Scout Mountain is one of the five highest mountains within the Bannock mountain range, standing at 8710' high with 1240' prominence. It remains the most climbed mountain of the range, thanks to the proximity with Pocatello, elevation, and variety of trails. You'll be hard pushed to climb this peak in daylight and not see others unless you go in winter. This is great for safety. You will likely meet a mix of hikers, joggers, mountain bikers, dirt bikers, four wheelers, and a few determined truck drivers.
This mountain got it's name from the boy scout campground in the foothill of the mountain to the north. This is also where most people begin their hike for the summit. Spots fill up fast here, so if you're going to camp, get online at least a week in advance. Scout Mountain campground is popular for good reason.
The journey up from the Scout Mountain campground, follow road #002 to the end to the restroom and parking area. It is 3 miles southbound to the saddle between Scout Mountain and Old Tom mountain to the South, then another 2.5 miles to the north along the summit road. This route includes 2,100' elevation gain and isn't suitable for motorized vehicles. Option two is to start at the Crestline Trailhead by the Big Fir Picnic Area, and follow crestline trail (forest service trail 148) for the 7.75 miles and 2,900' elevation gain as it joins in with trail #009 two thirds of the way up. There is a 'connector' between east fork mink creek and crestline and there is some parking, but it is a slightly less developed trail. 148 is a single track trail suitable for anything smaller than an ATV, though cycling up is a bit miserable with the loose steeper sections. Lastly, there is the option to drive up South Fork of Mink Creek Rd (open mid May - Mid November typically) and then drive up trail #009. You can stop at the saddle where the first hiking option connects, or you can soldier almost to the top. There are tight bushes and overgrowth that will lightly scratch your paint job of any truck, and a gate less than half a mile from the very summit will deny you driving ALL the way. The path through Camp Taylor has been completely overgrown the past few years and is further mileage and elevation anyway. Bring plenty of water, good footwear, and sunscreen.
Forest service permission Was obtained when placing this geocache. Their official policy denies abandoned property but an exception was made in this case due to a handful of circumstances. Lucky us. This geocache has to remain hidden from the public, which is party why it is only a 'small' size geocache. You could easily hide a 'large' size cache here without landowner restriction. Heck, you could almost hide a filing cabinet here.
Access to this area is available for public, any time of year, though late spring through late fall offer the most pleasant journey. It is all forest service public land. Follow their latest guidelines, but for the most part, if you are on foot, you can travel everywhere. If mud is sticking to your tires / boots, or you are leaving tracks / prints, please consider turning around. The main trails see a lot of preventable heavy erosion by users in wet conditions. With a high clearance 4x4 vehicle you can reach almost all the way to the summit via road #009, Scout Mountain Top Road, but don't go in a brand new truck - the paint job will get scratched by the surrounding bushes and brush. If you opt to mountain bike up this peak, There are more exciting trails than #009 to descend, but I'll leave that up to you.
As per the usual, please leave the summit radio equipment and towers alone. They are very expensive, hard to maintain, and impacts a lot of the local population.