Sawtooth National Recreation Area - Bench Lake - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Sawtooth National Recreation Area - Bench Lake
Country:	United States
State:	Idaho
Nearby Town:	Stanley
Rating:
Directions:	The Sawtooth National Recreation Area Redfish visitor's center is eight miles north of Ketchum or five miles soutn of Stanley on the shoreline of Redfish Lake.
Total Hike Distance:	8.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Moderate to Difficult
Permit Required:	Yes
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Redfish Visitor's Center
Trails Used:	Redfish Lake, Bench Lake Trails
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Lakes
Management:	U.S. Forest Service
Contact Information:	Sawtooth National Recreation Area Star Route Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208-7267672 Redfish Lake Visitor Center Mailing Address HC 64, Box 9900 Stanley, ID 83278 Phone (208) 774-3376 Fax (208) 774-3326
Best Season:	Summer
Users:	Hikers, Dogs, Horses
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has approximately 750 miles of trails, 40 peaks rising over 10,000 feet and 300+ high mountain lakes that make for spectacular scenery and vistas. The Sawtooth NRA is managed by the US Forest Service and consists of 750,000 acres of scenic mountain country. This hike near Stanley, Idaho is to the Bench Lakes, a series of four lakes just west of Redfish Lake. A short side trail from the Redfish Lake Trail takes you to the Bench Lakes which are 3.1 miles from the visitor's center. You'll climb to a maximum of 6840 feet during this hike and have a chance to explore a number of high alpine lakes.