INCLUDED ACTIVITIES

Joining us at the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch is an experience you won’t soon forget. With 878 acres to explore with your friends and family, there are tons of on-Ranch activities that are included in the cost of your reservation that are available right at the Ranch.

Breakfast, picnic lunches and dinner meals are all included in your reservation cost.

Hot Springs Pool

The active natural hot spring on the banks of the Salmon River was a powerful enticement to Winston Paul’s purchase of the Ranch property in 1929. Gravity-fed to our pool through a pipe crossing the Salmon River, then as now, the spring’s waters provide a soothing, therapeutic swim and soak that will complement your luxury Ranch stay perfectly.

Today, the waters of this wholly natural hot spring-fed pool are as pure and relaxing as when it originally was built. The 20’x40’, 3′-9’ deep pool is maintained at 99-104 degrees by regulating the flow of the springs into the pool. A weekly pressure wash keeps the pool pristine.

Our hot spring is the perfect balance of pool and hot tub relaxation, with a decking area and lounge chairs, is a perfect place to pass the many sunny afternoons at the Ranch, or refresh after an exhilarating hike, bike or horseback ride. A skin tingling, cold shower is available poolside, for a mid-soak cool down — incredibly invigorating! A moon- or starlit night soak in the soothing waters will take your breath away and become a lasting memory.

Fly Fishing

As a guest of the ranch, if you’re looking for fly fishing experiences that are second-to-none, fishing on our private, stocked pond for rainbow or brook trout is also included in the cost of your reservation. You don’t even need to bring your own fishing gear – we have Orvis fly rods and flies for you or the kids to borrow at your convenience.

Whether you need incentive to get started, or you’re a long-time passionate angler, we offer weekly fishing activities like a casting clinic led by Jack Banse of Silver Creek Outfitters to encourage, instruct, and enthuse – which is also complimentary and open to all.

If you’re looking for something a bit more involved, you can take the opportunity to schedule a private float trip with our local fishing enthusiast, Jack Banse, by contacting Silver Creek Outfitters to get on his schedule!

You also have the ability to fish on the world-renowned Salmon River which runs through our property if you buy a one-day pass from Idaho Fish and Game for $22.75.

Whether you have never held a fly rod in your hand or fished your whole life – there is a fish with your name on it in the waters of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area surrounding the Ranch as well.

The Sawtooth Valley and Upper Salmon River offer excellent angling options that are not on the radar of even the most seasoned anglers. There is a plethora of high mountain or valley lakes accessible by vehicle or foot, with days where no other angler drops even a single line. If your preference is to get off the beaten path, there are hundreds of small streams feeding the Salmon River to explore.

The Salmon River and headwaters of the Middle Fork are home to the west slope cutthroat – all eager to take a dry fly. The river also holds rainbow trout, brook trout, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. The valley and high alpine lakes hold west slope cutthroat, rainbow and brook trout. Stop by Stanley Fly Shop nine miles down the road in Stanley, and the nice folks there will talk flies and what’s fishing (all day, if you please).

Yoga Classes

Heading to the mountains of Idaho doesn’t mean that you can’t continue your daily yoga practice. You can make this vacation a rejuvenating ranch getaway by attending the most popular offerings in our ranch fitness program – our vinyasa and restorative yoga classes.

Our group yoga classes are offered at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the Shed at our lower ranch five days a week. Overlooking the scenic Salmon River, the Shed has radiant heat floors and hydraulic garage doors that open to welcome the mountain breeze during your practice. You don’t need to bring anything – as we supply mats, props, towels and water – and all ability levels are welcome and encouraged to attend. Advanced signup at the front desk is recommended.

Private yoga and wellness experiences are offered upon request for an additional fee.

Private wellness experiences include:

Breathwork
Forest Bathing
Floating Meditation
Apothecary
1:1 Yoga

Pickleball

Whether you’re on a corporate retreat or a vacation with your family, you don’t have to leave your passion at home. Get your blood pumping with one of our most popular summer Ranch activities – a friendly (or competitive!) game of pickleball. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro – you’re welcome to borrow a set of paddles, and head down to our world-class pickleball court at the lower ranch.

Our pickleball court is regulation size, and near our hot springs pool – so after a rousing match or two, it’s an easy walk to change clothes and grab some water in the Shed, and head over to the natural hot springs pool nearby.

Mountain Biking

From the Ranch, you can start slow and easy with the 3-mile Ranch Loop, a perfect way to get acquainted with the expansive property, mountain scenery, and altitude. The ranch sits at around 6,300 feet of elevation, so drink more water than you think you need!

Once you’ve got your mountain legs under you, it’s time to take it up a gear and try out some of our trails. You decide to pedal around from Snowshoe Hare, around the bend to Mule Deer, and then take a breather as you decide whether you should go up to the summit of Knob Hill, or you make a right onto Pronghorn. You decide to earn your incredible dinner by climbing to the summit of Knob Hill, which overlooks the Ranch and gives you a “wow” view of the Sawtooth Mountains to the west and the Whiteclouds to the east. A promise of banked downhill turns and cold beer at the Lodge beckons.

Adjacent to the Ranch, you can explore the moderate 7-mile Williams Creek Loop and give the iconic 18-mile Fisher Creek trail a whirl. Expand your biking horizons off-ranch with rides on the Nip and Tuck or 210 Forest roads, or perhaps mountain bike rides on Potato Mountain, Elk Meadows, or Big Casino Creek. E-bikes are allowed on most of these trails.

Whether you’re a pro, or you’re helping your little ones get the hang of mountain biking – we have a trail for you!

Childrens’ Activities

Our youngest guests have a ton of on-Ranch activities they’re able to enjoy. From exploring the first hydroelectric plant in the Sawtooth valley (at our pond!), to paddling around the pond in our paddle boat, swimming and soaking in our natural hot springs pool to going on an adventure hike up to the top of Knob Hill, or they could challenge their new friends to playing cornhole or bocce ball, or frisbee, and other games on the front lawn. The front office crew also has games, puzzles, and books for rainy day or more restful activities.

And if mom and dad (or grandpa and grandma!) want the night off, three nights a week — Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday — staff organizes front lawn games, crafts, and activity hour from 6-9 pm for kids 5 and up. Children can eat early on these nights, allowing their parents some alone time in the lodge dining room, or while they watch their kids have the time of their lives from the front porch. All we ask for these nights is that parents sign their little ones up by lunchtime if they want to participate so we can staff accordingly.

Other nearby and popular children’s activities include: Pony rides with Wild West Horse Adventures; mellow hikes to lakes or streams; (no chills here); exploring nearby Custer and Bonanza ghost towns that were deserted after the Gold Miners left the area in the early 1900s; learning about the plight of the Salmon at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery (and if lucky, seeing fish jumping up the locks on their return from the Pacific); visiting the Stanley Museum, and stopping for an ice cream at River 1 or Peaks and Perks; feeding the fish at the hatchery down the road, renting a kayak or going for a swim at Redfish Lake, and stopping in to Smiley Creek Lodge for one of America’s best milkshakes, and whitewater rafting the Salmon River with White Otter; or rock climbing the “slabs” with Sawtooth Mountain Guides.