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Sun Valley Resort and region are a hiker’s heaven and one of my favorite areas to live and visit regularly year-round. Hike in the morning and enjoy the festival food, wine, and entertainment at night!
Archaeological evidence indicates that as far back as 10,000 years ago, the Wood River Valley was home to Native American people. In the 1870s, gold was discovered in the West, and European settlers and prospectors came in search of possible fortunes. By the early 1880s, Ketchum was a thriving mining town famous for its healing hot springs. The Guyer Hot Springs near Warm Springs, was popular for its mineral waters while the town of Ketchum was popular for its saloons, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses. Today, it’s the same style of a small town with big-world charm.
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With the grand opening of Sun Valley Resort, “America’s First Destination Ski Resort,” celebrities flocked to the area to see America’s new grand dame of ski resorts. Ernest Hemingway fell in love with Sun Valley and eventually made it his home; he finished For Whom the Bell Tolls in Suite 206 of the Sun Valley Lodge. Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, and others came to play at the glamorous, new winter wonderland. Their photos (mostly black and white) are still hanging in the hallway of the main lodge. Other historical information about the Valley can be found at one of our three museums and at local libraries.
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The Wood River Valley is located in Blaine County, Idaho at the edge of the majestic Sawtooth Wilderness. This valley is almost entirely surrounded by U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands with the Big Wood River running through. With forest, mountain ranges to the north, east, and west, and mountain desert climate to the south. There are about 15 hours of sunshine in the summer with many dry mild 78 degrees days.
The cities of Sun Valley and Ketchum are at an altitude of 5,750 feet with the ski mountain, Baldy, at 9,150 feet. The river valley slopes down to 5,300 feet to the south near Hailey. There are Four large lakes in the Stanley Basin to the north and two large reservoirs to the south which offer a variety of recreational opportunities. Hundreds of streams and alpine lakes can be found in the mountains and valleys surrounding the towns.
Leisure Hikers –
Day 1: Trail Stats Baker Lake
Length: 2 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Elev. Gain: 870 feet
Skill Level: Easy
Duration: 3 hours
Trailhead Elev: 7920 feet
Top Elev: 8796 feet
Day 2: Trail Stats Fall Creek
Length: 8 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Skill Level: Moderately easy to the Left Fork; difficult to the head of Fall Creek
Duration: Either a day hike or overnight
Season: Best mid-June to mid-July to Left Fork; August to mid-September to the head of the canyon.
Trailhead Elev: 7240 feet
Top Elev: 8480 feet
Day 3: Trail Stats High Ridge Trail
Length: 6.4 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Skill Level: Moderately strenuous because of the climb
Duration: Day hike
Season: Best early July to Rock Roll Point. The trail to Basin Gulch is accessible as soon as you can Ford Trail Creek. Late September is the end of the season.
Trailhead Elev: 7720 feet
Top Elev: 9450 feet
Experienced Hikers –
Day 1: Trail Stats Bellas Lakes
Length: 6 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Elev. Gain: 1660 feet
Skill Level: Moderate
Duration: Approx. 5.5 hours
Trailhead Elev: 7840 feet
Top Elev: 9500 feet
Day 2: Trail Stats Summit Creek
Length: 7 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Elev. Gain: 1580 feet
Skill Level: Moderately easy
Duration: Day hike
Season: Best July through September
Trailhead Elev: 1920 feet
Top Elev: 9500 feet
Day 3: Trail Stats Hyndman Creek
Length: 8 total miles
Trail Type: Out-and-Back
Elev. Gain: 2560 feet
Skill Level: Moderately easy to the base of Cobb Peak. The last 2 miles to the base of Hyndman Peak are strenuous.
Duration: Long day hike or overnight
Season: Best July to mid-September
Trailhead Elev: 7050 feet
Top Elev: 9610 feet
Our tour office can assist with travel insurance, airline, rail, and rental car reservations.
If you are interested in organizing a group of 20 or more travelers, your tour would be included at no additional charge. Taxes would be collected based on the price and services of the package. Contact info@starktours.co directly for more details.
At StarkTours, we understand that not everyone is looking for a cycling tour. All of our cycling, hiking, kayaking, boating, and skiing adventure tours can be personalized rail or self-drive vacations. These packages may include airfare, transfers, hotels, sights, and rental car or rail.