Start Planning Your Sun Valley Vacation in Ketchum, ID at the Hotel Ketchum
Scenic Hiking
The Ketchum/Sun Valley area is home to over 400-hundred miles of singletrack. You could literally explore our local trails for weeks before repeating the same one! So, skip the crowds and head to the mountains to to be at one with nature. No crowds, no distractions, just you and those Insta-worthy views.
Rainmaker Splash Park
A favorite spot to spend some time with the kids is the Rainmaker Splash Park. This family-friendly splash park is surrounded by shady trees with a fully re-circulating and filtered system to ensure water quality. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 7 days a week in June and until 7 p.m. in July and August, weather permitting.
Wood River Farmers' Market
Every Tuesday from mid-June to mid-September, locals and visitors enjoy afternoons at the Wood River Farmers’ Market. Come join in on the fun, meet the hardworking farmers and artists who sell their homemade and home-grown products and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the open-air market.
Yoga at River Run
Get your zen on with complimentary yoga at River Run Plaza. These free classes are beginner friendly and take place on Saturday mornings.
Wildflower Walks
Join the Sawtooth Botanical Garden (SBG) for their popular summer wildflower walk series to some of our local area’s most diverse and spectacular habitats. These Wildflower Walks are led by local experts and destinations are determined based on what is blooming where and when.
Book your stay now at Hotel Ketchum where you will always receive a complimentary daily breakfast to fuel you up for the day’s adventures! Don't forget, Hotel Ketchum is also a pet-friendly hotel!
City of Ketchum Tree Lighting Ceremony, December 5
Be sure to dress up warm for this spectacular event taking place in the Ketchum Town Square. Let Santa know what you’re wishing for this Christmas or grab a photo with him for your holiday cards. Then warm up with a cup of coco and a delicious holiday cookie.
Winter Kickoff Party at Warfield Distillery, December 8
Sip on a local craft beer as you view a special screening of Level 1 Production’s Zig Zag in support of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
Wood River Orchestra Holiday Concert, December 9
Join the Wood River Orchestra for a night of classic holiday music at the Argyros Performing Arts Center. A free family-friendly event!
Sun Valley Tree Lighting Ceremony, December 15
Here in Ketchum and Sun Valley, one tree lighting ceremony is never enough. Head up to the Sun Valley Village at 5:30pm to visit with Santa, view an ice carving demonstration, enjoy live music, hot coco, cookies and more.
The Winter Solstice Soiree, December 21
Find your way to the Ketchum Town Square to celebrate Ketchum’s Dark Sky Reserve with live music by Audio Moonshine, snacks provided by KB’s, cookies and coco provided by the Hailey Coffee Company and more!
The Sun Valley Hallelujah Chorus, December 22 + 23
One of Ketchum’s most beloved holiday events, the Sun Valley Hallelujah Chorus will perform The Promise & Messiah at the Argyros Performing Arts Center. Join in yourself during the sing-along portion of the performance!
Skating in a Winter Wonderland Ice Show & Torchlight Parade, December 24
Before you snuggle in to bed on Christmas Eve, find your way to Sun Valley for one of the area’s most beloved holiday traditions. On Christmas Eve, the “Skating in a Winter Wonderland’ ice show will feature performances by Frank Sweiding, Anita Hartshorn, Ashley Clarke and more with appearances by the Sun Valley Carolers, and of course, Santa Claus. Immediately following the ice show, Dollar Mountain will be aglow with light during the annual Dollar Torchlight Parade and fireworks.
Gallery Walk, December 28
Mix and mingle with artists and friends while viewing thought-provoking new art exhibitions.
Night Skiing & Fireworks at Dollar Mountain, December 31
Explore Dollar Mountain at night, under the lights, during this once-a-season night skiing event. This event is family-friendly and features music, fireworks, face painting, a photo booth and more.
The Bubbly Bash, December 31
One of the most spectacular ways to ring in the new year in Sun Valley, is at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts annual Bubbly Bash featuring music by DJ Lady Sinclair. A favorite New Year’s Eve event, the Bubbly Bash sells out annually, so be sure to purchase your tickets early!
For a complete schedule of all there is to see and do this December, head over to www.visitsunvalley.com.
For information about Ketchum and the best deals on hotel rooms, look no further than Hotel Ketchum! See our current Ketchum hotel deals and book a room in Ketchum's newest boutique hotel this holiday season.
The Ketchum/Sun Valley area is home to over 400-hundred miles of pristine Idaho singletrack (yes really)! So, ditch the crowds and head to the mountains this summer to experience what it’s like to be at one with nature. No crowds, no distractions, just you and those Insta-worthy views. You could literally explore our local trails for weeks before repeating the same one! Give it a try, we promise you’ll have an epic Idaho adventure, complete with expansive, Instagrammable views.
But where do you start? Here’s a look at a few of our favorite trails, ranging from easy to advanced, to get you started.
Mountain Biking
Easy
Named for its open, sunny qualities, Sunnyside Trail takes riders through sage-covered gullies before opening to breathtaking views and the perfect picnic table to rest your legs at. In the spring, this trail is absolutely aglow with lupine. At 2.2 miles, Sunnyside Trail can be enjoyed as a simple out-and-back ride, or as a longer, more intermediate ride when connected to other trails like Shady Side.
Medium
If you’re looking for more of a backcountry ride, then Greenhorn Trail is for you. Located just south of Ketchum, this trail makes a great out-and-back, featuring aspen groves, dense pine and fir forests, spectacular views, and flower-covered slopes. This nearly 9-mile trail can get very demanding and passes through a wide variety of terrain, including some areas of forest still recovering from fire damage, so be sure to check the weather before you head out for a ride.
Advanced
Not for the faint of heart, Boundary Loop is a steep climb with blazing descents. Open and sun exposed as you get towards the top, it’s best to climb this trail early in the morning when temperatures are cooler. If you need to get off your bike every once in a while, to catch your breath, you’ll be treated to unbeatable views of the Sawtooth Mountains and the Casino Lakes. Once you make your way to the top, be ready for a thrilling descent along alpine lakes down to Warm Springs Meadow.
Hiking/Trail Running
Easy
The White Clouds Loop is family-friendly, close to town, and perfect for a nice mellow spring or early summer hike. Made up of three dirt trails and the paved Trail Creek Path, the White Clouds Loop is the perfect way to get in a quick trail fix without breaking too much of a sweat. The trails, built in 2008, feature scenic views of the White Cloud Golf Course, Bald Mountain, the Sun Valley Lodge, and downtown Ketchum.
Medium
The Proctor Mountain Loop Trail is the perfect lunchtime hike for the moderate hiker. Approximately three miles long this trail features a heart pounding 1,133-foot gain in elevation, bird's-eye-views of Sun Valley and Bald Mountain and a passes by a cool mountain stream, perfect for cooling down your favorite four legged hiking buddy on a hot summer day. While enjoying this loop, be sure to take time to visit the world's first chairlift!
Advanced
A day hike to the Pioneer Cabin, makes its way on to the to-do-list of many a Sun Valley visitor, and with good reason. This 8.5-mile roundtrip hike meanders through shady forests across a plateau full of wildflowers to high alpine vistas offering spectacular views of both the Hyndman and Cobb Peaks, and of course, the historic Pioneer Cabin, built in 1938. The cabin, modeled after the alpine huts of Europe, was originally built to make skiing in the Pioneer Mountains more accessible for the Alpine Touring branch of the Ski School. In fact, several of the peaks that are visible from the cabin were named by members of the Alpine Touring program for colleagues who were killed while serving in the 10th Mountain Division during World War II.
After a long day exploring the trails, enjoy a dip in the pool, relax and grab a craft cocktail at The Hangout right inside the Hotel Ketchum!
Thursdays in The Backyard
On Thursday evenings, The Backyard at Hotel Ketchum is the spot to be! With live music, craft cocktails, yard games, and delicious food specials, everything you need for a perfect evening is at your fingertips. Bring your pups, brings your pals, because it’s going to be a good time.
Ketch'em Alive
Every Tuesday evening, mid-June through mid-August, locals and visitors gather in Forest Service Park to enjoy good music, dancing, picnics and time with friends and family. National and regional musical acts ranging from electronica and rock to world beat and Americana have graced the stage. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or a small lawn chair to sit on, and be sure to grab a warm sweater to keep yourself toasty after sunset.
Jazz in the Park
Some consider Jazz in the Park to be the mellower, more mature sibling to Ketch’em Alive. More picnic than party, Jazz in the Park features Many of Idaho’s best Jazz musicians performing every Sunday evening in Ketchum’s Rotary Park on Warm Springs Road. The mellow, casual atmosphere is the perfect end to an action-packed weekend in Sun Valley.
The Sun Valley Summer Symphony
The Sun Valley Summer Symphony offers free-admission classical music concerts that inspire and enrich through dynamic, engaging programming. The largest privately funded free-admission symphony in America, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony celebrated 30 seasons in the glorious Idaho mountains in 2014. Internationally acclaimed guest artists and ensembles have graced the Symphony stage, including Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Eugene Brancoveanu, and Chris Botti.
There is never a shortage of things to do and see in the Sun Valley/Ketchum area. Explore the local scene from the convenient location of the Hotel Ketchum in downtown Ketchum!
Ketchum and Sun Valley are well known as a winter destination, but they are also home to incredible fly fishing opportunities year-round. With local access to miles of riffle-run-pool trout fishing in the Big Wood River and the "crown jewel" of spring creeks in the Rockies, anglers feel at home here on the rivers. Explore all the area has to offer with plenty of surprises waiting just around the river bend. Unlike other fly fishing regions in the U.S., the river access in the Sun Valley area is unbeatable. Idaho state law designates the land within a navigable river's high-water marks as public trespass right-of-way,. which means once you enter at an appropriate access point, you can wade as far up or downstream as you desire. With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, there is really no bad time to head out on your next adventure. Grab your best fishing buddy and come on up to explore all that the rivers in the Ketchum and Sun Valley area have to offer.
Where To Go:
- The Big Wood River
The Big Wood River is a great spot for novices and experts alike. Featuring bountiful rainbow trout and brown trout, this river is convenient to town and a great option any month of the year. - Warm Springs Creek
This tributary meets up with the Big Wood River right here in the City of Ketchum! Head out for a quick, mid-day fishing fix, or wander a few miles upstream for a more remote experience. The rainbow trout and wild rainbows found here often exceed expectations. - The Lost River System
Just 40 minutes over the Trail Creek Pass, the Lost River drainage is simply stunning, with beautiful emerald tributaries and breathtaking views of the Pioneer Mountains. It's not uncommon to find fish exceeding 20 inches here! - Silver Creek
40 miles to the south of Ketchum lies Silver Creek, dubbed the "crown jewel" of the Rockies. This nature preserve welcomes the public to try their hand at catching massive brown trout and beautiful rainbows. This is also a great location to view other area wildlife, often frequented by elk, moose, deer, waterfowl, and raptors. - The Salmon River
Our proximity to The Salmon River is a marvelous asset! You'll want to bring your drift boat to explore this boulder-strewn river, overflowing with massive bull trout. Steelheads can often be found here in the spring, as well as chinook salmon in summer months.
Anglers feel at home on the rivers of Ketchum and Sun Valley any time of the year. And from the Hotel Ketchum's ideal location on Main Street, access to the area's rivers, shopping, dining, and nightlife is a breeze! Check out our current lodging specials to get the best rates for your next adventure.