Sawtooth Adventure Trip
RIDING TYPE
Intermediate
DURATION
5 Days
SEASON
July - August
The Sawtooth Adventure Trip: Rafting, Hiking, and Biking in Idaho's Alps
The Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho are dramatic and inspiring from every angle. This multi-adventure trip includes the best of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, combining exhilarating river time with pristine mountain trails.
-DAY-BY-DAY
Itinerary
We leave the famous Sun Valley, Idaho, and head north over Galena Summit into the stunning Stanley Basin for our first glimpse of the magnificent Sawtooth Range on the western horizon.
We start our adventure in the northern part of the range at Stanley Lake.
After lunch at the lake, we will hike to Lady Face Falls, a five-mile round trip journey. Most of the route is through the lower valley until we reach the steep, but rewarding trail to the falls.
We return to our camp on the lake, where our fishing guide will meet us for a great introduction to fly fishing before our first Western Spirit backcountry camping feast.
Our goal today is a thrilling float trip on the Upper Salmon River.
The headwaters of the Upper Salmon are in the heart of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, and the section we will experience today features some of the most fun whitewater in Idaho.
We begin by rafting the more challenging rapids with our professional river guides. These include the exciting Class IV rapids, ShotGun and Sun Beam Dam.
After lunch along the river bank, we will have the opportunity to switch into individual inflatable kayaks, affectionately called Duckies, to paddle several Class III rapids.
Wildlife sightings along the way often include Bald Eagles, Elk, and Bighorn Sheep. We will be paddling right to our scenic riverside camp for the night.
Today we head to Alturas Lake, where we begin with a short bike ride around the lake that takes us to our trailhead for the day’s main hike.
This beautiful seven-mile roundtrip trail leads to a remote alpine lake in the heart of the Sawtooths.
We will pack lunches on this day and enjoy them at the lake before heading back for a sunset fishing lesson at our camp on Alturas.
Today we head toward Galena Summit. To get there, we will hike around the back side on the primarily descending Titus Trail for a five-mile walk that takes us to the historic Galena Lodge.
After lunch, we will take our bikes for a spin on the Senate Meadows Loop via the Galena View Trail.
From there, we will do a short stint on the scenic Harriman Trail to reach our camp for the night.
This morning, we jump on our bikes for the final, cruisy ride back to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters.
After our morning pedal we will take to the river, we will get a second opportunity to perfect our fly fishing skills on the beautiful Wood River.
-TRIP NOTES
The fine print
Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety and other factors which may affect the logistics of the adventure.
Road Surface
pine duff and some clay.
Overall Rating
Intermediate
Technical Difficulty
Moderate
Physical Difficulty
Moderate
Altitude
6,000 - 9,000 feet
Biking Mileage
Hiking Mileage
No hiking mileage
–Travel Logistics
Getting there.
Ketchum, ID, 8:30 AM MST (address in confirmation email). Ending time: return to Ketchum 3:00-4:00 PM last day. Getting there: 77 mi north of I-84 on Hwy 75; fly into Sun Valley (SUN) or Boise (BOI, Sun Valley Express shuttle).
Lodging Before Your Trip
Hotel Ketchum
Best Western Kentwood Lodge
Tamarack Lodge
Best Western Tyrolean
Hailey is a cute little town with good restaurants. It is 10 miles south of Sun Valley. Allow 1/2 hour drive time in the morning.
Airport Inn Hailey, ID
Innidaho.com – Central Reservations for all of Idaho
PACKING
What we provide
- Meals
- Snacks
- Drinks
- Camp mugs & dining ware
- 1 cycling water bottle
- Camp chairs
- Dry bags
- Solar showers
- Sunscreen & bug spray
- Bike stand
- Lube
- First aid kit
Bring or rent
- Bike
- Helmet
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Cycling & camp clothing
- Rain gear
- Personal items
- Tipping cash (10-20%)
Bring or rent
Bringing or renting
- Bike (rentals come with flat pedals)
- Helmet (gratis w
- Rental bike)
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
Cycling clothing
- Cycling shoes
- 3-5 pair cycling shorts
- 3-5 cycling shirts
- Long sleeve cycling shirt
- Long sleeve cotton shirt or solar sleeves
- Cycling socks
- Windbreaker
- Tights or leg warmers
- 2 pair cycling gloves
- Rain jacket & rain pants (Gore-Tex or similar)
- Warm layer
- Sunglasses
Camp clothing
- Camp shorts/shirts
- Warm socks
- Long underwear
- 2 pair warm long pants
- Fleece/sweater
- Pile or down jacket
- Warm gloves and hat
- Brimmed hat
- Bathing suit
- Hiking shoes
- Sandals
- Rain gear
Personal
- Toiletries
- Medication
- Towel
- Biodegradable soap
- Wet-wipes
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Sunglasses
- Optional day bag
- Stuff sacks
- Cash for tipping (10-20% of trip price)
Optional
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Favorite beverages
- Books
- Maps
- Portable USB charger
Need more information about our bike trips?
Check out what a bike trip is all about by visiting our camping page, FAQ page, what to bring page or be the first to know about new trips, last minute trip openings and future discounts by subscribing to our newsletter.
Need even more details? Send us a message or call and talk to one of our trip specialists at (435) 259-8732.
Need more information about our bike trips? Check out what a bike trip is all about by visiting our camping page, FAQ page, what to bring page or be the first to know about new trips, last minute trip openings and future discounts by subscribing to our newsletter.
Need even more details? Send us a message or call and talk to one of our trip specialists at (435) 259-8732
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