Weekend Getaway: Sun Valley, Idaho

 Sun Valley, Idaho bills itself as "an authentic ski town full of character and 250 sunny days a year (hence, the Sun Valley name) and uncrowded runs for everyone." It was the first ski resort to install a ski lift - adapted from a system to haul bananas onto ships in Panama - and has the largest automated snowmaking system in the world. We spent a weekend in Sun Valley with Stanley and Craters of the Moon National Monument thrown in. Idaho is an underrated gem - though, I think the word is getting out, and we really enjoyed our time here. Come with me to see the eastern side of Idaho!

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Craters of the Moon National Monument contains three young lava fields formed by volcanic eruptions originating from a 52 mile tear in the earths crust known as the Great Rift. What this means is that Craters of the Moon was not caused by a volcanic eruption but lava coming from the Great Rift which is the deepest known land based open volcanic rift in the world. This happened some 15,000 years to 2,000 years ago. But when you visit here, it looks as if it happened yesterday making for a very unique place to visit. " A weird and unique landscape, peculiar to itself" is how President Calvin Coolidge described the area on a 1924 visit.

Camping at Craters of the Moon

Located between the small towns of Arco and Carey and at an elevation of 5,900 feet, Craters of the Moon is an easy day trip from Boise, Sun Valley or Idaho Falls. We started our visit at, appropriately, the Visitor Center and decided that we would drive the Loop Road, a scenic 9 mile drive that takes about 30 minutes excluding stops. We stopped to take in the views of the Inferno Cone, took a short walk around one of the Spatter Cones and enjoyed seeing the landscape along with the different plants that have adapted to this land.

The inside of a spatter cone

It was a perfect, and unique, place to stop for an afternoon visit before moving on to Sun Valley. 

 

Sun Valley

The town and the resort share the same name. In the winter it's known for it's skiing and in the summer for its hiking and wildflower filled meadows. We enjoyed a few visits to local breweries, bike riding, and had a fantastic time at the little Sun Valley Brewfest. (I had originally hoped to visit some outdoor hot springs but the rivers were having Spring runoff and the hot springs were completely obliterated when we visited) The weather was a bit cool and cloudy but that didn't stop the mountains from looking absolutely stunning. What an incredibly beautiful area of our country!

Sawtooth National Recreation Area

We drove from Sun Valley to Stanley through a driving rain storm - like a duck drowner - and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. (There was also supposed to be a hot springs pool visit this day but was not to be) The views werent' spectacular and it was 38 at the top of Galena Summit - the mountain pass - so it seemed a bust. But then on the other side of the mountain the Sun came out and we found Redfish Lake. So all was not lost! (The drive from Sun Valley to Stanley usually takes about an hour)

At the top of Galena Summit

The only ones out on a rainy day

If you get a chance to go through Sawtooth National Recreation Area, I highly recommend it. It's absolutely beautiful!

Redfish Lake

Redfish Lake is the largest lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. It is a stunning, crystal clear lake with the mountains forming the serene setting. 

Redfish Lake Lodge is set on this beautiful lake and you can stay here in the lodge or its rustic cabins plus eat in Limberts, the restaurant here.  In front of the lodge is the Redfish Marina where you can rent a pontoon boat, take a scenic tour, enjoy several day use beaches, or take a hiker shuttle to the Redfish Inlet Trailhead. (My personal favorite would probably be the Sunset Apperizer Cruise!) There are horseback rides, free summer music, and bike rentals at the lake.  

We had a walk and drive around the lake area with a photo stop at a few spots. It really was a very surprising find - I had never heard of the lake before and was delighted to find this hidden gem. 

Stanley

At the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains and on the banks of the Salmon River, Stanley is a quirky little  town of 116. It's a funky western town that is a base for adventure in a pristine setting. It bills itself as "the trailhead to Idaho adventure" - whitewater rafting, biking, climbing, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing and more. 

This was our last stop on our weekend getaway and we drove through the town - which took about 3 nano seconds - and stopped to have a drink at The Kasino Club and it was a true representative of the quirkiness of Stanley.

If you'd like to visit a small town with little cabins, winding rivers, hot springs, crystal clear lakes and plenty of outdoor adventure, then Stanley is the place for you.

Where We Stayed

We rented an Air BnB that was a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment over a garage. It had a fully stocked kitchen, nice little living room and the bonus of a tandem bike to use. Which we did. Here are a few photos:

Message me if you'd like more info!

How about you? Have you been to the Sun Valley area?

Linking up with : My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!