Hailey/Ketchum/Sun Valley

We are planning our first trip to Idaho and hope to spend about a week in the Hailey/Ketchum/Sun Valley area in late Sept/early Oct. I see that Charlie48 is the local expert. Charlie, and others, any recommendations for must-sees and do-s in this area? We like nature, museums, hot springs, hiking, history, and just hanging out and soaking up the sense of a place. Any recommendations?

Hailey/Ketchum/Sun Valley

If you like to hike, there are many trails worth taking. Drive north from Ketchum into the Sawtooth Mountains. Stop at Galena Summit for a few moments to marvel in the sight.

There are four beautiful alpine lakes you can get to by car... (from south to north) Alturas, Pettit, Redfish and Stanley. Redfish is the largest, with beautiful beaches. My favorite hikes leave from Pettit Lake, which you can access by driving 2 miles off of Hwy 75 on a gravel road.

Also, you should take a day trip to Craters of the Moon, which is about a two hour drive east.

Charlie can catch you up on what%26#39;s happening in the ';cities.'; :)

Hailey/Ketchum/Sun Valley

Thanks so much!

Molly 56

I am so busy right this minute, but will get to all the musts. here is a post from earlier opps going too fast can%26#39;t find.

tomorrow enjoy

That is a grand time to visit. Tourists gone and the nights cool and the days warm. Just 8 miles past the Warm Springs lift is a wonderful hot springs. Frenchmans bend. In fact, warms springs, right where the lifts are was a wonderful spa and bath house, way back when. When i first moved here, 30 years ago, there were 2 old buildings, and we would go through the windows to soak in the old tubs. At Frenchmans bend, before the new house went up, there was a small building with 2 tubs, to soak in. We all went out there late at night. Keep going on that smooth dirt road, and you will end up in Boise. You can go about 10 more miles to Dollar Hide Summit.

Also, the drive to Stanley, still with dirt roads and the best view of the Sawtooths, is about an hour from KEtchum. Go to Stanley and get sandwiches at the bakery, Stanley Bakery, and back track to Redfish Lake. You can enjoy lunch there. There is an old lodge, still in use and lots of waterskiiers. You can take the boat across the lake to where all the backpacking trips start. Think it is about $15 round trip. If you want to hike around, they come back on the half hour, just ask. It is very beautiful just to hike for a bit. OR, you can go on the tourist boat, forget what it is called and it takes you around the lake. Worth doing.

The lakes on the way up, Alturis and Petit are much more tranquil and i would eat there. The views are wondeful.

When in Stanley, go to ';lower Stanley';(i always think that this is funny, as to me, it is upper, being north.) Totally an Idaho place. the view going back to Stanley is worth a picture. You can also go up the river about 10 miles to Sunbeam, where the rafters take off. Turn into Sunbeam, and you can drive to the old mine of eeekk can%26#39;t think of the name, but worth it. The drive is wondeful.

If you are adventursome, drive past Stanley , thru challis, then turn right , the sign will say Trail Creek Summit, and drive about 20 miles to the turn off, maybe 15. Then the road takes you into Sun Valley, via a dirt road. Well maintained. When in SV you will have a map and you can see all these roads.

Check out the websites for hiking in the Sawtooths. let me know about the distance you would like to go and i can tell you the BEST hiking, we do alot of it. After getting off the boat (early) at the end of Redfish, you can go 4 easy miles to Alpine Lake, or 6 harder miles, to what the climbers call Shangra-la and go to the lakes and watch the climbers.

let me know what other info you would like and enjoy

Those suggestions all sound wonderful! I%26#39;m sorry it took so long for me to respond. Can%26#39;t wait! to come. (Those hot springs sound like the perfect way to relax away the days....)

We%26#39;ve been checking out the vacation rental by owner sites because we like to rent local small places with a couple of bedrooms instead of doing the hotel/motel thing. But around Ketchum and Sun Valley, there isn%26#39;t much under $400 a night and most places seem to be condos or huge luxury homes! (Usually we find the more modest rentals to be affordable, and a great way to get to know a neighborhood or town.) Any suggestions for favorite ';alternative'; places to stay in Ketchum or the area?

We were hoping that picking September would mean quieter but still good weather. Do you have hardwood trees and do the leaves start to turn in Sept or October?

Thanks so much!

the leaves turn in sept and it is beautiful . did you try the condos that sun valley rents out?? try the local paper , the mountain express. easily available on the internet. you can call them and put an ad in as well. 1 208 726 8060/ EVERYBODY reads the wed. paper. let me know how that works. enjoy

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