Welcome to the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve–America’s First Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Reserve
The Welcome Center | Hailey
The Chamber & Visitor Welcome Center is your first stop for information about Hailey and the wonderful Wood River Valley! We are located at 781 S. Main Street. We have friendly and knowledgeable staff ready to assist you. The beautiful city Visitors Welcome Center building, which opened in 2013, is LEED certified, and a showcase for sustainable design and construction. The spacious interior has a variety of rotating exhibits in its 700 square foot gallery space, as well as an information desk, hundreds of brochures and maps, and the offices of The Chamber.
Sawtooth Botanical Garden
The Sawtooth Botanical Garden is a community resource showcasing native and cultivated plants that flourish at high altitude. The Garden connects people to the region’s unique beauty and fosters environmental stewardship through education, events, displays, and plant collections. Sawtooth Botanical Garden spaces: Biome Display Gardens Perennial Beds Educational Spaces Meditative Spaces Special Spaces Art in the Garden Download a map of the Sawtooth Botanical Garden HERE. Wedding & Special Events The Sawtooth Botanical Garden offers a beautiful backdrop for all of your special events as well as a professional setting for hosting meetings and seminars. The five acre Garden is a four season destination. The entire garden may be utilized seasonally while the greenhouse and Visitor’s Center may be used year-round. The outdoor gardens are perfect for tented events including weddings, reunions and large parties. Caterers will feel at home in the spacious kitchen featuring a commercial grade gas oven/range, walk-in cooler and freezer. The Garden of Infinite Compassion, Ellen Long Garden Pavilion, and the Formal Perennial Garden and Lawn area provide beautiful venues for outdoor events. Children’s groups are welcome with supervision and Garden Staff may be available by request and special reservations. Proceeds from facility rental help GROW the …
Sun Valley Resort
“Sun Valley Resort exists because of three men: Hannagan, William Averell Harriman and Count Felix Schaffgotsch. The brains, the money and the brawn behind the project respectively, this trip turned the then crazy idea of building a magnificent palace in the snow into a reality. Harriman, chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, was a famous playboy whose passion for glamorous pursuits inspired the idea of creating America’s first destination ski resort at the end of one of his railroads. The promise of passenger traffic on the freight-heavy line was enough to convince UP’s board and, after a snow-seeking odyssey across the Wild West, Count Schaffgotch found the perfect spot. Then, with Hannagan’s marketing genius, Harriman’s cash and connections, and the charming Count’s direct line to the best ski instructors in Europe, a legend was born.” — Jennifer Tuohy Bald Mountain Baldy is considered by serious skiers as the country’s single best ski mountain with 13 lifts and 64 runs. Seven high-speed quads, four triples and two doubles send skiers up 3,400 vertical feet to a summit altitude of 9,150. Recognized for both its absence of lift lines as well as its incredibly light and fast snow, Bald Mountain has …
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Described as a “weird and scenic landscape”, Craters of the Moon certainly lives up to its reputation. It was established in 1924 to preserve the unique volcanic features of this enormous lava field. The 750,000-acre monument and preserve contains a diverse array of volcanic features including volcanic rifts, cinder cones, spatter cones, shield volcanoes and lava tube caves. A surprising number of plants and animals have adapted to live in the harsh volcanic and high desert environment. It is an excellent site for hiking, bird watching, photography, backpacking and caving (permits required). The monument is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. Click here for a detailed map of the 3 different units that make up & manage Craters of the Moon. The park is open every day. Some park facilities and the loop road are closed during the winter. Visit Current Conditions and Operating Hours & Seasons for more information. When the loop road is open to automobile traffic an entrance fee is charged. Find out more on the Fees and Passes page. Visitor Center – Visitor Center Open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Extended summer hours, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., begin on Memorial …
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway held an abiding affection for central Idaho from his first visit to Sun Valley in 1939 until his death in his final home along the Big Wood River in the Sun Valley, Idaho area in 1961. There are numerous Read Cowboys & Indians insightful article about Hemingway’s ties to Idaho here. Things To Do: Pay your respects at the Hemingway Memorial (1.5 miles east of the Sun Valley Lodge), at the Ketchum Cemetery (1026 N Main Street) or by visiting his favorite haunts (click here for a map). Visit the Wood River Museum of History and Culture (208-726-8118) Hemingway fans, historians, and researchers will enjoy the dedicated Hemingway exhibit: A Writer in New Country: Hemingway in 1939. For a full immersive audio narrated walking tour experience, check out the Community Library’s Hemingway tour. Check out the “Guide to Hemingway in Idaho” brochure with map of “Hemingway” locations, virtual Hemingway experiences, and recommended reading. Discover all of Ernest Hemingway’s historical ties to the area with our blog: A Guide to Ernest Hemingway’s Sun Valley Legacy Fans should make sure to attend the Ernest Hemingway Seminar hosted by The Community Library in Ketchum every September. Details can be found HERE. …
Hailey, Idaho
The city of Hailey, aka, “Idaho’s Hometown in the Mountains”, is situated in the heart of the Wood River Valley amidst the majestic Central Idaho Rockies. The community lies at the edge of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forest and is surrounded by wild, public lands. The Big Wood River, meanders its way through the Valley right next to the western edge of the city of Hailey. Hailey is 11 miles south of the resort towns of Ketchum and Sun Valley, and 160 miles east of Boise, the state’s capital. The main route into town is State Highway 75 off U.S. 20 to the south. The nearest interstate freeway is I-84 to the south. Click here for a historic walking tour of town! With a population of 8,000, Hailey is the largest community in the Wood River Valley and home to a diverse mix of residents. Hailey is also where the Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) is located. Friedman Memorial is the closest airport to Sun Valley and accommodates non-stop commercial flights from 6 major cities as well as private and chartered aircraft. The Chamber – Hailey & the Wood River Valley welcomes you to the beautiful Wood River Valley of Idaho! Here you will find our community …
Stanley, Idaho
Stanley, Idaho is one of the last strongholds of the Idaho frontier. Unaffected, pristine, and planted at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains on the banks of the Salmon River. It’s nestled in an amphitheater of rarely found natural beauty, a place that will leave an indelible impression on you from the moment you enter. Defined by the jagged peaks of the Sawtooth Range and the promise of the Salmon River, Stanley is a funky western town with eye popping sunsets that awakes each morning to the freshest air on earth. The full gamut of outdoorsmen and women, ranchers, artists, and visitors walk the streets of Stanley in an eclectic mix that gives our town its charm. We’re off the beaten path and home to river companies, outfitters, backcountry guides, and colorful locals. World class fishing, whitewater boating, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, back country skiing, horseback riding, and camping all lie just outside the town limits. Once you acclimatize in Sun Valley, come north on Highway 75 to Stanley and enjoy the many reminders of our pioneer heritage (stop by the Stanley Museum!). Stanley sits within the 756,000 acre Sawtooth National Recreation Area, which contains four mountain ranges (Sawtooth, Smoky, Boulder, …
Bald Mountain Summer Lift Access
For Summer 2025, Scenic Lift Rides will begin on June 27 and lift-assisted biking on July 2. The Gondola and lifts will be available from Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm. The last day will be September 7th. Whether you’re enjoying lunch at the Roundhouse Lodge, hiking the trails on Bald Mountain, or just sightseeing, you can’t beat the incredible panoramic views of some of Idaho’s highest peaks and the cool temperatures on top of Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain (9150 ft.) this summer. The Roundhouse Restaurant will also open June 27 for the summer season. Lunch will be available Wednesday to Sunday, from 11 am – 3 pm. Reservations are required, book online or call (208) 622-2012. Buy Scenic Lift Ride Tickets HERE. Rides down are free. Scenic tickets are valid for the Roundhouse Express Gondola and Christmas Lift. Each ticket is valid for a single ride from the bottom of the River Run base area to the top of Christmas Lift and back down. Each passenger loading the Roundhouse Express Gondola must have their own scenic ticket Children 2 and under are free and may ride the gondola only Children must be able to load Christmas lift unassisted. They …
Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Nestled in the Wood River Valley, the Headquarters Visitor Center is the southern gateway to the majestic landscapes of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Visitor Center features a wide range of information services, compelling educational programs, video presentation, audio tour tapes and natural history exhibits. Here you will find the headwaters of the Salmon River and over 300 alpine lakes which lie nestled between the jagged peaks. Trail rides and pack trips, scenic drives, hiking and boating are all available near Stanley. There is a Dump Station, Gift Shop, Handicap Access, Instruction, Motor Coach Parking, Parking, Restrooms, Visitor Center. The SNRA can be reached by driving 2.5 hours east on State Highway 21 from Boise, Idaho; making a one-hour drive north on State Highway 75 from the Ketchum/Sun Valley area, or by driving one hour west on State Highway 75 from Challis, Idaho. Driving times vary by season; during the winter months, call the Idaho Department of Transportation for road conditions. Located at the northernmost end of the Sawtooth National Forest, SNRA comprises one of the largest and most magnificent National Recreation Areas in the United States. Four mountain ranges: the Sawtooths, Boulders, White Clouds, and Smokies provide scenic landscapes …
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