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 Reporter |
Summary: A nice hike from a large graveled trailhead. The Gibson Jack trail follows the creek of that name along a sage, buckbrush and juniper open sidehill with scattered pines the first mile. The sage and junipers then give way to aspen and heavier stands of pine with mountain mahogany on the ridge caps. Expect to see mule deer and other big game. A cow and calf moose watched me toil up the trail but were too shy to let me get close enough for a good picture. The trail up the canyon is very moderate but the return loop has a steep climb but is well worth the effort with ridgetop views of Pocatello, through the blackrock gap to Inkom and north to Fort Hall. The ridge leg of the trip leads through the dense pines and mountain mahogany near the crest with many rige line views. Trailhead: From the SW of Pocatello, go south on Bannock Highway to the signed Gibson Jack road, directly opposite Juniper Hills Country Club. Gibson Jack road is on the right and is a good road the entire 3.2 miles to the trailhead. (Lat:42.47651 Lon:-112.25609) Trail Guides for South Fork of Gibson Jack Loop: Hiking Idaho by Ralph & Jackie Maughn (Falcon Guide) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses, Ranger Contact: Pocatello Ranger District, Caribou Natl Forest 208-236-7500 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Don Evans, who has posted 31 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Rebecca on 1/7/2012 Love every minute of it. The views are a delight and a huge reward. The back side of Gibson, motorized is a bit of a challenge. Take your time, enjoy all that this area has to offer. It's a good drug. 
Reviewed by Rachel on 8/21/2011 Wow, this was a beautiful hike but it was pretty tough on some parts.... I was also pretty put of shape after am ankle injury, so that didnt help. Anyway, it took me about 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete in the middle of august, I definitely had to sit down a couple of times. Some general but helpful pointers for this hike: bring lots of water! (I had a hydration pack and went through two liters), the view at the top really is worth it! It was a great panoramic view. Go early in the morning, you are in the sun for a lot of this hike and it will be much more pleasant if you're not climbing in 90 degree weather. Overall a great hike!
Reviewed by Nick on 5/22/2011 As promised, I tried this trail again later in the spring. My GPS calculated the distance at 8.46 miles, and it took me 3.25 hours, for an average pace of 22:54. There was still snow, mostly just in patches, but a few spots were actually pretty dangerous, with the top layer thick enough to be icy on high and steep slopes. Definitely use your boots this time of year, as walking though streams 6-8 inches deep is just part of the trail, as is mud. The loop was fairly difficult. If you start on the south end and make it the first 3 miles, it's easy from there on out (downhill). But there's a 2000 foot elevation increase in those three miles.
Reviewed by Nick on 3/15/2011 I tried hiking this trail in mid-March. It was muddy the first mile and waist-deep in snow at the two-mile mark (there's no snow on the ground in town). I will try again in a month or two.
Reviewed by JS on 8/16/2006 I took my kids in mid August about 1.5 miles in, but we didn't finish the loop. The first mile is through an open area with nearly zero shade, but you have a beautiful view of the timber up the canyon and on the mountain. Like the author said, probably much prettier and cooler in the fall. A little further up you get close to the creek, which still had a lot of water flow in hot August. I'd like to go back and finish the loop on my own sometime. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Idaho Hiking, Idaho Trails, Idaho Hikes, Bannock County Hiking, Bannock County Trails, Bannock County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
