Hiking the Sawtooths

Three weeks from now our group of four adult couples will be arriving in Hailey en route to Stanley. We will spend our first night in Hailey and are looking for a good casual restaurant. We will then go to Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch. We are interested in hiking. Any recommendations for day hikes? On our return from Stanley we will spend our last night in Sun Valley. Because of some huge conference our lodging choices were not so hot, so we would love to have a great dinner that night. What do you suggest?

Thank you.

Hiking the Sawtooths

For a casual meal, I%26#39;d recommend the Wicked Spud in Hailey (305 N. Main; 208-788-0009). This is your typical divey bar and grill. Cheap burgers, cheap beer, usually a band on Friday and Saturday nights. There are lots of nicer restaurants in the area to choose from, but you can%26#39;t beat the Spud for great atmosphere in the low-end spectrum.

Hiking the Sawtooths

Thank you for posting.

Good day hikes: Fourth of July Lake - approx 3-4 miles round trip; fairly easy. Alice Lake - 12 miles round trip; awesome views and incredible destination. There are many trails leading from Redfish Lake as well, such as the Bench Lakes. You%26#39;ll love them!

Thanks a million, DudleyCath. We are very excited!

We just returned and I have about exhausted my supply of superlatives. Idaho was fabulous. We landed in Hailey and spent the night at the Inn at Ellsworth Estate. The rooms are large and comfortable. It is furnished with antiques and has a gorgeous front porch just made for lounging. The innkeeper does a first class gourmet breakfast served at nine. We had dinner at CK%26#39;s which is an excellent restaurant. We stopped for coffee at the Hailey Coffee Shop on Main St. WOW. great coffee and delicious pastries.

We then went north to the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch. We absolutely loved the place. I have already posted a review of it on this website.

We hiked

Fourth of July and went up to Bora Lakes trail from there.

Sawtooth Lake

Horton Peak (a long three miles straight up for a stupendous view)

went rafting with the White Otter company (expensive $67 per person for a two hour ride with a guide who never stopped talking about herself)

visited the Custer ghost town

We stopped for lunch one day at the Stanley Baking Company...highly recommended!

All in all a great trip.

Thanks for posting your trip report. It%26#39;s always good to get feedback about the good, the bad, and the ugly in travel! Though I live in Carolina now, my heart is still out west!

I can certainly see why, Dudley Cath. It was spectacular. Today in my part of NC temps are nearing 100 and humidity is off the charts...puts my heart back in Idaho, too! Thank you for all the help you gave me in planning our trip. We will go back.

Glad to be of assistance. Next time you go, try the hike to Alice Lake. My sister has done both that and the Sawtooth Lake hike, and she greatly prefered the one to Alice Lake. Although it%26#39;s 12 miles round trip, it%26#39;s not that steep so you don%26#39;t notice it being so long.

Actually we wanted to do Alice but the rangers told us it was ill advised because there was such high water on the stream crossings. There is a lot of snow melt and quite a few of the creeks we crossed were a challenge. I am pretty sure we will go back, we loved the area.

Where are you in NC?

The were right to advise you against if there were high stream crossings because there are so MANY of them. I%26#39;m in Winston-Salem but grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, and college in Salt Lake City. How about you?