The time it takes to travel the entire distance depends on . In 2-miles, you will arrive at Stanley Lake where you can enjoy swimming, boating, or fishing, or continue on Stanley Lake Road another 4-miles for a spectacular view of Elk Mountain shimmering on Stanley Lake. There are currently no glaciers within the Sawtooth Range. 8. Since hot springs are very fragile and can be easily found with a little research of your own., I will not be providing the names of the specific hot springs we visited. Grab a bite to eat at the Shoshone Snack Bar, a quintessential roadside eatery serving hamburgers, fried dinners and huge helpings of ice cream. As I live in the Wood River Valley, I often have the opportunity to drive all, or part of the Sawtooth Scenic Byways 116-mile length. Idaho has world-class whitewater and its a great family adventure that everyone will love! There are three main areas to eat in the Sawtooth ValleySmiley Creek, Redfish Lake Lodge and Stanley. Redfish Lake is personally one of my favorite areas of the Sawtooth Mountains. There are endless, beautiful trails to explore in the front and backcountry of the Sawtooths. The water is as pristine and clear as you can get, and its the perfect alpine lake to spend a lazy summer day on. Take it all in by pulling off at the large scenic viewpoint just past the summit. Sunbeam Hot Springs is a bit further up the 75, also along the Salmon River with a few rock pools that catch the hot water. If you're looking for a show-stopping hike or backpacking trip in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains, then look no further. I have a whole post on Stanley, Idaho and things to do in and around the town. Another option for enjoying the water around the Sawtooth Mountains is to go on a rafting trip. Approximately 380 miles to Stanley. Ill let her take it from here! Travel west on Highway 20 for sixty-six miles to Arco. If youve got a few days to spend in these mountains, weve got you covered with some of the best outdoor activities you can find in the Sawtooths. The Sawtooth Mountains to the east of Boise are home to dozens of peaks over 10,000 feet. Day 3, MON 7/20: beautiful mountain scenery. Please respect the land, the area, and people during your visit. The Sawtooth Range is a mountain range located in central Idaho in the United States of America. Option #3 (Stanley): A third tiny home option right by the first two options above. In 2012, the city opened a free whitewater park on the Boise River west of downtown. She can also be found on Instagram where she documents her familys travels and adventures. This route carves its way through the Boulder Mountains, delivering adventurers to the base of the iconic Sawtooth Mountain Range. Idaho.gov . Average USA gas price used for calculation is $3.39 per gallon of regular gas. This drive heads right, however, you can follow the Salmon River by turning left. The carbon footprint would be 0.79 pounds of CO2 per mile. 6 of the best places to elope in Idaho | Autumn Lynne Photography, [] is known for its access to the Sawtooth Mountains. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket? In the evening, watch sunset over Redfish Lake, Grab breakfast and coffee at Peaks & Perks in Stanley, head to Stanley Lake. The sun sets on the Sawtooth Mountains near the town of Stanley. Her goalis to inspire others to get outside and explore. The East Coast offers many scenic routes ripe for a road trip.However, there are other places in the US worth a long drive too. Last updated: 18 Jan 2023 'All You Hear Is the River': This Former Mill in Maine Is a Waterfron SPONSORED CONTENT Middle Fork Boise River is a river in Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Sawtooth Wilderness, Rocky Mountains , ID River Haus is set 1 The San Juan River flows approximately 360 miles Floating and Rafting the Boise River Floating and. Guided tours are available. Our very favorite place to stay when exploring the Sawtooth mountains isRedfish Lake Lodge, right next to Redfish Lake. One thing to note is that there are not many AirBnbs available in this area since most of the land is federally owned. Sawtooth National Forest 3 hours 20 minutes from Boise, Idaho Some day trips from Boise are longer than the others. If you want to commute you can live in Garden Valley / Crouch with about an hour drive into Boise and still have a cabin in the woods. We then drive 3 hours to Boise, ID, for our last two nights. While Black Magic Canyon about a two-hour drive south of Triangle C Cabins on the Sawtooth Scenic Byway, the hiking and sightseeing make it well worth your time. Highway 75, Stanley, Idaho, is well known for a few things. While we often like staying in AirBnbs, this wasnt really an option in the Sawtooth Mountains. When the sun sets, the night skies will take your breath away. The heavily forested drive was fantastic, and we enjoyed the journey as well as the destination! A narrow canyon flanked by 10,000' peaks opens up to postcard worthy vistas. Boise State men's basketball cruises to fourth straight victory with win at Wyoming Updated January 14, 2023 11:41 PM . Heading north from Shoshone, the scenic byway traverses beds of volcanic lavalook closely to see where the rock peeks through the sagebrush. Boise Development Thread - Part II Mountain West Boise Development Thread - Part II - Page 197 - SkyscraperPage Forum SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Mountain West At Redfish Lake, youll find seasonal Forest Service campgrounds, a full-service lodge and restaurant, public beaches and a visitor center. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Tiktok for the latest updates on our travels! Many people dont think of Idaho as a vacation destination (and keep it that way! Distance from Boise: 108.3 miles (2 hours and 14 minutes) Payette Lake Near McCall, Idaho McCall is known as an Idaho destination that can be an excellent choice for the ones who love wild outdoor adventures. Heading east on ID-21, you will soon arrive at the Lucky Peak Dam, where you can enjoy a picnic at Discovery Picnic Area (H1) or swim on the beach of the Boise River at the Sandy Point Beach (W1). Other trails traverse ambling rivers with postcard-worthy scenery much of the way. Photo credit Todd Diemer on unsplash . Get more stories delivered right to your email. Love Idaho? Boise and Sawtooth City are 3 hours 59 mins far apart, if you drive non-stop . It would take 1 hour 50 mins to go from Boise to Lowman and 2 hours 9 mins to go from Sawtooth City to Lowman. Idaho Business for the Outdoors' Boise River: Source to Snake project team's campsite at Spangle Lake. Sawtooth National Forest. The distance between Boise and Sawtooth National Forest is 78 miles. . Reading your post makes me want to stop my around the world adventures and come back to Idaho! Here are just a handful of the highlights along this route, traveling from south to north. The road to Alturas is on the left soon after Smiley Creek, with the road to Pettit just a few miles beyond. We had a great experience, Christina McEvoy is a photographer and outdoor travel blogger at. The final stop on the Sawtooth Scenic Byway is Stanley, a year-round community of about 70 people that welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each summer. From here, continue on US-93 to Twin Falls, where a short side-trip will bring you to Falls Ave. and the spectacular 212-foot plunge of the Shoshone Falls (H5), best seen during the spring when the snow is melting. Find all the transport options for your trip from Boise to Sawtooth National Forest right here. Is it compulsory to practice social distancing in Sawtooth National Forest? From desert to mountain, this is the perfect drive for just cruising and taking it all in. Ghost Towns and Real Towns. There are no points of interest for most of the trip and only a few campgrounds. From Boise, you can rent a car to drive the rest of the way to the Sawtooth Mountains. Sawtooth Mountain Guides specializes in guided climbing, hiking, backcountry skiing, avalanche education, ski mountaineering, family programs, and custom corporate trips in the Sawtooths and surrounding mountains near Stanley and Sun Valley, Idaho. If you want to take a beautiful drive up through the mountains, head up to the Yankee Fork Dredge and Custer Ghost Town. If you want something more challenging with epic scenery as the reward, dont miss Bench Lakes, Bridal Veil Falls,Iron Creek to Sawtooth Lake,Alice Lake, and our very favorite, Goat Lake. Check out these travel tips and start planning your adventure. Note: This post contains affiliate links. (FYI: its cold though!) After breakfast in Boise, get in the car and drive 35 miles (56 kilometers) west to the Sunny Slope area of . Home Rocky Mountains Idaho Scenic Drives and Road Trips, From Boise, through the Sawtooth Mountains, to Shoshone. The range totals 43 miles in length and up to 25 miles wide, totaling 678 square miles across the state. Further north is Redfish Lake, easily the most popular and biggest of the three lakes. Our goal for the next day was to hike one of the many trails in the Sawtooth National Recreational Area. The Sawtooth Mountains are part of the Rocky Mountain Range located in the central part of the state. ****Note: This post may include affiliate links to products I recommend. . Getting to the Sawtooths Most out-of-towners use Southwest Idaho as their basecamp for driving to and through the Sawtooth Mountain Recreation Area. For hotels in Stanley, Idaho we recommendMountain Village Resortand Stanley Town Square. Even at the end of June, the temperature around Alice Lake was in the low teens and it was piling on snow, so we ended up not staying overnight out in the wilderness. On our trip, I fell and hit my head (thats a story for another day), so we had to spend some time taking it slow. Road trips don't have to stop in the winter, even in the Gem State; these scenic byways across Idaho make for an . The cities or towns listed have either Food or Services such as gas, pharmacies, etc. From the Petit Lake area, you can hike to Yellow Belly Lake, which is slightly north of Petit Lake. We took a trip to Boise this winter to visit family that recently moved there and loved our time skiing and snowshoeing, and of course, we had to spend some time in a steaming hot spring. Kayaking, canoeing, and exploring are popular activities here. Sun Valley Resort has two lodges, condo rentals and an on-site spa. Feel free to modify to include or exclude hikes of different lengths and difficulties. Starting and ending in Boise with a few particular destinations: mainly the Sawtooth Mountains and Salmon River. Once in Stanley, the drive merges onto ID-75. The closest town to the halfway point is Lowman, ID, situated 74 miles from Boise, ID and 83 miles from Sawtooth City, ID. Some very popular trails start from around Redfish Lake. Boise is the closest city, a three-hour drive. With hundreds of miles of hiking trails, fast-flowing rivers,and over 400 alpine lakes, there are countless adventures for those who want to explore. Aug. 9, 2018. After dinner go to Redfish Lake Lodge for ice cream while watching the sunset. To fully experience the Sawtooths and see what they have to offer, you will need to spend at least several days here. When shes not on the road, Sara spends her time exploring the mountains around her home base of Sun Valley, Idaho. Redfish Lake (W3) and the nearby Little Redfish Lake have many beaches and trails that head into the Sawtooth Wilderness. As the drive continues to climb, take advantage of the many turnouts and overlooks to see the Sawtooth Range to the east of the road. Salt Lake Express Phone +1 208-656-8824 Just north of Ketchum lies the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, a 756,000-acre natural area filled with mountains, meadows, alpine lakes and both front country and backcountry trails. Click the Add to Road Trip above to start planning your next road trip.