Cuddy Mountain

Overview

Cuddy Mountain is the highpoint of the Cuddy Mountains in western Idaho. Cuddy Mountain is also the highpoint of Washington County. For more information on the
County Highpointing Organization and the Idaho CoHP’s follow the link.

Cuddy Mountain is also listed at number 25 on the Idaho Prominence List with 3,207 ft of prominence and qualifies as one of the Fifty Finest Peaks in Idaho.

Payette National Forest is the home of the Cuddy Mountains. There are many campgrounds in the area and the area is on the east side of Hells Canyon .

Interestingly, there is a native plant called the Cuddy Mountain Onion . I’m not much of a botanist, so you are left on your own to track down this delicacy.

Getting There

There are several ways to approach Cuddy Mountain. The following directions are to get to the trailhead that is closest to the summit. There is a road on the east side of Cuddy Mountain that was described to me “HORRID”. These directions are for any 2WD vehicle and a nice hike in a pretty area.

Take US Hwy 95 north from Payette and Weiser to the small town of Cambridge. Turn west on Hwy 71 towards Hells Canyon . Follow Hwy 71 about 16 miles to the signed turn-off for Brownlee Creek Campground on your right. The road here is gravel but in good shape. In 1.1 miles you enter Brownlee Creek Campground. Slow down and continue straight through the campground. On the far side the road continues.

At 1.8 miles from Hwy 71 there is a well marked trailhead where the road makes a sharp switchback to the left. Stop here and park on the large parking area on the left side of the road. This is the trailhead for Cuddy Mountain. None of the signs say anything about Cuddy Mountain, but trust me on this, you are at the right spot. The trail is named East Fork Brownlee Trail. Elevation here is 4,830 ft.

Red Tape

No Red Tape for this hike. If you have questions about the area or need a campfire permit, contact the Payette National Forest .

Payette National Forest
PO Box 1026
800 West Lakeside Ave
McCall ,Idaho 83638
(208) 634-0700

McCall District Ranger Office
PO Box 1026
102 West Lake Street
McCall, Idaho 83638
(208) 634-0400

Krassel District Ranger Office
PO Box 1026
500 North Mission Street
McCall, Idaho 83638
(208) 634-0600

Weiser Ranger District Office
851 East 9th Street
Weiser, Idaho 83672
(208) 549-4200

Camping

Lots of camping areas are nearby. Follow this link.

Payette National Forest Camping

The trailhead has unimproved camping locations with fire rings.

For Backpack Camping there are also a few sites along the trail. This is Open Range area and there are cows that will compete with you for campsites. The cows have stomped out nice sites under many of the trees along the trail. Also, on or near the summit there are flat areas that would make nice campsites.

When to Climb

Since this peak is only 7,867 ft in elevation, it is accessible year round. Obviously, in the winter and spring the access will probably be via snowmobile, cross country skis, or snowshoes. When I climbed this peak on 6 August 2006, there were no snow patches on the trail or in the area of the summit.

Since there is an area nearby named Buck Park, hunting season may be an interesting time to be in the area. Bring your orange vest and body armor.

Mountain Conditions/ Weather Information

This hike can be quite hot in the summer. Winter can also have its own problems. Make sure you are prepared properly for your hike.

Weiser Idaho Weather

Images

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