Clifty Mountain - Hike Description

July 14th, 2006

Elevation: 6,705 ft
Distance: 3.4 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Hiking time: 2 hours (We hiked it in 2h 30m in mid-July with our five year-old)

Clifty Mountain is the most prominent peak above Bonners Ferry, Idaho and the most accessible high-mountain view in the Kootenai Valley. The hike can easily be done with children in tow—we took our five year-old (who walked the entire way) and our two year-old (who spent most of the time in the backpack). Views are outstanding in all directions: up into Canada and Kootenai Lake, south to Sandpoint (where the western edge of Lake Pend Oreille is easily seen, thirty miles away), west into the Selkirks and east to the Cabinets.

In ascending Clifty you trade a short, easy trail for a long drive. Take Highway 95 south from Bonners Ferry eight miles (or north from Sandpoint 22 miles) and turn east on Twenty Mile Road (County Road 408). The drive up this rocky, twisting route is enough to give anyone a good case of car sickness. You’ll follow the signs to Black Mountain up Road 274, where the trailhead is easily seen on a turnoff around mile 4. There is room for several vehicles.

The trail heads off at a level and makes its way gradually to the peak, which is clearly visible at several points along the way. None of the hills is particularly demanding. The path is well-used and wide, with the only obstacles being large tree roots and rocks (which our son was particularly prone to discovering and tripping on). The summit sports a steep drop-off on the north face which gives a beautiful perspective looking down on the forest below. Easily seen landmarks include Bonners Ferry, the Moyie River and bridge, Lake Pend Oreille, and more mountains than you can count.