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Hardtrigger Canyon
Hardtrigger Canyon is a short canyon located in the Owyhee Mountains of southwest Idaho. The trailhead is accessible by passenger car, and is found on the Owyhee front, not far from Marsing. The canyon is less than a mile long, but very scenic. Thanks to surrounding cliffs and rock towers, there’s plenty to see along the way. It’s also possible to make a cross-country loop hike, by including a climb of unofficially named Hardtrigger Peak.
My sons and I made the drive from Boise and arrived at the trailhead, surprised to see a couple two other vehicles there. But they were done for the day, so we had the trail to ourselves. Not knowing what to expect from the hike, we were happy to find a good trail and neat cliffs on either side of the canyon. We made our way up, hopping the creek several times along the way.
After a brief side-trip to explore some small caves, we soon made it out of the rocky section after less than a mile of hiking. From here we headed east toward a low ridge, then started hiking up the north side of Hardtrigger Peak.
The slopes were open, with just a few rocky sections to navigate through. After a few hundred feet of climbing, we arrived at the summit and some nice views. From here, we continued north and descended back down to the trailhead.
Round trip for our loop was just under 2 miles and 600’ of elevation gain round trip. It took us about 90 minutes including a leisurely pace and some exploring. Great hike with my sons, and just a little over an hour from home.
Map of the route 2 miles and 600' elevation gain round trip. |
Entering Hardtrigger Canyon. |
Cool temps, but the sun was out. |
Leaving the rocky section of the canyon. |
Hardtrigger Peak from the southwest. |
Scrambling up some rocks. |
Making our way up. |
View above the canyon. |
Fresh snow on the Owyhees from the summit. |
Dropping back down to the trailhead. |
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