanaeM81C684A2 · Camped on Aug 24, 2023 at Campsite #1

Arid was a treat! The hike in, like others is pretty steep for the first half. After that, youre cruising. As old and rickety as it appeared on the outside, this LO is as solid as can be on the inside. There was a nice Coleman there and a few cans of propane left by other folks. Unfortunately, the tree growth surrounding this LO blocks a lot of the sunset, and that was a little bit of a bummer. The sunrise, however was gorgeous. It was so peaceful and with no cell reception, it really is a wonderful thing to sit and relax, ponder. Meditate. Breathe. Listen. All of it. No distractions. We overall enjoyed our stay. Thank you FS for allowing us to enjoy the experience of staying here!

@MaritaM00B1ABA · Camped on Jul 4, 2023 at Campsite #1

The lookout isn't in very good shape, but we still had a great time, as always, when staying in one. We added 1800' and 2 1/2 miles to our trip, making it a 5-mile / 2500' elevation gain hike, because Google Maps took us to the wrong TH. Made for a really good workout, just unexpected. LOL We checked out directions on this page, too, but they just give them from Avery, which would have added quite a few miles to the trip. I hope that this can be corrected in the directions. Also, one of the doors to the catwalk does not latch, which makes it a little tricky to get your stuff up there. I slept on the catwalk and had a couple of pack rats visit, which made for an interesting night. All in all, it was a great adventure! :-)

@MeganP7130573 · Camped on Sep 9, 2022 at Campsite #1

Brought a large group of friends and family up to Arid Peak and it did not disappoint! There were several flat spots near the fire pit to set up tents since the lookout realistically only sleeps 2-3 comfortably. Lots of little extras were available from past hikers such as propane and a hand saw. The smaller water jugs may need replacement so we hauled the 6 gallon monster up from the spring which was no easy feat but we did feel very accomplished afterwards! We used the longer hike from Slate Creek Divide as our access but was just as beautiful and scenic as the other hike is described. Smoke impacted our views but we had an epic full blood moon as our reward for smoky skies! A great weekend with great company in a beautiful north Idaho location away from the hustle and bustle of fishing and hunting season along the St Joe River- we had a great time and can’t wait to come back! Be aware that water is not easy to come by out here and the stairs to the lookout are steep! Come prepared and you will have an excellent time.

@BillyC1653791 · Camped on Jul 22, 2022 at Campsite #1

We are lookout nerds trying to document the current history of Idaho's lookouts. This means we stay at lookouts regularly, and Arid Peak did not disappoint! Access: The FS instructions are accurate and easy to follow. The road to the trailhead is all good forest service roads. Once you hit the trail, the first 1.5 miles are the hardest, with the most elevation gain. Once that is behind you, the next half of the trek is very easy. Accommodations: There is more outside at this lookout than most. A nice large firepit area, some room to roam, well-marked paths, and an outhouse. A spring is nearby, but it is a steep 1/2-mile trail. For our two-night visit I think it was easiest to just hike in the water we required. The stairs to the lookout are a little steeper than some others I have been to, and it's hard to fit through the trap door with your backpack on if you are a big guy like me. The catwalk felt slightly narrower than some, but it is fully enclosed with chicken wire, so you don't have to worry as much about a small child or dog slipping between the railing. Inside we found a food storage box, a desk, a bookshelf, two beds, a table, a wood stove, a stand for the alidade, and some chairs. There were two cooking stoves and lots of propane left by other guests. Though it's common for lookout visitors to leave items behind for future visitors, you can never fully count on items like plasticware, toilet paper, propane, etc., to be there. Always best to hike it yourself if you know you require it. Arid has thicker mattresses than most lookouts, though I still preferred to sleep on my blow-up backpacking air mattress for extra support. As always, I recommend taking some time to look through the log books and journal entries. 5 Stars and a big thanks to the FS and everyone that keeps the trails and the tower maintained.

@ElizabethB5852 · Camped on Jul 18, 2022 at Campsite #1

Stunning views at the Arid Peak Lookout - my family had a wonderful time! There were several items provided in the Lookout, not all of which were mentioned in my confirmation email, such as a fold out cot that slept one person. Some items were things are left by other hikers, such as paper bowls, propane canisters, dish soap, bug spray, etc. It is definitely a very steep climb back from the spring where we collected water - plan to only do it once! Such a fun and unique experience for us.

@JulieV1468906 · Camped on Sep 23, 2020 at Campsite #1

Wonderful lookout & the hike in was beautiful! Lookout was clean & comfortable

@JulieV383 · Camped on Sep 23, 2020 at Campsite #1

Wonderful lookout & the hike in was beautiful! Lookout was clean & comfortable

@JenniferC442 · Camped on Aug 26, 2020 at Campsite #1

This was a great first trip for myself and my son to a fire lookout! Hike in was great and per other trail users, is mostly uphill the first 1.5 miles. The beginning of the hike is through luscious huckleberry bushes so we made a lot of noise and didn't see any bears although I'm sure they're around the area. Bugs were at a minimum which was great. Air quality was great; no disturbances from forest fires. Temperature was very warm but cooled down nice at night. We saw a mom and her one young deer at dusk at the lookout. We heard them first, saw their eyes in our headlamp reflection, and watched them walk through camp. They didn't appear to be skittish. We also had a small bird of prey (kestrel maybe?) almost land next to us on the railing of the lookout in the morning. Had a small garter snake cross the trail in front of us, saw multiple little chipmunks and squirrels, and 1 beautiful little red bird I've not identified but it may be a crossbill. We attempted to hike to the water source/spring once we got to the lookout and unpacked. However we hiked about 0.54 miles (was supposed to be about 0.5 miles down) and the trail was growing less traversed/more wild and once we came to an old tree downed in the trail we decided to head back to the lookout since it was getting dark and we had only hiked down with the jugs and water purifier. Would like to know if the spring/water source is still there?!? Overall a great experience. Hike is not too strenuous and easily done at a slower pace for non-conditioned hikers (like me!). Would probably not take little kids to the lookout as it could be a safety hazard once up in the lookout; railings are good but it would make me nervous to have little kids around it.

@JenniferC92685 · Camped on Aug 26, 2020 at Campsite #1

@matttm9608245 · Camped on Aug 18, 2020 at Campsite #1

This was one of the most romantic trips I've taken with my wife. We didn't mind getting a little sweaty hiking up the trail to the lookout. Especially looking on back the experience. Most of the elevation gain is in the first mile along a hillside of huckleberries. We did see 2 black bears, 1 along the trail and one who was checking us out at the lookout. The views were great. The best views were at night laying down, turning your head and seeing stars or lightning in all directions. The lookout was very clean and had all the basics. We loved experiencing a bit of western history. The solitude and peace really made it magical. Thank you USFS and volunteers who keep this place up. P.S. The spring water is very very cold and refreshing. Bring a water container and life straw for the way up

@matttm920 · Camped on Aug 18, 2020 at Campsite #1

@AndyR248 · Camped on Aug 3, 2020 at Campsite #1

Love this place.

@AndyR9212797 · Camped on Aug 3, 2020 at Campsite #1

Love this place.

@ChristopherB30 · Camped on Jul 19, 2020 at Campsite #1

Great hike to tower. Water is a challenge but all around a great trip.

@ChristopherB59 · Camped on Jul 19, 2020 at Campsite #1

Great hike to tower. Water is a challenge but all around a great trip.

@JonJ619 · Camped on Jul 18, 2020 at Campsite #1

Beautiful weather and beautiful views!!

@JonJ5938994 · Camped on Jul 18, 2020 at Campsite #1

Beautiful weather and beautiful views!!

@SandraL2332707 · Camped on Jul 12, 2020 at Campsite #1

Nice scenery and wild flowers. Someone built a very neat stone fire pit and pathways. Lookout is in a isolated area so be sure to have supplies/gas before arriving in Avery.

@SandraL835 · Camped on Jul 12, 2020 at Campsite #1

Nice scenery and wild flowers. Someone built a very neat stone fire pit and pathways. Lookout is in a isolated area so be sure to have supplies/gas before arriving in Avery.

@RenaeW652 · Camped on Sep 8, 2019 at Campsite #1

My sister and I stayed at Arid Peak lookout in September. The hike in was beautiful and the lookout was awesome!! We are already planning a return trip in the near future! I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys an outdoor adventure for a vacation! Be sure to bike the Hiawatha during your stay which is just a short distance away!

@ChrisA356 · Camped on Aug 17, 2019 at Campsite #1

I do a lot of camping and outdoor activities, this camping trip was one of the most memorable trips and most enjoyable trips that I've ever experienced I would highly recommend it to anyone.

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