The Alice Toxaway Loop in Idaho is a minefield of the most amazing teal-blue alpine lakes we’ve ever seen! Framed by the jagged snowy peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains, Twin Lakes, Alice Lake, Toxaway Lake and a multitude of other smaller lakes along the trail make for the perfect place to setup camp.
Waking up next to one of these beautiful alpine lakes is a serene and unforgettable experience. In the early mornings, the mountains cast a crystal clear reflection over the perfectly still water – a stunning sight!
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to plan your Alice Toxaway Loop backpacking trip, including the best campsites, itinerary options, and what to expect along the trail.
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Alice Toxaway Loop
Alice Toxaway Loop | At a Glance
- Hiking distance | 19 miles (option to add 4 additional miles)
- Elevation gain | 3200 feet
- Difficulty | Hard
- Why you’ll love it | Perfect one or two night backpacking loop in the Sawtooth Mountains, including several stunning alpine lakes.
- Trailhead | Tin Cup Trailhead, accessed via a dirt road but generally passable with any vehicle. Parking is limited.
- Permits Required? | Yes, Wilderness Permits are free and available near the trailhead
- Designated campsites? | No
- Trip length | 1-2 nights/2-3 days
- When to go | Summer through early fall (typically late June through September, depending on winter snowfall and recent conditions).
- Dogs allowed? | Yes, must be kept on a leash during the peak summer months (July 1 through Labor Day).
- Fires permitted? | No
- Food storage | Blacks bears in the area, food storage required (bear can or bear bag)
Alice Toxaway Loop Map
The entire Alice Toxaway Loop is about 19 miles in total, covering about 3200 feet of elevation gain. For an extra 4 miles and 800 feet of elevation, you can take a detour off the main loop trail to Edith Lake.
The Alice Toxaway Loop can be completed as a one or two-night backpacking trip, depending on your pace and how much time you have each day. You can camp at Twin Lakes, Toxaway Lake or Alice Lake.
Alice Toxaway Loop | Trail Guide
Remember to Leave No Trace. Pack out what you pack in, stay on trail, be well-prepared, leave nothing behind, take only photos and memories with you, treat the area with respect and help preserve this beautiful spot for generations to come.
Tin Cup Trailhead
The hike begins from the Tin Cup Trailhead in Sawtooth National Forest, located just past the Petit Lake campground. The trailhead is about 30 minutes from Stanley, Idaho and an hour from Ketchum and Sun Valley.
This trailhead is shared with several popular hiking and backpacking routes. Parking is limited and fills up quickly. Make sure you get an early start to ensure that you are able to secure a parking spot.
Petit Lake
The hike begins along the shore of the beautiful Petit Lake, starting off at water level and gradually gaining elevation for views looking down over the lake. In the morning, still air leaves the water perfectly calm and, if you’re are lucky, you will be able to see a mirror image of the mountains reflected on the pristine water. Even more reason to get an early start!
Just a few minutes into the hike, you’ll reach an intersection and the trail diverges to the left and right. If you plan to hike the loop counterclockwise, take a right here.
Starting the hike
Once you pass Petit Lake, the trail descends briefly and then begins a moderate and gradual incline. After a few miles in the forest, the trail opens up to a beautiful meadow with views of the Sawtooths. During the early summer months, the wild flower blooms here are incredible!
Farley Lake
At 5 miles into the hike (if going counterclockwise), you’ll catch your first glimpse of Farley Lake. The jagged Sawtooth peaks reflecting over the quiet lake make it a lovely spot to take a rest. There are also a few spots to camp here, though Farley Lake is certainly smaller than Twin Lakes, Alice Lake and Toxaway Lake.
Toxaway Lake
Continue for another 4 miles until you reach Toxaway Lake. Besides Petit Lake, Toxaway is the largest lake you’ll encounter along the loop trail. In our opinion, it’s also less scenic when compared to Twin Lakes and Alice Lake, but nonetheless beautiful.
While the main trail does not go directly down to the water, there are several spur trails that will get you there. There is a massive boulder along the shore of the lake, where we stopped to have lunch.
The stretch between Toxaway Lake and Twin Lakes is the toughest section of the hike. By this point, you’ve been hiking for 9 miles, you’re starting to get tired and you still have a steep climb ahead of you. The trail begins to gain elevation at a quicker rate and switchbacks up the pass.
However, the views looking back down over the small lake below are beautiful, and worth all the pain!
Pass overlooking Twin Lakes
Around 2 miles past Toxaway Lake, after a long and tiring climb, you will finally reach the top of the pass and come upon the most stunning view looking down over Twin Lakes. This was easily our favorite view of the entire Alice Toxaway Loop!
It’s all downhill from here to the shores of Twin Lakes! There are many great camp spots here, primarily on the eastern side of the lake (the forested side, looking at the photo below). Just be sure to setup camp at least 100 feet from the water.
Twin Lakes
As the name implies, there are two side-by-side lakes separated by just a narrow peninsula. We setup camp here and spent a wonderful afternoon swimming, exploring and hanging out by the lakes. We awoke to the most serene sunrise illuminating the snowy mountains that reflected perfectly onto the calm waters of Twin Lakes.
Twin Lakes was our favorite lake on the loop, and we highly recommend camping here for the night if your itinerary allows for it!
Alice Lake
The next morning, or after you’ve gotten your fill of Twin Lakes, continue for less than a mile until you reach the last (but certainly not least) lake on the loop, Alice Lake!
The lake is huge, with a few small islands dotting it’s waters. While Alice Lake is a popular destination as a day hike, there is plenty of room to spread out along its shores. You can even hike all the way around the perimeter of Alice Lake to find the perfect slice of solitude to relax and enjoy the breathtaking views.
The beauty of Alice Lake’s crystal clear waters is rivaled only by the impressive jagged peak behind it, known as El Capitan of Idaho. El Capitan rises to an altitude of 9,900 feet, and its steep face is a popular destination for climbers.
Return to the trailhead
Once you’ve spent sufficient time enjoying the beauty of Alice Lake, continue past the lake to get back to the Tin Cup Trailhead. From Alice Lake, the hike back to the trailhead is about 6 miles, entirely downhill. However, there are several more stream crossings, which can add some additional time to the return hike.
Alice Toxaway Loop | FAQs
What direction should I hike?
You may notice that in all of the itinerary options we’ve laid out, we recommend hiking counterclockwise. We recommend hiking counterclockwise for a few reasons:
- You’ll catch your first glimpse of Twin Lakes from the pass that overlooks it. Obviously, you get the same view going the other direction, but there is something amazing about this view suddenly appearing after a long, grueling climb up the pass.
- You save the best for last. In our opinion, Alice Lake and Twin Lakes were by far the most beautiful of the hike, so hiking counterclockwise allows you to save these for last.
You can always reverse the direction depending on how much time you have on your first and last days.
How deep are the water crossings?
Along the Alice Toxaway Loop, you will need to cross several streams. The depth of the water will vary by time of year and recent precipitation, but expect to wade through calf to ankle deep water.
At some of the stream crossings, there are strategically placed logs that allow you to cross without getting your feet wet. However, at times you’ll likely need to get your feet wet to cross safely.
We opted to swap out our boots for Chacos whenever the crossing required submerging our feet to keep our boots and socks dry for the rest of the hike, which certainly added extra time. If it’s a warm day and soggy socks don’t bother you, you can save some time by leaving your shoes on.
Where can I camp along the trail?
There are no designated camp spots on the Alice Toxaway Loop.
That being said, you should look for a previously used flat piece of ground at least 100 feet from any trails or water sources to pitch your tent and avoid disturbing the plant life. Although this is a popular backpacking loop, there are many amazing spots to camp, some of them near the shores of the beautiful alpine lakes!
You can camp by any of the lakes on this loop: Twin Lakes, Alice Lake, Toxaway Loop or Farley Lake.
Where can I stay near the trailhead?
The charming little mountain town of Stanley, Idaho makes for a great place to stay when visiting Sawtooth National Forest. Here you’ll find a few hotel and cabin options, quaint restaurants and coffee shops and convenience stores to fuel up on essentials.
Stanley is located just minutes from several trailheads, and about 30 mins from the Tin Cup Trailhead for the Alice Toxaway Loop.
Where can I camp near the trailhead?
The Tin Cup Trailhead is located just past the Petit Lake campground, making it a very convenient spot to pitch your tent before embarking on your backpacking trip the next morning. The campground offers 9 single and 3 double sites, which are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Due to the limited number of spots, the campground typically fills up early in the day, particularly on weekends.
If you aren’t lucky enough to snag a site at Petit Lake campground, dispersed camping is available on several side roads off Forest Road 250 (the road leading from I75 to Tin Cup trailhead). Please note that fires are not permitted in dispersed camping zones.
What do I do with waste?
Help keep this beautiful area clean for everyone! Bathe and wash dishes and laundry at least 150 feet from streams and lakes.
Pack a shovel and bury human waste at least 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet from any water sources. In popular areas like the Alice Toxaway loop, it’s recommended that you carry a WAG bag and pack out your waste instead of burying it.
Pack out all toilet paper and other trash. Contrary to popular belief, toliet paper does NOT decompose quickly! It can between 1 to 3 years to decompose completely. Leaving your toliet paper behind damages this fragile ecosystem, poses a danger to the animals who live here, and impairs the experience for other hikers.
During the winter through early summer, the ground is often frozen making it impossible to dig a hole, so you must carry a WAG bag and pack out human waste.
Be confident you have everything you need with our Sawtooth backpacking checklist!
Our interactive excel checklist is complete with all the essentials you need for backpacking in the Sawtooths and customizable based on your trip length.
Other Idaho Resources
Planning a trip to Idaho? If you enjoyed this article, we think you may also be interested in these:
The Alice Toxaway Loop is easily one our all time favorite backpacking trips. We hope you love the alpine lakes and jagged peaks of the Sawtooth mountains as much as we do! Let us know if you have any questions about planning your trip in the comments below.
2 Comments
Rozalynne · September 6, 2023 at 12:45 am
Beautiful job on this site.
Great explanations, advice and pictures.
Thank you.
Two Outliers · September 24, 2023 at 10:19 am
thanks so much! Happy we could help 🙂