Aldous Lake

Directions

From Rexburg, travel north on 2nd East towards St. Anthony. Pass the railroad tracks and stay left at the fork, where 2nd East becomes North Salem Road. Continue long beyond the sand dunes. Just beyond the dunes the road becomes Red Road. Stay on it until you reach a three-way, triangle intersection. Bend right. Shortly after the bend, Red Road becomes A-2 Clark County Road. Continue on this road several miles until it bends 90 degrees to the right and becomes both Idmond Road and A-2 Clark County Road. Just past this point, Idmond Road breaks left and heads north into Kilgore. Remain on Idmond Road and head north (left).

Once you pass through the tiny town of Kilgore (just one small convenience store), the road arrives at a "T" with Antelope Valley Road. You will see a sign directly in front of you with arrows pointing drivers in various directions. You will want to follow the Ching Creek arrow to the Left.

Note: Google Maps, by default, takes you to the right at the "T" on another route. However, Google is not aware that a large section of that route is private property where trespassing is prohibited. Stay left.

About a quarter mile after you turn left, there will be a right turn onto East Camas Road. Follow East Camas Road until it becomes Cottonwood Creek Road. At this point, you can follow the signs pointing to the Aldous Lake Trailhead where the road ends. There are a few campsites at the trailhead, but only one of the sites has room for a vehicle to park. Three others dot the first few hundred yards of the trail where motorized vehicles are prohibited. If you plan to car camp, be aware of the distance to the sites. With that in mind, you may wish to pack more appropriately.

For directions with map, click here.
Note: This is a link to Google Maps. It is the corrected version in order to avoid trespassing through private property.
For terrain map, click here.


Aldous Lake Trail

The trail is a fairly easy one. Part of the trail doubles up with the Continental Divide trail. There will be a fork after the first hundred yards where there are signs to point you to Aldous Lake or the rest of the Continental Divide trail. If you are hiking in early summer or late spring, there are often many colorful wildflowers in a small meadow to the left.

The trail begins to curve northward, following a small stream which progressively gets larger. The trees open up in various places, allowing hikers to catch a glimpse of the small flowing river. The river itself doesn't cross the trail, but there are several small springs that mud up the path. Fortunately, it is well preserved by the forest service and there are bridges that carry hikers over the muddy runoff.

As you approach the lake, the trail gets slightly steeper. There are many downed trees and large rocks that allow for great resting stops if needed. This particular trail is a family friendly path with small children, dogs and even active seniors. However, due to the easy nature of the hike, avid hikers may not need to stop.

Hiking along, the lake sneaks up suddenly. The trees open quickly and over the span of 10 yards or so, the trail drops quickly to the lake's side. You've arrived! There is a trail that surrounds the entire lake, allowing families or other groups to enjoy their own plot of lakeside view. At the lake fisherman, hikers, campers (there are a few sites), boy scouts, families, pets and wildlife can be found. There are beautifully colored birds, giant frogs, and if the season is right, lush, green grass spotted with wildflowers! Aldous Lake offers amazing scenery and the quiet tranquility of an alpine lake, despite the number of visitors.

For those who seek a little more adventure, you can continue up the trail even further to Hancock Lake. For information regarding Hancock Lake, visit the Dubois Ranger District website under the Caribou-Targhee National Forest homepage, or click here.


Photos
(click any photo for larger image)
At Top: Aldous Lake on a sunny day
Top Right: Colorful wildflowers decorate the trail
Above: The growing stream that intermittently accompanies the trail
Right: A large frog. Aldous Lake is home to various types of wildlife.