Secluded Lake North Of Twin Falls ID Is A Hiker's Heaven

One of the gripes I hear from Idahoans often is that all the state's natural hidden treasures are being overrun by people moving from other states. One lake north of Twin Falls is described by some in the state as "Idaho's best-kept secret."

I've lived in Idaho long enough to witness the state's rapid expansion over the past several years. There are a lot of people still moving to the state, and it becomes particularly noticeable when you're out spending time at a favorite weekend getaway. One of our favorite places to float and camp near Stanley has been gradually getting more and more crowded since we first discovered the site more than 10 years ago.

It used to be that we might see 20 to 30 people float past us at our favorite river spot northeast of Stanley. The last time we went was in the summer of 2021, and that number swelled to around 150. We had people on foot walking into our campsite to ask for directions all afternoon. We decided that we were going to scout out a new place to camp and float after the experience.

If you're looking for a great hike that offers stunning visuals and a dose of quiet seclusion, that location just might be Goat Lake. The lake, which takes an experienced hiker or backpacker to get to, is located approximately 140-miles north of Twin Falls. The trail to get to Goat Lake is eight miles roundtrip and will take a good chunk of the day to get to, so getting an early start is recommended.