Live music abounds in Sun Valley in the summer, from big-ticket shows at River Run to smaller ticketed shows at the Liberty Theater and Whiskeys to the lengthy slate of free weekly music, like Wicked Wednesdays at the Wicked Spud, Ketch’em Alive at Forest Service Park, and Hailey Rocks at Hop Porter Park. This summer is no different, with an excellent lineup of concerts from the Sun Valley Museum of Art (SVMOA), the Arygros, Sun Valley, and more. To give you the inside scoop, Visit Sun Valley chatted with some radio DJs from local station KDPI—trust us, these guys know music. Joining us were Sheila Moriarty, Brett Macubre, and Logan Frederickson from Mountain Music Menagerie (a weekly themed show curated by a group of friends on Thursdays from 7–9pm) and Caleb Horowitz (aka DJ Klondike) of The Good Show, described as “good music for good and bad people” (Wednesdays from 8–10pm). Sun Valley Museum of Art: Old Crow Medicine Show and Lake Street Dive The SVMOA summer concert series is always a season highlight, with past performances by artists like Wilco, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, and more. Playing at the Sun Valley Pavilion on June 19 is folk band Old …
Get your Western on Sun Valley Style
Before Count Felix Schaffgosch arrived in Ketchum and created “America’s First Destination Ski Resort,” the area had already experienced the boom and bust of a profitable mining settlement, the rise of sheep ranching, and the quiet days of the Great Depression. The Wood River Valley was settled in the 1860’s by a handful of mining prospectors, and by 1880 the area was on its way to being one of the richest silver mining regions. Mule and horse-drawn wagons transported ore between the mines and Union Pacific depots until the rail line extended into Ketchum. After the silver bust in the 1890’s sheep ranching in the area grew from the 1890’s to the 1920’s, when Ketchum became the largest sheep and lamb shipping station in the United States. Though the town changed with the creation of Sun Valley Resort, the past lived on in buildings, ranches, and colorful stories. Through activities like horseback riding, sport shooting, and festivals like Wagon Days and Trailing of the Sheep the story of the area is not being forgotten and you can still experience the Western heritage of this one-time mining town. Horseback Riding While Sun Valley may not flaunt its reputation as a part of the …
4 Ways to Best Experience Fly Fishing in Sun Valley
Sun Valley still supports the kind of fishery you might have imagined existed back when Lewis & Clark first made their trip through Idaho. Fly fishing on four extraordinarily diverse waterways sit anywhere from a stones throw to an hour drive away hold a diverse species of fish. Find monstrous brown trout in Silver Creek, healthy rainbows in the Big Wood River, vibrant cutthroats in the Lost River, and apex bull trout & salmonoids in the Salmon River. Combined, these famed Idaho rivers/creeks make the area a true nexus of freshwater fly fishing. 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. Guides There are a ton of great fishing holes spread all across the Wood River Valley and even more on the neighboring drainages. With hundreds of miles of waterways and ever-changing meanders the best way to maximize your fly fishing experience is to hire a guide. Beyond just knowing all the honey holes, guides will set you up with the tastiest fly’s to get …
5 Best Ways to Mountain Bike Sun Valley
Known for flowy, laomy buff singletrack complemented with more rowdy, advanced terrain in the sub-alpine and alpine, riders can turn it up for weeks on end without ever repeating the same ride. In a place where every ride takes you somewhere magical, it’s as though you’ve arrived in mountain bike nirvana. It can be overwhelming at first so we have put together the 5 things that will help you best maximize your experience in Sun Valley. Bike Shops and Guide Services With so many trails of varying levels of difficulty it can be overwhelming on where to start. Whether your just getting into the sport or a seasoned professional looking for that brutal expedition there is a bike shop or guide that can get you headed in the right direction. Beyond decades of local knowledge and having all the best spots to go Guides are crucial in local stewardship and personifying etiquette. Whether your looking to dodge the crowds or expand your skills there is a guide in town that will make your short time here unforgettable. Blogs Lift Access Whether you’re enjoying lunch at the Roundhouse Lodge or the of hiking and biking trails, you can’t beat the incredible …
Locals Guide to Sun Valley’s Trails
With over 400 miles of trails spread across the Wood River Valley, from Bellevue all the way up north to Galena Lodge, it’s hard to know where to start. The area’s extensive, multi-use trails are fit for all kinds of recreation—biking, hiking, trail running, and horseback riding. Whether you’re new to the area or just new to the trails, there are some great starter trails in Hailey, mid-valley, and Ketchum. We talked to Sara Gress, the Executive Director of the Wood River Trails Coalition which works to create, maintain, and sustain the Valley’s network of trails to get her take on the best spots to try first. Hailey Sara: You have to ride Croy because it’s super fun for biking. The Two Dog Loop [6.7 miles] is fun and flowy, and you get some good views of the Pios, but it’s not butt-puckering. And it’s still enjoyable enough that if you’re an advanced rider, it’s still a really good ride. It’s a good place to hone your skills. I ride out there because it’s enjoyable and it’s not scary. People hike and trail run the trails out Croy and even ride horses sometimes too. Also try: Quigley Trails Park which …
Locals Guide to Driving & Parking around Sun Valley
Chief Deputy for the Blaine County Sheriff’s Department, Will Fruehling, has been patrolling the streets of the Wood River Valley for over 20 years. Since starting his career as a patrol officer for the Ketchum Police Department in 1995, Fruehling has been a patrol deputy, a Sergeant, Investigator for the Idaho Department of Corrections, and was appointed to his current position in 2017 by Sheriff Harkins. As a local and a police officer, Fruehling has seen plenty of visitors come and go over the years and through the seasons. So we asked him some tips on driving and parking, what his driving pet peeves are, and Fruehling settles the Miscellany II debate between left-lane drivers and right-lane once and for all. What tips do you have for visitors who haven’t driven in snow before? Will: “Obviously, the first thing is for people to slow down when the road’s covered in snow or when the road is slick. You see these people who wiz by and then you see them right in front of you at the next stoplight in town and you’re like, they made it at the same time that I did, but they went too fast for these …
Most Instagrammable places in Sun Valley, Idaho
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 …
20 Things to Know Before You go Camping or RVing
Camping or RVing is a great way to experience the Sun Valley area, but there are some things to know to not only enjoy your time but to also respect mother nature and keep access open for all of us. Before You Go Have the proper gear Have a plan Get the necessary permits Know the weather Before you leave, notify a responsible person of your planned route of travel, time of departure and return. Be sure to check with that person when you return Where to Go There are tons of options for campsites around Sun Valley. Whether that is dispersed sites or reserved campground slots there is something for everyone. Reservations Designated Camping Zones Stay limits usually range from 6-16 nights so be sure to check Campfires The Sun Valley area knows a thing or two about the power of wildfires. So be sure to keep it contained, monitored, and properly put out. Know the restrictions especially burn bans Where it’s ok to have campfires How to properly put out a fire What NOT to burn – plastics, cans, trash Leave No Trace “Take only photos, leave only footprints” “Bathroom Activities”: At least 150 ft from any water …