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, and White Cloud), the headwaters of four major rivers (Payette, Salmon, Boise, and Big Wood), hundreds of lakes, over 1,000 miles of streams, and at least 50 peaks over 10,000 feet in elevation. Three National Forest Scenic Byways converge at Stanley (Sawtooth, Ponderosa Pine, and Salmon River).
