Traveled from Phoenix to Hailey, ID for the "Trailing of the Sheep" after a close friend ranted and…read moreraved about it years ago. Our time was limited and we were not able to stay for the entire event. After flying to Boise and driving up to Hailey / Ketchum area, we loved the drive through Idaho. We rented a VRBO at Sun Valley. The ladies had signed up and attended a cooking class making homemade ricotta cheese. They had a blast. We had bought tickets to the Farm to Table dinner on Thursday night. The food was incredible with a four course, high quality meal. We started with a scrumptious salad of baby greens topped with spicy lamb meatballs, marinated cucumbers and roasted beets. The second course was Basque chorizo and vegetable stew with Basque bread and cheese. The cheese was remarkable. Our third course was three marinated lamb chops with a roasted tomato and Basque potato tortilla in a creamy butter sauce. Again another incredibly course. Finally, the dessert was a carmel apple cake and a Basque almond cookie, light and tasty. On Friday morning we attended the sheep dog trials in Hailey. These dogs are amazing creatures with brilliance, speed and a real love to herd sheep. It was one of the major highlights of the festival. Friday evening we had signed up for the one-hour eat till you drop restaurant food crawl through Ketchum. We gave it our all and were able to feast at 6 of the 10 restaurants. It was a fun and exciting way to explore the town and sample the local cuisine. Our trip back home began on Saturday, so we missed several other events. The foliage was a blaze and the weather was perfect. The people we met were kind, engaging and willing share their stories with us. We loved Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, what a beautiful part of Idaho. If you are adventourous, curious, and want see a different part of the US, book your trip to Hailey for "Trailing of the Sheep" in October of 2026. What a special weekend and a great memory with family and friends.

It all started 23 years ago by a small core of eager locals with sheepherding in their blood. They…read morecame up with a seed of an idea to re-educate the public, share the food, history, experiences, and the pride of being part of a dramatically dwindling number in the sheep industry. At this time, the festival spans from Wednesday through Sunday, one week in early October. A fun variety of activities are spread out in the charming communities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, and Hailey. The chilly signs of Winter are present, even a light dusting of snow if you are lucky, the trees are turning gorgeous colors, and nearby, the snow capped mountains are ready to make dramatic statements. One of the most environmentally friendly animals on the planet, and one of the first to be domesticated, sheep leave the least footprint as compared to horses and cows. One of the reasons is because they graze differently. They have no teeth on top so plant life is not sheared as severely, allowing it to recover and continue to protect the land. Sheep consume less water, provide wool for clothing and food (milk and a very healthful, delicious meat). Yet this whole industry is dying off in this country. What a shame. But not if the tireless organizers of this festival can help it. There are many activities during this week to choose from, including some free. At their Community Library they host an hour and half, free talk and Q&A about sheep herding that is quite entertaining. If you want another interesting evening event, for $25/ea you can hear guest speakers tell their personal stories, ancestry, and how they relate to international food culture and history. Both are excellent programs. A number of cooking classes taught by professional chefs are offered. We loved our class featuring Chef Chris Koetke. His credits include Dean of Sun Valley Culinary Institute. His class included three lamb recipes (boneless leg of lamb, rack of lamb chops, and lamb burger) that we made, in teams, plus some extraordinary Sonoma wines to go with our immense meal. There is a cheese making class, classes related to yarn dying, making, and knitting. Also offered, a couple intimate dinners prepared by local chefs. All these classes and dinners have limited seating, so tickets should be purchased as soon as the annual event is announced (I think it was in June). If interested, I would advise subscribing to their newsletter online. In the small town of Hailey, about 10 minutes south of Ketchum, there is a fairly large event that lasts all day on Saturday. The local park is swarming with people from all parts of the world. Most come (at least) to eat. There are craft booths (many of which cater to crafters of wool and yarn), demo sheep shearing, Basque dancers, Scottish bag pipers, Peruvian musicians, and many food pop ups. The Basque baked goods booth and several sheep's milk cheese makers draw huge crowds. If you did nothing else, this gives you a fun day and full tummy. Dogs and children are welcome, with one exception. Pets should not be brought to the finale, the Trailing through downtown Ketchum on Sunday, as some of the working dogs can become protective and aggressive. Daily, down a dusty road in a large field just outside of Hailey, there are sheep dog competitions, $5 entry fee per person. Everyone loves watching these incredibly intelligent animals doing their job. It is probably advisable to keep pets away from here as well. Food galore, small town friendly, this all culminates in the big Sunday finale at noon when they herd flocks of sheep through Downtown Ketchum. What a sight indeed!

Another free museum and learning opportunity; I'm a sucker for this stuff! The inside has lots of…read moreamazing photographs taken by Jim Dutcher, cofounder of the museum with his wife, Jamie. In the back is a documentary about wolves if you care to stay longer. We were fortunate to meet Jim on our stop - so cool!

A museum with incredibly lifelike photographs of wolves. When we admired the photos we heard the…read moresounds of wolves. Wolves have been reintroduced in Yellowstone & the Sawtooth Mountains here. Lots of information about their survival & adaptations were presented & were very interesting.

I'm a sucker for some education while I travel! This cute, little museum offers free admission and…read moreartifacts you can only look at and artifacts you can touch and interact with. From some long term history of the Shoshone to the recent history of skiing and Hemingway there's a little bit of everything local to Ketchum/Sun Valley.

A lot about Hemingway is here from his typewriter to lots of photographs, his trunk, books, and…read moreeven his mementos from the Sun Valley Lodge. I was surprised to see the adapted ski equipment for the disabled with hand out breaks. Lots of fascinating, skiing equipment over the years lining the walls & ceiling Fascinating information about Gretchen Koenig Fraser, who was here when she was 19. Greya was the first American woman to win a gold medal in alpine skiing. There was so much stuff packed into the free local art gallery. It's easy to miss nestled among many boutiques. There were many hands on activities that engaged children.

I am a local to this area, but also lived in San Francisco for 8 years and the Gilman Contemporary…read moreGallery is one of my favorites between both cities. The staff here is so friendly and approachable that it makes shopping for art fun and easy. I always find their artists to be inspiring and unique. Some things I would love to have in my home and others that are just fun to see. They are also in a great location and easy to find.

Love visiting this gallery when we come to town. They exhibit some of our favorite artists like…read moreHunt Slonem and James Verbicky. Very friendly staff who is always willing to talk with you about any of the artists they show. Definitely worth stopping by. We have purchased a couple of pieces from them and the experience was great.

This incredibly curated space feels more like a gallery of precious treasures that you get to bring…read morenew life into your home. Every piece is timeless and everlasting.

Passing through on a road trip I stepped into this store just to look around. Great selection of…read morefurnishings and the ambience was comfortable. People were friendly!

This is a total hidden gem in Idaho that most people don't know exists. I am almost reluctant to…read morepost any review simply because I don't want the secret out! Free symphony concerts in the summer time with world renowned musicians attending is unheard of in this day and age. A beautiful pavilion with amazing acoustics, full bar, lawn area to bring a picnic and a bottle of wine to enjoy with the wonderful music. You really can't beat it. I have been coming here almost every year for the last 6 years for a good reason. They have family concerts like this years Peter and the Wolf! A truly amazing experience for adults and children!!

The most interesting art in the Valley for sure! Knowledgeable staff. Interesting collection of…read moreartists and pieces. Highly recommend !

We had a good experience here. We arrived early which is a mistake since they wait til the very…read moreminute of when they open even if you're outside in the frigid cold... also they're a cash only place but they have a ATM inside. People were friendly enough and assortment was good and the movie was good. Theater was good.

It's a nice small theatre, just a few screens and it's well maintained. The staff was friendly and…read morethey started taking cards/Apple Pay so it's no longer cash only and the snack prices are reasonable. I really enjoyed watching a movie here, and I appreciate the aesthetics around the building.