Redfish Lake

Redfish Lake is the crown jewel of Idaho’s Sawtooth country — a sparkling alpine lake cradled at the foot of the jagged Sawtooth Mountains near the town of Stanley, its clear blue water reflecting the granite peaks that rise sharply above the far shore. The largest of the Sawtooth Valley’s alpine lakes, it is a beloved hub for recreation and one of the most beautiful lake scenes in the West.

The lake takes its name from the sockeye salmon that once returned in such numbers they turned the water red — fish that travel some 900 miles from the Pacific and climb over 6,500 feet to spawn here, one of the longest and highest salmon migrations on Earth, now the focus of a major recovery effort. With a historic lodge, beaches, boating, trails into the wilderness and stunning views, Redfish Lake is a treasured natural icon of Idaho.

Summer (July through early September) is the prime season, when the water warms enough for swimming and paddling, the lodge and campgrounds are open, the boat shuttle runs to the wilderness trailheads, and the weather is best — it is also the busiest, so sites fill early. Late spring and early fall are quieter and beautiful, with golden aspen in autumn, though the water is cold. Summer for swimming, boating and wilderness access is the highlight — reserve campsites and lodging early, and come midweek for quieter beaches.

The lake and surrounding forest host mule deer, elk, black bears, and a rich birdlife including ospreys and bald eagles fishing the water, waterfowl and forest songbirds, while the lake and its inlet streams are the destination of the famous sockeye salmon and also hold trout and kokanee. The mix of clear lake, inlet streams and surrounding Sawtooth forest supports varied wildlife. Redfish Lake offers fine wildlife watching, from ospreys overhead to the returning salmon — a living link to the wild Pacific far away.

Redfish Lake’s water is cold even in summer — take care swimming, watch children, and wear life jackets when boating, as cold-water immersion and sudden mountain winds raising waves are real hazards on the open lake. The high elevation brings strong sun and cool nights; bring layers and sun protection. The surrounding forest is bear country, so store food properly. Afternoon thunderstorms are common. Respect the cold water, the changeable mountain weather, the elevation and the bears of the surrounding forest.

Redfish Lake is a recreation hub — swimming and lounging on its beaches, boating, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding on the clear water, fishing, and catching the boat shuttle across the lake to reach trailheads into the Sawtooth Wilderness for hiking and backpacking to high alpine lakes. The historic Redfish Lake Lodge, campgrounds and a visitor center sit at the lake. Swimming and paddling with the peaks reflected in the water, and using the lake as a gateway to the wilderness, are the signature draws of this stunning alpine lake.

The Sawtooth Valley and Redfish Lake were home to the Shoshone and Bannock peoples, who depended on the great salmon runs. The lake was named for the sockeye that once returned by the thousands, turning the water red as they spawned. Dams and other changes on the Snake and Columbia rivers later devastated the runs, and the Redfish sockeye nearly vanished — a famous recovery program (begun when a single male, ‘Lonesome Larry,’ returned in 1992) now works to save them. Redfish Lake preserves this beauty and the epic salmon story, a treasured icon of Idaho.

Redfish Lake was carved by an Ice Age glacier that flowed down from the Sawtooth Mountains, gouging the deep lake basin and leaving a moraine — a ridge of rocky debris — that dams the lake at its lower end, with the jagged granite peaks of the Sawtooth batholith rising directly above the far shore. The clear, cold water fills the glacier-carved trough. The granite peaks, the glacial carving and the morainal dam created this beautiful alpine lake at the foot of the Sawtooths.

Redfish Lake is a cold, clear alpine lake at the foot of the Sawtooths, fed by mountain streams and ringed by subalpine forest, and is the crucial spawning destination of the endangered Snake River sockeye salmon — whose epic migration and recovery make the lake a focus of conservation. The clear water, the inlet streams and the surrounding forest form a sensitive mountain ecosystem. Protecting the lake’s clear water, its inlet streams and the salmon runs sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this treasured alpine lake.

Redfish Lake holds a treasured place among the icons of Idaho — the sparkling jewel of the Sawtooths, its clear water mirroring the jagged peaks, beloved for its beaches, its historic lodge and its role as the gateway to the wilderness. Named for the sockeye salmon whose epic 900-mile journey and dramatic near-extinction and recovery have become a symbol of wild salmon in the West, the lake embodies both natural beauty and a conservation saga. Redfish Lake is a cherished natural icon of Idaho.

Redfish Lake is in central Idaho, in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area just south of the town of Stanley, off State Route 75. A recreation fee/pass applies. The lake has the historic Redfish Lake Lodge, multiple campgrounds, beaches, a boat ramp, a visitor center and the boat shuttle to wilderness trailheads. Campgrounds and lodging fill early in summer — reserve ahead. The high elevation means cool nights even in summer. Check the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Redfish Lake Lodge for fees, reservations, the shuttle and conditions before visiting.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area protects Redfish Lake, its waters and the salmon. Visitors help by protecting the lake’s clear water (cleaning watercraft to prevent invasive species, avoiding pollution), respecting the salmon and their spawning streams, camping only in designated sites, storing food from bears, packing out everything, and following all rules. The endangered sockeye and the clear alpine water are sensitive. Protecting the lake, its inlet streams and the salmon runs sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this treasured lake and its epic salmon story.

A recreation fee/pass applies. Clean, drain and dry watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species. Camp only in designated campgrounds (reservations recommended) and store food in bear-proof storage. Do not disturb spawning salmon or their streams. Pets must be leashed. Drones are restricted. Fishing requires an Idaho license and follows special rules (sockeye are protected). Pack out all trash; follow fire restrictions. Check the Sawtooth National Recreation Area for fees, reservations, boating and fishing rules and current conditions before visiting.

The town of Stanley (a tiny, scenic gateway), the Sawtooth Mountains and Wilderness rising above the lake, the headwaters of the Salmon River with its rafting, the resort towns of Sun Valley and Ketchum to the south, and the other alpine lakes of the Sawtooth Valley lie near Redfish Lake. The Sawtooth Valley and the Salmon River define the region. Redfish Lake is the sparkling heart of the Sawtooth country, a centerpiece of an Idaho mountain adventure, easily combined with the Sawtooth Wilderness, Stanley and Salmon River rafting.

Come in summer for swimming and paddling with the Sawtooth peaks reflected in the clear water — and reserve a campsite or lodge room early, as Redfish fills fast. Take the boat shuttle across the lake to reach wilderness trailheads for a day hike or backpack into the high country. Bring layers for cool nights and sun protection for the high elevation, clean your boat to protect the lake, store food from bears, and learn the epic story of the Redfish sockeye while you’re there.