Skip to content
Boats in Redfish Lake📷 Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick

Redfish Lake

Stanley, ID

Nature

A deep alpine lake at the foot of the jagged Sawtooth Mountains, with beaches and a lodge.

Redfish Lake lies about 8 km (5 miles) south of Stanley at an elevation of roughly 1,995 m (6,547 feet) and is the largest lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. This glacial lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Range is just under 7.2 km (4.5 miles) long, up to 1.2 km (0.7 mile) wide and 118 m (387 feet) deep at its deepest. It takes its name from the sockeye salmon that once returned here to spawn in such numbers that the lake shimmered red. Today they are protected and must be released immediately if caught.

A paved spur road from Highway 75 leads to the north shore. There you will find swimming beaches, a boat ramp, picnic areas, campgrounds and Redfish Lake Lodge, which has a restaurant and boat rentals; in summer a shuttle boat crosses the lake from there. The trail around the lake is about 28 km (17.5 miles) long. Swim only if you like the cold: even in high summer the water reaches only about 17°C (62°F). In winter the lake freezes over with ice 75 to 90 cm (30 to 36 inches) thick.

Nearest town
Stanley, ID
Category
Nature & parks
GPS
44.1480, -114.9160
Editor's pick
★

Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.

Good to know

Best time to go

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July. Cold, short days in December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

Sources

Featured in these trip guides

Idaho’s Sawtooth Scenic Byway – a body of water surrounded by mountains and treesPhoto by Laura Seaman on Unsplash
75
Scenic byways

Idaho’s Sawtooth Scenic Byway

233 mi6 stops3 days

Nearby

Stanley and the Sawtooth Mountains – IDAHO-J-0085 Sheep - Stanley Basin© WaterArchives.org from Sacramento, California, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Views

Stanley and the Sawtooth Mountains

Stanley, ID
Old Idaho Penitentiary – Old State Penitentiary in Boise Gatling© Christopher from Salem, OR, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Old Idaho Penitentiary

Boise, ID
Payette Lake – McCall District Administrative Site 91001892 Valley County, ID© Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nature

Payette Lake

McCall, ID
Craters of the Moon – Lava trees can be viewed along the Wilderness Trail and are created when living trees are enveloped by lava flows. The water (0661084b-5060-4427-8084-426299aee1f8)© NPS Photo · Public domain
Nature

Craters of the Moon

Arco, ID

Campsites nearby

  • Glacier View CampgroundCampsite
    0 mi from Redfish Lake
    TentsCaravansMotorhomesDrinking waterToiletsDogs allowed
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip
  • Sunny Gulch CampgroundCampsite
    2 mi from Redfish Lake · 45 pitches
    TentsCaravansMotorhomesDrinking waterToiletsDogs allowed
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip
  • Stanley RV + CampMotorhome stopover
    8 mi from Redfish Lake · 35 pitches
    CaravansMotorhomesElectricityShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip
  • Sheep Trail CampgroundCampsite
    13 mi from Redfish Lake · 4 pitches
    TentsCaravansMotorhomesDrinking waterToiletsDogs allowed
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip
  • Trap Creek CampgroundCampsite
    15 mi from Redfish Lake · 3 pitches
    TentsCaravansMotorhomesDrinking waterToiletsDogs allowed
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip
  • The Sawmill StationMotorhome stopover
    23 mi from Redfish Lake
    CaravansMotorhomesElectricityShowersDogs allowedWi-Fi
    WebsiteOSMAdd to trip

All campsites in Idaho · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026

FAQs

Where is Redfish Lake?

Redfish Lake is in Stanley, ID, at GPS 44.1480, -114.9160. It is about 11 mi from Redfish Lake.

Can you camp near Redfish Lake?

Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Glacier View Campground, about 0 mi away; within 25 mi there are 50 campsites and motorhome stopovers.

Which road trips pass Redfish Lake?

Redfish Lake is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Idaho’s Sawtooth Scenic Byway.

What is there to see near Redfish Lake?

Places worth a stop nearby: Stanley and the Sawtooth Mountains (5 mi), Old Idaho Penitentiary (73 mi), Payette Lake (79 mi) and Craters of the Moon (86 mi).

When is the best time to visit Redfish Lake?

The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)