Pettit Lake is a gorgeous lake in Blaine County, Idaho. It's surrounded by beautiful mountains and offers opportunities to swim, fish, kayak, and more.
This Pacific Northwest lake is very close to both Stanley and Ketchum but still within Sawtooth Wilderness. It's 2 miles off of Hwy 75 on Forest Service Road 208. It's a wonderful option for anyone hoping to enjoy both water and mountain-based activities.
The lake is at a very high elevation, over 7,000 feet, so be prepared to face some very cold temperatures in the early spring and even in the early fall.
Need to Know
Pettit Lake is incredibly quiet. It's a beautiful destination during the spring, summer, fall, and even winter if you're willing to face the cold.
At the lake, you'll find:
Toilets and hand sanitizer
Boating
Swimming
No equipment rental
What to Do Near Pettit Lake
If you're visiting Pettit Lake, here are a few things you might enjoy:
Swimming and Boating
These are the two major activities that you might enjoy while at Pettit Lake. But, there are few resources there and no place to tie up your boat. So make sure you keep this in mind!
It's highly recommended to bring canoes and kayaks that you can just pull ashore and don't need to tie up. Lifevests are also recommended, as there are parts of the lake that are over 500 feet deep.
There are trails that go around the lake, all the way to Alice Lake, in fact, that you might spend time exploring. If you don't want to go all the way to Alice Lake or North and South Twin Lakes, you can hike to the end of Pettit Lake along the Pettit Creek Trail.
Visit Alice Lake
The nearby Alice Lake is another option if you've run out of things to enjoy at Pettit Lake. It's even accessible via hiking from the Tin Cup Trailhead. This is a lovely trail that's a really lovely addition to anyone's trip. If you go further, you can even make it to North Twin Lake.
If you want to spend the night at Pettit Lake, there is a nearby campground of the same name that you can use. Pettit Lake Campground is open during the peak season, usually closing around September 21st. It's a first-come-first-serve campground near the lake that offers:
Drinking water
Vault toilets
It costs $18 a night to stay at the campground, and the closest town is Stanley.
You'll find the campground along the same road you drive to get to the lake and trailhead.
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