AREA ATTRACTIONS

Filling your days at the Ranch isn’t hard, but if you want to get out and explore there’s plenty more for visitors to do. Check out the local natural hot springs, museums and ghost towns. Take a scenic flight, drive, or walking tour and shop in Stanley or nearby Sun Valley. Or, simply settle in for a massage to soothe any aches that may have popped up from the day’s adventures.

Must-See in Stanley

SIHA, the Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association and Redfish Visitor Center have fun and informative displays and photos of the natural and cultural history of the area, knowledgeable staff to answer your questions, and a weekly lecture series. The Pioneer Cabin in Stanley Park, the Doc Day Cabin, Indian Rock Shelter at Redfish Lake, and Pole Creek Ranger Station also provide a glimpse of the area’s history.

The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery conducts guided tours daily – a fascinating look at the work they do, and the historic and contemporary importance of salmon to our region.

A walking tour of Stanley allows you to take in the amazing views as you stroll through points of historic interest, and local establishments.

There are several natural hot springs close by whose locations the locals like to guard zealously, but nature gives them away! As you drive and stroll, keep on the lookout for rising steam.

Redfish Lake is our local “mountain beach scene” for swimming, kayaking, paddle or motor boating, and good old-fashioned sand play.

Museums and Ghost Towns

Follow the Salmon River north to the historic Sunbeam Bathhouse and Hot Springs, to the Yankee Fork and Sunbeam Dam, and beyond to ghost towns Bonanza and Custer, and the Yankee Fork Dredge for a keen look into the history of the region, and a sense of the rugged individuals who settled it. Closer to the Ranch, Sawtooth City and Vienna, though unrestored, stand as similar testament.

If you venture farther on the old stagecoach road, The Custer Motorway Adventure Road, to Challis, be sure to stop at the Land of the Yankee Fork Interpretive Center and Bayhorse on your way back to the Ranch.

Walking Tours

In addition to a stroll through Stanley, a walk though Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, and Challis provides more history – and shopping. And while in Sun Valley, a visit to the outdoor ice skating rink, for watching or skating, provides a novel summer pleasure.

Scenic Drives

Even the shortest drive provides incomparable views and photo opportunities, but there are several we highly recommend if you choose to road-trip in the Valley. Basin Butte Lookout, Cape Horn Guard Station Loop, the Decker Flat Road (FS Road 210), a trip to Galena Summit and the Headwaters of the Salmon River, Kelly Creek Road, Nip and Tuck Road, Pole Creek Lookout, and Valley Road all provide magnificent scenery and a chance to view local wildlife. There also are three designated scenic byways through the valley: the Ponderosa Pine, Salmon River, and Sawtooth.

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