There are few things better than basking in the sun at the base of the Sawtooths with your feet in the clear, cool water of a lake. The Sawtooth Basin is dotted with mountain lakes. Like with many of the features in the Sawtooth Valley, most of these lakes were formed by glaciation. The glaciers of a different time left enough cracks, hollows, and depressions to create over 300 beautiful mountain lakes in the Sawtooth Basin. There are big, deep lakes accessible from the car, small shallow lakes a two-days hike away, and everything in between.
Visitors can pack a picnic and find solitude on the shores of Alturus or Petit Lake or have a shore side grilled burger and ice cream cone from the gazebo at Redfish Lake. They can take their little ones on a short hike to Bench Lakes or strap on their thick hiking boots and hoof it to Alice Lake.
Whatever the intention, there is a lake for everyone. So don’t forget that swimsuit!