Lewiston, ID

Hells Gate State Park

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2.585(based on 6 reviews)
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5 0
Dadio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.6 years 174 played 75 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Much improved 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

This now 18 hole course is in a well mowed section of Hell's Gate State Park just south of Lewiston along the Snake River. I played in the Tri-Cities, WA for alot of years and this felt like coming home with the Russian Olives, sage brush, and river right by the course.
The course starts from a parking area quite a ways into the park but there is a big sign with course info and a practice basket in the shade, important during hot summer months. Hole 1 is down the path to the right of the practice basket and plays in the field toward the entrance to the park.
The course itself is well laid out in a field with a few clusters of trees, the river along one side, and a narrow ridge along the far end. Most of the front 9 is fairly straight forward, with 2 and 3 playing close to the river. Fortunately, there is a fairly solid line of willows along the river that save me from swimming for my driver on 3.
4 is a deceptive hole, it is fairly short at 158' but the pin is on top of a narrow 10' tall ridge that is easy to overshoot and wind up with the exact same long putt.
The course is fairly easy to follow, altho the map is handy as there are a couple of blind throws. The back 9 plays to the same pins in a varied order that criss-crosses the course and makes for some tough throws through the trees. Once you pick it up it is easy to follow. There are white signs telling which pin to throw to.
One of the big improvements is the course is well mowed. There is no sign of the disc eating weeds discussed in previous reviews. I was afraid they would be bad, thought I would only play a few holes but it is well maintained and I enjoyed all 18 holes.

Cons:

There were only 2 Main Cons for me. The tee boxes are gravel and some are hard to throw from. I've seen worse but have definitely seen better. That and there aren't proper tee boxes for the back 9, I hope those will be part of the continued improvements.
The other is that the back 9 make most of the holes crossing. I understand it's necessary due to they space and it is well done but I have a huge distrust of crossing holes. This doesn't seem to be a very busy course so it isn't as hazardous as it might be.
Sorry, 3. since the back 9 are put in after, there are a couple holes that don't have much of a fairway through the trees. Tough shots but still possible for par.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I liked this course and was glad I played it. It makes a very nice contrast to the park course across town. There is swimming, camping and a museum in the park, plenty to do as well as play. Not a destination course but well worth hitting on the way through.
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3 0
mjanssen
Experience: 28.8 years 221 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Makes you use a few shots in your bag 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

A variety of shots needed to work through the course.
Lines are obvious.

Cons:

Short course.
Gravel tee pads are not desirable.
Need directional signage to get to next tee.
A few holes have foilage too close to tee box to create difficulty.

Other Thoughts:

Needs better signage.
Currently there are handwritten distances on the wood tee frames.
Need a "first tee here sign"
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5 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
2.00 star(s)

So-So Park Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 8, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

It is great that Idaho State Parks has installed DIsc Golf courses in many of its parks. This nine hole course is placed on a rough little plot of land adjacent to the day use area.

Hole 1 is a decent start, with an open drive to a basket tucked into a small group of trees.

Holes 2 and 3 are open drives to the baskets, while Hole 4 is blocked by trees right in front of the tee, with the basket placed up on a narrow, 10' hilltop. This is the only real elevation on the course.

Hole 5 is the best hole on the course, with the slightly elevated teepad driving to a basket tucked into a grove of trees. If you miss the correct tree gap short or long you'll be blocked on your second shot and looking at a 4.

Hole 6 requires an accurate drive through a small gap in the trees. The trees are deceptively thick with branches right down to the ground, so missing the gap results in a surprising tough second shot.

Hole 7 is a slight uphill drive to a basket guarded by trees, while Hole 8 is a wide open 345' drive to the basket.

The finishing hole has trees completely blocking the front of the tee, requiring either a big hyzer or a big anny to find the basket.

Simple markers on each tee pad give hole distance.

Navigation is straightforward, but finding the pad for Hole 6 requires crossing back to the area of the Hole 3 teepad.

Cons:

The gravel teepads are not good. The gravel is loose and uneven, and getting kicked out around the wooden box. I had to level out the pad each time I got ready to drive.

I didn't have to deal with any of the thick vegetation mentioned in previous reviews. In fact, I played over a lot of bare dusty dirt, with the only cover being dried up thistles and nettles. Not a pleasant surface to play on.

I am not a fan of placing tee boxes directly behind trees as a way to shape fairways. Holes 4 and 9 are both closely blocked directly off of the tee, requiring a big blind hyzer or anny to find the basket.

They did what they could with this piece of land, but it really isn't a very interesting course.

Other Thoughts:

After playing four outstanding courses at Farragut State Park, this course was something of a letdown. The land is flat and pretty barren, so didn't offer a lot of choices for holes.

Plenty of parking in the day use area adjacent to the course. Water and restrooms available there.
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3 0
idahooldguy
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.8 years 40 played 36 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Cheated by the Cheat Grass 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 26, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

• Has a practice basket.
• Maps are available at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center (or you can print one from the "Links/Files" tab on this site). Navigation was easy.
• Holes 5, 6, 7, and 9 require a carefully placed tee shot to line up your putt/approach.
• Several baskets are well guarded by trees and bushes making for challenging approaches

Cons:

• Tee pads are deep loose gravel with poor footing (I teed beside the pad on many holes to stay out of this).
• No alternate tees or pins.
• Grounds were mowed, but not watered or otherwise maintained. The cheat grass was quite thick and annoying and the ground was dry and dusty. (grounds were much better in December, see "Other Thoughts")
• Only 2 holes were >300'

Other Thoughts:

Summary:
This course is not as nice Sunset Park across town. However, it does have some interesting holes. It would be much nicer if it was watered on regular basis. The Snake River does come into play on holes 1 and 2. If you throw a bad drive (RHBH) that fades out to soon, you might hit the river on either hole (especially on #2). I had to stop twice to pick cheat grass out of my socks in July. I really hate cheat grass so this was a big negative for me. If the park staff could be convinced to mow the fairways a little shorter it would help a bunch.( I went back in December and it was much nicer. The weeds and cheatgrass were gone and I enjoyed the course much more. I bumped my rating up 1 notch.)
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5 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Thick, Green Vegitation Kind Of Ruined My Experience Here! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 3, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hell's Gate State Park DGC is located at the far end of the state park out past the marina. The park and course both occupy the land next to the Snake River. The famous Snake River jet boats depart from Marina just upriver hereabouts. The park close by the course has restrooms and picnic facilities. The course area is disc golf exclusive so I doubt you'll be bothered by any other park users.

The course is recreational in difficulty and the terrain has a few small hills which are used effectively. Prevailing winds coming off the river can add to the challenge. There is a course sign at the beginning. The tee pads are boxed in gravel which are fairly level. I don't think this course gets a lot of use. The signs are simple ones stuck in the corner of the wood border giving the hole # and distance. The baskets are the DGA models with red numbers on top. And yes, the numbers are facing back towards the tees.

Distances seemed to range from the ACE run # 4's 158' up to # 5 which has you throwing off a small hill 400' back towards the river. # 4 was a nice little hole with a clever little tee pad placement. Most holes had some trees or slightly hidden basket placement to add to the degree of difficulty.

Cons:

The biggest con for me and the other group playing this morning was this incredibly thick, low growing, green, fragrant vegetation that was prevalent over much of the course. It was so thick in places that finding your disc (no matter how brightly colored), even in the middle of the fairway, became an exercise in walking a grid pattern back and forth over an area. It became very tedious after a very short time. I lost a important disc and the other group lost a disc in this lettuce, like crap.

The gravel tee pads are not the best. They'll get worse with more play. And the wind was a big factor.

Other Thoughts:

At least, whatever this green plant is called, it has a nice aroma! So while you're traipsing back and forth through it, and cursing to yourself, at least your nostrils will be filled with some sweet smells. But that sweet smell won't be enough to get me to return to Hell's Smells Disc Golf Course of swallowed discs!
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3 1
fuegoador
Experience: 10.9 years 12 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Hell's Gate 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good variety of shots. Inside a state park so it's pretty well maintained. Fairly easy so it'd be good to learn on.

Cons:

Gravel pads can be iffy. First time there, spiderwebs completely surrounding the area where basket 1 sits so that was kind of gross. A few holes go right along the river so a bad throw can end up with you getting wet. Several crossing fairways. Practice putting basket.

Other Thoughts:

They have plenty of room here to make it a full 18 hole course. Hopefully there will be enough interest to make that happen.
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