“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 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, the …
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!
Fly and Ride! Traveling to Sun Valley with your Bike
words by Hayden Seder While there are plenty of places to rent a mountain bike in the Sun Valley area, having your own bike on the trails makes them that much sweeter. But flying with your bike is a pain . . . right? Not so much these days, where for a short amount of prep and the cost of checking a bag, you can have your bike on your next vacay to Sun Valley, where the area promises over 400 miles of singletrack. With how much riding you’re going to be doing, you’re going to want a bike that fits you perfectly and has all the specs adjusted to your liking. So read on for Visit Sun Valley’s guide to flying your bike to Sun Valley. Getting Your Bike Ready to Fly There are a few options for what to pack your bike in to fly, namely either a hard or soft case or a cardboard bike box. Many local bike shops carry the cardboard boxes and will either give them to you for free or for just a couple bucks. Assuming you pack the bike correctly, most airlines will accept this. The other option is a soft or …
Guide to White Water Rafting Near Sun Valley
Rafting on any of the numerous sections of rivers surrounding the Sun Valley area can be the experience of a lifetime. Taking in the beauty of Idaho from the swirling waters of its beautiful rivers is truly a unique experience to our area. While for many, a white water rafting trip is synonymous with a multi-day trip, complete with nights around the campfire and food fresh from the Dutch-oven, there are plenty of half- and full-day rafting opportunities in the Sun Valley area. Half- and Full-Day Trips Sawtooth Adventure Company Sawtooth Adventure Company specializes in whitewater rafting trips for the entire family on the Salmon River. SAC has a variety of half-day and full day trip offerings on the Main Salmon and multi-day trips Middle Fork of the Salmon. One of SAC’s unique offerings is their Twilight Dinner Trips offering top-shelf experience on the Salmon River reserved for private groups. Twilight trips Dutch Oven entrees, creative salads, grilled meats, beer, wine, live music and s’mores. For a complete line-up of their offerings, be sure to check out Sawtooth Adventure Company site. White Cloud Rafting Adventures Offering half- and full-day trips on various sections of the Main Salmon River, White Cloud …
Golfing Around Sun Valley, Idaho
“This is not all about golf,” is inscribed in a stone marker at the 5th tee box of Sun Valley Resort’s White Clouds golf course, words spoken by the Resort’s owner to commemorate his vision when he dedicated the parcel of land for the golf course. While the Sun Valley area is certainly not all about golf, it’s certainly holding its own in the department with three Sun Valley golf courses—Trail Creek, White Clouds, and Elkhorn—as well as Bigwood and The Valley Club courses. Read on to learn about which style of course will suit your fancy and which clubs have the best afternoon drinks and bites to soak up rays after hitting the links. Sun Valley Resort The Sun Valley Resort is home to three golf courses, each with their own terrain and appeal. Combined, these three courses offer up a total of 45 holes with two driving ranges and putting practice putting opportunities. Sun Valley golf was most recently recognized by Golf Digest as one of the Best Courses in the PNW. Trail Creek The Trail Creek golf course is located at the Sun Valley Club House and is the resort’s signature course. The 18-hole course was designed by Robert …
Fly Fishing in Sun Valley, ID – The Ultimate Guide
The Sun Valley area offers an incredible diversity of fly fishing opportunities for everyone from the casual novice to the ambitious expert. Time to buy a stack of postcards for Mom, because you’ll have plenty of fish stories to tell after wading our local waters.
A Runner’s Tour of the Sun Valley Area
With hundreds of summer trails and plowed paths throughout the winter, the Sun Valley, Idaho area boasts a year-round running season and community to boot. A known mecca for skiers and riders alike, the area triples as a high altitude runner’s paradise. Try any run on this list for inspiring views and challenging routes, just remember to calibrate your pacing to at least 6000 feet of elevation.
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.
5 Reasons Why Sun Valley Summers Shine
With the mountains in full bloom, a bevy of outdoor pursuits, and a seemingly endless array of festivals and special events, they make it their mission to ensure each weekend is more epic than the last. With plenty of room in the suitcase without the bulky boots and winter gear, get ready for playtime because there is no off-season in Sun Valley’s mountainous backyard.
20 Things You Didn’t Know About Sun Valley
A smattering of things you might not have know about Sun Valley, Idaho.