It’s not very often that I don’t recommend a hike, but every so often I’ll attempt a trail that promises a view I know it can’t deliver on. The hike to the top of Teapot Dome is one of these hikes. With almost 1000 feet of elevation gain in just under a mile, the hike ends with a panoramic view. But a view doesn’t amount to much when there is nothing to see.

There are a lot of beautiful hikes near Mountain Home, ID like Wilson Creek or the Danskin Mountains. However, most of Mountain Home is like a gluten-free pancake, flat and boring. Teapot Dome sits smack dab in the middle of this flatland. If you do make it to the top, you have views of several mountain ranges but they are so far away they lose their luster.

Finding the Invisible Trail

Teapot Dome was a major landmark for those on the Oregon Trail. After miles of nothing but dust and gravel, this rocky rhyolite cliff stands out like a sore thumb. Maybe after traveling thousands of miles, your exhausted, dirt-caked eyeballs might think this rock sculpture looks like a teapot but I would say that’s a stretch. I would say it looks closer to a teapot that a covered wagon wheel flattened.

The reason I bring this to your attention is that there is no sign marking the trailhead to Teapot Dome. You may get to the start of the trail and see nothing in the vicinity that resembles a dome or a teapot. In fact, you actually won’t see a trail either. The map we included at the top of this post is a common route but it doesn’t follow a trail. Much like the early pioneers, you are going to have to forge your own path. There is a natural water trough that leads towards Teapot Dome but the soil is soft and makes the journey more difficult. So with no discernable trail, the route to the top is up to you.

Steep

Warning: The following paragraph contains a horrible pun. Under no circumstances should this level of dad-joke attempt be recreated.

Much like a teabag in hot water, the Teapot Dome hike gets “steep”.  If you didn’t die laughing at that joke and still want to hike this trail I highly recommend bringing trekking poles. As I mentioned earlier the trail is short and the elevation gain is a high. For those that failed geometry, that means the angle on the way up the dome is very steep. Trekking Poles will help you maintain balance and gain leverage as you climb. I use a pair Yukon Charlies Pro Trekker II Poles.

Overall

With as much effort as it takes to tackle this tall walk, there really isn’t enough of a reward at the summit to justify an attempt at hiking Teapot Dome.

Trail Tips:

• Bring Trekking Poles
• Study Google Maps ahead of time to pick your route or use our map

Chad Albright

Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.