Kennelly Creek Trails - Payette NF

16. August 2010 by Rob Adams.

Kennally Creek Campground

Travel 10 miles south of McCall on Hwy 55 then 19 miles east on Paddy Flat Road (#388). There are eleven units/nine trailer units with drinking water from one centrally located hand pump, tables, fire pits, charcoal grills, handicapped accessible toilet, hitching rails and unloading ramp, pack in/pack out. Good trail access with no trailhead fee. There is a host at Paddy Flat Guard Station. Contact the McCall Ranger District at (208) 634-0400 for the most current information. There is a designated horse camping area, and a great overflow (no fee) area about 300 yards up the road from the campground.  Three trails are available from this trailhead.  Kennally Creek trail is a mostly level ride through big trees with a number of creek crossing that takes you to some small lakes if your willing to ride nine miles one way.  The needles trail is a pretty steady climb with some loose rocky sections but is rewarded with some great views at the summit.  The Black Mare trail starts with a short climb, followed by a very nice ride through big trees to Bill’s Lake.  From the lake the trail climbs quickly up the end of the canyon to a saddle.  The trail head is at 5600 feet, the saddle is at 7,900 feet and the last 1,500 is in less than a mile.  The view when you get to the top is of the South Fork of the salmon river canyon, and it is spectacular. This is an end of the road trail head and camp ground, with very little traffic and very nice facilities.  Loop pack trips are possible from this trail head, with a number of lakes and creeks to camp by.  We saw very little sign of game, it had rained a couple of days before we started riding and the only tracks we saw on the trails were our horses.

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