The Day Hiker's Guide - Sun Valley & Ketchum

hikers. The wildlife-rich Smoky Mountains, the serrated Boulder Mountains, and Idaho’s second highest mountain range, the Pioneer Mountains, provide a myriad of hiking opportunities for those who trek through this beautiful landscape.

The Day Hiker’s Guide to Sun Valley & Ketchum describes 50 hikes the will guide you from flower-filled meadows to windswept ridges. As with all of the guidebooks from Hiking Idaho, the book includes local history, tips for hiking with children, safety, and the author’s top-rated lists, including view, wildflower, solitude, aerobic, and wildlife-viewing hikes. Hikers will find this book to be an invaluable source for planning their next trip in the back country surrounding Sun Valley & Ketchum.

Free Sample Hikes

Hike #17, Hyndman Creek to Big Basin

The Big Basin is shouldered on three sides by no less than seven peaks above 11,000 feet. Whitebark pines, alpine wildflowers, rocky knolls, and a couple of unnamed lakes enhance this breathtaking basin. Standing in the middle makes one feel insignificant.

Hike #36, Norton Lakes and Norton Pass

Most hikers stop at the gorgeous Norton Lakes. However, if you are up for a physical challenge and prize views, then you have to add the pass below Norton Peak to your itinerary. From the pass, the views are amazing! To the north, Miner Lake can be seen glistening some 1,100 feet below. The Prairie Creek drainage is beyond the lake with the steeps walls of the Smoky Mountains ridgeline rising behind. To the south, both Norton Lakes can be seen as well as the exquisite headwalls backing Smoky and Big Lost lakes.