Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Sun Valley lies in the Wood River Valley of central Idaho, surrounded by sagebrush hills and mountain ranges. Developed in the 1930s by the Union Pacific Railroad as a destination ski resort, it introduced chairlifts to skiing and quickly attracted celebrities and Hollywood figures. The resort village sits beside the older mining and sheep ranching town of Ketchum, and the two function together as one community.
In winter, Bald Mountain, known locally as Baldy, offers long, consistent runs and is the main draw for experienced skiers, while Dollar Mountain is gentler and suited to beginners and terrain park riders. The Sun Valley Lodge and Sun Valley Village keep their alpine-style charm, with skating and shops. In summer, the Sun Valley Pavilion hosts the Sun Valley Music Festival. Ernest Hemingway spent his last years in Ketchum, and a small memorial stands along Trail Creek. Downtown Ketchum has galleries, restaurants and bookshops, and the paved Wood River Trail runs for miles through the valley for cyclists and walkers.
North of town, the highway climbs to the Galena Summit Overlook, with views of the Sawtooth Range and the headwaters of the Salmon River, and continues toward Redfish Lake and the tiny town of Stanley. The Pioneer Cabin Trail is a classic summer hike with big mountain views.
WiserMap travel guideSun Valley Idaho Bald Mountain Skiing and Sawtooth ViewsPlan a Sun Valley trip with Bald Mountain, Ketchum, the Hemingway Memorial, Galena Summit, the Sawtooths and the Wood River Trail in every season.Read the guide
Known locally as Baldy, this is Sun Valley's main ski mountain, with long groomed runs, steep bowls and more than 3,000 feet of vertical drop served by modern lifts and gondolas. In summer the gondola carries hikers and mountain bikers up to trails and the historic Roundhouse restaurant. Book ski lessons early in peak weeks.
A smaller, gentler ski hill near Sun Valley Village, ideal for beginners and families learning to ski or snowboard. It also has terrain parks with jumps and rails and a tubing hill. Lift tickets are cheaper than on Bald Mountain, and the open slopes give clear views of the surrounding valley.
Sun Valley Lodge opened in 1936 as one of America's first destination ski resorts and has hosted many Hollywood stars. The pedestrian village around it has shops, restaurants and a year-round outdoor ice rink, where summer evening ice shows feature top figure skaters. Book ice show tickets in advance.
A quiet memorial along Trail Creek, about a mile east of Sun Valley Lodge, with a bronze bust of the writer, who spent his final years in Ketchum. A plaque carries words Hemingway wrote for a friend about the hills and streams of the area. His grave is in Ketchum Cemetery, a short drive away.
An elegant open-air concert hall built of stone, wood and fabric beside Sun Valley Lodge, with lawn seating outside. Each summer it hosts the Sun Valley Music Festival, a classical music series where concerts are free to attend. Bring a blanket and picnic for the lawn, and arrive early for good spots.
The small town next to Sun Valley, with a compact downtown full of art galleries, outdoor shops, cafes, bakeries and good restaurants, set below Bald Mountain. Galleries hold evening gallery walks in summer and winter. Park once and explore on foot, as the center is only a few blocks across.
A paved path that follows an old railroad route through the Wood River Valley, linking Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley over about 20 miles. It is popular for cycling, walking and inline skating in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. Rent a bike in Ketchum and ride south along the river.
A popular and steep hike east of Sun Valley that climbs about 2,500 feet over roughly four miles to a rustic cabin built by the resort in the 1930s for ski touring. From the cabin there are big views of the Pioneer Mountains. Start early in summer, carry plenty of water and expect a strenuous climb.
A high mountain pass on Highway 75 north of Ketchum with a pullout overlooking the jagged Sawtooth Mountains and the headwaters of the Salmon River in the valley below. Interpretive signs explain the area. It is a highlight of the drive to Stanley, and the light is best in the morning or late afternoon.
Redfish Lake sits at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains about an hour and a half north of Sun Valley, with sandy beaches, a historic lodge and boat rentals. The nearby village of Stanley is a base for Salmon River rafting. Take the boat shuttle across the lake to reach trailheads deeper in the mountains.
A vast landscape of black lava flows, cinder cones and lava tubes about an hour and a half southeast of Sun Valley. A short loop road leads to trails, a cinder cone you can climb and caves you can explore. Get a free cave permit at the visitor center, and bring a flashlight and sturdy shoes.
A small garden just south of Ketchum showing plants that thrive in the high mountain climate of central Idaho, with native wildflowers, demonstration beds and walking paths. It also has a Tibetan prayer wheel in a peaceful garden built for a visit by the Dalai Lama. It is a calm stop for an hour in summer.
Top-rated local businesses in Sun Valley, with real reviews on WiserMap.
No reviews yet. Been to Sun Valley? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Sun Valley? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: Rickmouser45, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: US Navy, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Kingmiwok, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Wikideas1, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: mypubliclands, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Fredlyfish4, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Fredlyfish4, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BLMIdaho, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Sam Beebe, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Sba2 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
Photo: Sashimi-b, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Zoeliz30, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: P.W. Radacher, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rickmouser45, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sashimi-b, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: United States Department of Defense, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Gord Schindell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Skiidahonorthsouth, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: B137, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Thomson200, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Eddia Liu Sun-Ming, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jud McCranie, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jud McCranie for image, Gutzon Borglum for coin, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jud McCranie for image, Gutzon Borglum for coin, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: GlamorousGeologist, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Elisabetheleven, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: R2lx, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Edgardo W. Olivera from Montevideo, Uruguay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Alberto Costa, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: HanSangYoon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Renegomezphotography, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Renelibrary, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: David Smith , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Bob Linsdell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Keepitsimplekarl, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Bob Linsdell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Andy Melton from Boise, ID, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Frank Kovalchek, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christian, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: NPS Staff (Photo Credit: NPS), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: NPS Staff (Photo Credit: NPS), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: NPS Staff (Photo Credit: NPS), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington from Portland, America, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Matthew Dillon from Hollywood, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Matthew Dillon from Hollywood, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Matthew Dillon from Hollywood, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Matthew Dillon from Hollywood, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Miguel Vieira from Walnut Creek, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
