I’ll admit it, if the trailhead to the Beehive Lakes wasn’t sandwiched between two of the most popular trails in North Idaho’s Selkirk range, I wouldn’t be telling you about this spot. In the age of Instagram, and the potential hordes of gawkers an errant post can bring, I believe we need to think carefully about the impact that sharing places like this has on fragile alpine environments. It’s not something I take lightly. But this place is no secret, and anybody Googling for good hikes near Sandpoint, Idaho will quickly find Beehive Lakes near the top of the list.
The beauty of Beehives is that at roughly seven miles round-trip, and 2,000+ feet in elevation, it’s long and streep enough to make you feel like you’ve earned it a bit. It’ll make the new and out-of-shape sweat and suffer some, and it will make the legs of even an experienced hiker burn a little. Yet, it’s short enough that a motivated person with a light pack could cruise, or trail-run it out and back in a day.