Sun Valley hiking trip with Fido
February 5, 2012 11:25 AM   Subscribe

We're planning a road trip to Hailey and Ketchum, Idaho this spring. We're avid hikers and we'll have a dog with us. What advice or tips can you give us?

My husband and I are planning a road trip from Portland, OR to Stanley, Hailey, and Ketchum, Idaho this spring.

- We'd like to be there in an "off season" (we're quiet nature types who prefer deserted trailheads) So, when are the "off" seasons?

- We're primarily hikers, so less snow is better, but we're happy to pack snowshoes.

- We'll be hiking and camping with our dog. We'll need to leave her in the car when we go to a restaurant or shop, which is another reason why we're thinking Spring (too hot in Summer to leave her in the car)

- We have a rear-wheel drive vehicle and don't want to get to the area so early that there's still significant snow on the roads to trailheads. We know there's no guarantees when it comes to the weather, but would like a sense of when the snow typically melts, if we can be given such a sense.

- We prefer moderate to difficult day hikes and like to hike up high. Any recommendations?

- We'll be camping much of the time. Any campsite recommendations?

- What are some good restaurants in Hailey or Ketchum? We're not foodies but not into diner food either. Healthy food or really good burgers and fries work for us.

- Where could we go in these towns to really get a sense of the locals and what it's like to live there?

- Anything else we should check out when we're there?

Thanks!
posted by grayber to Travel & Transportation around Sun Valley, ID (4 answers total)
 
The Pioneer Saloon in Ketchum is worth a look, even if it's just for a drink. It has a great Old West atmosphere.
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 11:50 AM on February 5, 2012


If you are interested in Hemingway, you can see the home where he spent his last two years and eventually killed himself.
posted by pracowity at 11:51 AM on February 5, 2012


36 Hours in Sun Valley, 2010 NYT

There's plenty of good places to eat, not all of which are standard joints. It's a pricey place.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:35 PM on February 5, 2012


I live in Boise. I find that it's always easiest to get around whenever the ski resorts aren't open (ie late spring/early summer) but that also means that a lot of the gorgeous shops downtown won't be open either.
posted by cobain_angel at 6:24 PM on February 5, 2012


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