40 Horse Cave
Firth, Idaho
| Address: | Wolverine Rd, Firth, ID 83236, USA |
| GPS: |
43°16'53.6"N 111°56'54.7"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Idaho |
| Trail Length: | 0.18 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.1 mi |
Cave and Hike
The naming of the cave comes from a story of two men who were caught in a bad storm. Upon hiking, these two guys were able to find the cave. One of them commented to the other, "This cave could hold about 40 horses." Another legend tells of a theif that hid 40 horses in the cave to avoid capture. Either way, there's no doubt that 40 horses would fit in the cave.
The hike up to the cave is steep. Elevation gain may only be about 100 feet but even the longest trail is still just under 500 feet (0.1 mile) to the cave. Once you find the trailhead, it's really easy to find. You'll just hike uphill until you come to a large opening in the mountain. The shorter trail has a lot more shale and is a pretty difficult scramble. The longer trail is still steep and difficult but there is much less shale.
Flashlights aren't required, as the cave is only about 50 feet deep. There are a few corners of the cave that are a little more fun to explore with a flashlight.
At the bottom of the trail is a culvert and when the water is higher, it's a fun place to splash around after the hike. You'll see a trail in the willows on the SouthEast side of the road near the culvert. If you follow that trail only about 100 feet of easy hiking, you'll find a smaller cave.
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Firth, Idaho
- Head southwest on US-91 S/
Main St toward W Center St Continue to follow US-91 S(0.4 mi) - Turn left onto N 550 E/
Idaho Rd (1.2 mi) - Turn left onto E 600 N/
Wolverine Rd Continue to follow Wolverine RdDestination will be on the left(13.9 mi)
Take Wolverine Road up into Wolverine Canyon. Once you enter the canyon, it's 2.6 miles to the parking lot. You'll see a road/pullout to the left after 2 miles. When you near the cave, you'll be able to see it up the hill on your left as you go over a culvert where the creek goes under the road. The trailheads are by the culvert and the parking lot is on the left just around the bend.
Shelby
2/1/23 9:09 pmBrenda Denney
4/20/21 1:00 pmendovereric
4/21/21 9:05 am
Trails
Distance ?
372 feetElevation Gain ?
-152 feetReal Ascent ?
0 feetReal Descent ?
152 feetAvg Grade (-24°)
-45%Grade (-35° to -6°)
-70% to -10%Distance ?
406 feetElevation Gain ?
-131 feetReal Ascent ?
0 feetReal Descent ?
131 feetAvg Grade (-19°)
-34%Grade (-28° to -7°)
-53% to -12%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.