Sun Valley is a resort area in central Idaho, known for its skiing and year-round recreation opportunities. It’s adjacent to Ketchum and within the greater Wood River Valley, with the Sawtooth National Recreation Area just to the north. There are fantastic options for running in Sun Valley, including 30 miles of multi-use paths and 400 miles of trails, incorporating mountain views, sagebrush, and flower-filled meadows. Bald Mountain is the principal ski area, anchored by the famed Sun Valley Lodge. The Elkhorn area just to the south includes Dollar Mountain.
Some of the best paths and quieter roads for running include the Wood River Trails, the Sun Valley Trail, Lake Creek Rd., and Broadford Rd. Sun Valley is also heaven for trail running — we’ve included a selection of some of the easy-to-moderate options. We also highly recommend the fantastic BCRD Website, which has detailed information the area’s trails, and updates on their status.
Notes: Sun Valley is located at 5,900 feet, so runners should incorporate the altitude accordingly. Also, much of the running in the area is hilly. The best options for flatter running are adjacent to the Wood River. And in winter, many of the trails will be snow-packed, with some used for nordic skiing. For transportation in the area, Mountain Rides offers complimentary bus service for transportation throughout the Wood River Valley.
