Goose Creek Falls Trail – Which Trailhead to Take?!
Goose Creek Falls Near McCall, Idaho
Today I am excited to share with you a hiking guide to the Goose Creek Falls Trail near McCall, Idaho. We did this hike on our most recent trip to McCall, Idaho and LOVED it!!! This trail is unique in that it has two trailheads. Below I will cover the pros and cons of each trail and talk about which trailhead to take.
But before we jump into the trail details, let’s talk a little bit about McCall, Idaho. For those of you that aren’t familiar with this quintessential mountain town let me introduce you!
McCall, Idaho is located about 2 hours north of Boise, Idaho, and sits on the southern shore of Lake Payette. For those that love the great outdoors, it is a recreational paradise. Here are just a few of the fun things you and your family can do in McCall, Idaho.
Summer
While you can do pretty much any outdoor summer activity in McCall, it is best known for its extensive mountain biking trail systems and water sports (boating, SUP, canoeing, kayaking, river rafting, scenic tours, etc.). Some other unique activities McCall offers in the summer are backcountry flying and foregoing for wild morels and huckleberries.
Winter
In the winter Mcall becomes a beautiful winter wonderland with one of the highest average snowfalls in the state of Idaho. With easy access to three ski areas, there is a little bit of something for everyone. And after a long day on the slopes, you can enjoy relaxing in one of the local hot springs
If skiing or snowboarding isn’t your thing then you can try ice skating, snow tubing, or sleigh riding. McCall is also known for its winter carnival*. No matter what your preference, there is plenty to do in McCall even when the snow begins to fly.
*NOTE: Last year the winter carnival was canceled due to COVID so check HERE to see if it will be offered before planning a trip.
Now onto the hiking guide!
Goose Creek Falls – Brundage Mountain Ski Resort Trailhead
Distance: 3 mi | Location: New Meadows, ID | Best Seasons: Summer, Fall | Elevation Gain: 685 ft | Route Type: Out & Back | Bathrooms @ Trailhead: Yes
Pros
The most common and well-known trail to Goose Creek Falls begins at the trailhead located near Brundage Mountain Ski Resort. This trail is almost half the distance as the trail listed below, making it a more popular choice among hikers and families.
Another reason many hikers choose this trailhead is it is located closer to McCall, Idaho (with about a 15 min drive vs. a 20 min drive to the other trailhead).
Cons
The main disadvantage to taking this trail to Goose Creek Falls is that the trail is pretty much straight down to the falls and then straight back up to the trailhead. As you can see it has almost the same amount of elevation gain as the 6 mile trail but over half the distance. Almost all of that elevation gain is completed on the hike back from the falls which can be challenging, especially if you are doing it with kids in tow.
Goose Creek Falls – Last Chance Campground Trailhead
Distance: 5.8 mi | Location: New Meadows, ID | Best Seasons: Summer, Fall | Elevation Gain: 744 ft | Route Type: Out & Back | Bathrooms @ Trailhead: Yes
Pros
The trailhead located at Last Chance Campground is better known to mountain bikers, due to the longer distance and smooth trails. This trail is beautiful as it follows the creek almost the whole way, making for a very scenic hike. The elevation gain is also very gradual making it more kid friendly.
Cons
While this trailhead is farther away from McCall than the other trailhead (i.e. 20 min drive vs. 15 min drive to the other trailhead), the main disadvantage is the distance. Unless you have older children or plan on carrying your smaller children the distance may be a bit too far for families with budding hikers.
Which Trailhead Should You Take?
Assuming your goal is to go on an enjoyable hike to see Goose Creek Falls, you will want to take the Last Chance Campground Trailhead, and here’s why! While the trail from the Last Chance Campground is longer, the actual hike is much more enjoyable and scenic.
Dustin and I actually began this hike from the Brundage Mountain Trailhead. But after passing a few stricken, sweat-stained faces of the hikers coming up the hill we quickly decided to change trailheads. We knew hauling a chunky three year old and one year old back up the trail was not going to be fun.
After speaking to other hikers that have taken the trail from the Brundage Mountain Trailhead and looking at reviews on AllTrails, I can say with confidence that we made the right choice. The Brundage Mountain Trailhead gets you to the falls in the shortest amount of distance. But the actual hike isn’t very enjoyable (psst mostly the hot, sweaty hike back to the trailhead).
Plus, half the fun of the hike to Goose Creek Falls is swimming at the base of the falls. Since you gain all of your elevation heading to the waterfall from the Last Chance Campground Trailhead taking a dip at the waterfall is a nice refreshing break before hiking back. With the Brundage Mountain Trailhead you are walking downhill most of the way to the waterfall, so you don’t really need a nice cool dip in the falls. And then after swimming, you end up getting hot and sticky on the hike back.
Trail Guide
Here are some things to keep in mind when hiking to Goose Creek Falls from the Last Chance Campground Trailhead:
The road to Last Chance Campground is a dirt logging road. It can be a bit narrow in spots with a steep drop off on one side. Some people find those roads a bit nerve-wracking so I wanted to give you a heads up.
The trailhead is located at the back of the campground where the campground road loops. You aren’t allowed to park in the campground if you are only doing the hike.
To avoid adding distance to your hike, you might consider having one partner drop everyone off at the trailhead and then park the car along Last Chance Road.
This trailhead is popular with mountain bikers, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. This is especially important if your kids are hiking out in front. It is harder for mountain bikers to see kids on the trail.
Since the trial is bike friendly, one idea for making the distance more doable would be to bring mountain bikes for the trail. This is what we did for our three year old. We brought his strider bike. While he didn’t do the whole distance on his bike, he did cover a lot of ground faster on his bike than he would have if he had hiked.
When you get close to the falls the trail will split. For the shortest route to the base of the falls you will want to continue straight (as the sign indicates – see below). For mountain bikers or to go to the top of the falls you will want to go to the left. Both trails are fairly steep but only the left trail is manageable for bikes.
From both trails will be able to see the top of the falls, but I recommend you not stop there.
It is a scramble to get to the base of the falls but it is doable with kids depending on age and adult to kid ratio. We made it down there with our three year old and one year old and there were a couple of other families down there with small kids as well.
There is a nice little pool at the base of the waterfall, so don’t forget your swimsuit if you are doing the hike on a warm day. We did this hike in June and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the water was. I was expecting it to be super cold but I was just the right temperature even for our little kids!
It will be our little secret
As Google and many travel blogs will tell you Goose Creek Falls is a must-see attraction when visiting McCall, Idaho. What they will fail to tell you is that there are two trailheads and the better of the two is the Last Chance Campground Trailhead. Lucky for you, you now have an insider tip.
I hope you will enjoy the falls as much as we did. Please comment below once you get a chance to try out the trail. I would love to hear about your experience. Just don’t be surprised if as you watch the other families prepare to leave on their 1.5 mile hike straight back up the mountain that you find yourself chuckling softly and saying under your breath “suckers” 😉
Be sure to pin this for future adventure/vacation ideas or share it with your family or friends!
