If you have ever visited the Sun Valley area, chances are there is at least one image of our breathtaking locale in your Instagram feed. Or maybe you haven’t visited yet but hashtags like #seeksunvalley on our @Instagram page have caught your attention and have drawn you into exploring this amazing place. Whether you are a seasoned visitor or a first timer, we complied a list of the must see places in and around Sun Valley to fill your Instagram feed with the best there is to offer. The Sun Valley Barn An icon of Sun Valley, many a photo has been taken in front of this barn and numerous reproductions of it in paintings and memorabilia have been made over the years. Located on Sun Valley Road between Ketchum and Sun Valley, the red barn is hard to miss. Built in the early 1880s, its thought that this barn used to service ore wagons that traveled Trail Creek Road. Speaking of, swing by the Ore Wagon Museum for some more history and to grab a few grams there too. Across Sun Valley Road from the barn is a stop many make to photograph the beautiful horses that are occasionally …
Chasing Elevation: Trail Running Adventures in Sun Valley
“Some places are built for trail running. Sun Valley feels like it was born for it.” Early mornings on alpine singletrack. Cool mountain air even in July. Long climbs that open into massive views of Idaho wilderness. Whether you’re chasing a finish line or simply looking for your next favorite trail, summer in Sun Valley offers a rare combination of race culture, high-elevation adventure, and endlessly runnable terrain. Why the Sun Valley Area is a Trail Runner’s Dream Destination Sun Valley and Ketchum sit at 5,850 feet in elevation, making the area an ideal place to experience the benefits of altitude training without immediately pushing into extreme elevations. Summer weather opens the door to endless trail running opportunities, with cool mornings and crisp mountain air creating perfect conditions for longer adventures before the afternoon heat arrives. From Bellevue to Galena Summit and beyond, the Wood River Valley offers an expansive network of trails ranging from smooth beginner-friendly paths to rugged mountain terrain built for serious endurance athletes. One of the best parts of trail running here is accessibility. Many trails begin just minutes from downtown Ketchum, allowing runners to move from coffee shop to trailhead in no time. Around here, …
How to Fall in Love With Sun Valley in 11 Easy Steps
THERE’S A LOT TO LOVE in Sun Valley — just ask around and you’ll pretty quickly encounter folks who left behind their lives and high-powered careers in big cities like New York and Los Angeles for a chance at the good life in this one-of-a-kind mountain town. If you’ve never been to Idaho’s Wood River Valley, here are a handful of experiences to expect…and which may just turn you into Sun Valley’s newest year-round resident. It’s happened plenty of times before!
15 Things You Must Do in Sun Valley This Winter
Sun Valley, ID is America’s ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUND with near limitless opportunities. We’ve narrowed down the list down to highlight our top 15 things you must do in Sun Valley this winter. Whether you are up for a grand adventure outdoors, or prefer a mellower pace around town, there’s bound to be something to match your cadence. Here are a few of our favorites–feel free to mix and match to create your ideal Sun Valley getaway.
10 Ski Experiences You Can Only Have in Sun Valley
From tailgating in the same parkign lot that Warren Miller used to hang to sharing the half-pipe with a gold medalist there are a variety of unique experiences that Sun Valley offers. Check out our top 10.
Why Sun Valley Should Be A Stop on Your Next Ski Trip
As if SKI Magazine ranking Sun Valley as the #1 resort wasn’t enough reason to make an addition to the top of your ski bucket list, well here is a few more. Sun Valley is chock full of activities on and off mountain to make your visit one to remember and maybe even a yearly tradition. Cross-country ski the US Olympic training grounds. Sun Valley is home to a Nordic Olympic Training Site for its ideal trails, training facilities and perfect conditions. There are over 125 miles of endorphin-inducing, visually stimulating cross-country terrain in the Wood River Valley. A US Olympic training site since 2012, the Sun Valley XC trail system may be home to the elite, but its groomed landscape provides sweet tracks for any skill level. Take time out for a drink and a bite to eat at Galena Lodge, no matter how good your crossover turns look. Tailgate in the same parking lot as ski-film icon Warren Miller. Ten years after the installation of the first ski lift, a young buck by the name of Warren Miller parted ways with the US Navy, packed his 8mm film camera, and hauled a teardrop trailer to the mountains of Idaho …
The Truth Behind Sun Valley in the Summer
IT MAY BE TEMPTING to pigeonhole Sun Valley as a winter destination (it’s home to one of the top ski resorts in North America, after all). But the options for adventure and fun only increase in proportion to the daily hours of sunlight — meaning that summer in Sun Valley is pretty hard to beat. Here are 19 truths that prove why.
Cozy Spots for Slowing Down in Sun Valley
words by Hayden Seder Sometimes, the outdoors-focused lifestyle in Ketchum means days can be all go, go, go. You wake up early for a yoga class, grab a quick bite to eat before hitting the mountain, then it’s on to après and dinner. But the mountains and the amenities aren’t going away, and the sun shines about 250 days per year, so it’s okay to slow down and have a quiet morning or a lazy afternoon. For those moments when you just want to cozy up with a book, enjoy remote work with a view, or just enjoy a hot toddy while you breathe for a minute, we’ve highlighted some of Ketchum’s coziest spots. Community Library Ketchum’s Community Library is chock-full of different spaces for a variety of needs, from doing some remote work to perusing books to finding a nice place to sit and catch up on your favorite book. Near the ma in entrance is a coveted fireplace, with cushy chairs on either side for lounging—a great way to while away a slower morning. Wander throughout the library and you’ll find personal workstations, more cushy lounge-style chairs near sunny windows with views of the surrounding mountains, or standard …
Crossing it up at Galena Lodge – Where Good Skiing meets Good Food
Twenty-three miles north of Sun Valley, tucked at the base of Galena Summit and nestled beneath the Boulder Mountains, sits a snow seeker’s manna. Constructed during the 1960s using vestiges of the property’s nineteenth-century mining colony, the Galena Lodge is a valley favorite for those wishing to escape “the big town” for a day of peace, beauty, and scrumptious food.
20 Things You Didn’t Know About Sun Valley
A smattering of things you might not have know about Sun Valley, Idaho.