Ponderosa Pine and Sawtooth Scenic Byways and Ketchum, Idaho

Ready for a fantastic weekend travel itinerary that mixes wonderfully scenic drives with historical museums and marvels of natural history?

Our itinerary is presented as starting from Boise but the itinerary could easily be experienced in reverse, including a stay at Ketchum, if coming from the east. Best time to travel this itinerary is Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend as the Boise Basin Museum is otherwise closed.

We suggest starting the byway at about 8:30 so that you will arrive in Ketchum in time for some shopping and to see the sites around town, which may mean taking accommodations in Boise the night before to allow starting out early. Take Exit 57 off I-90, go east on Hwy 21. Be sure to fill up your fuel tank in Boise before starting out. Remember to bring plenty of water, snacks, and possibly a hat and sunscreen.

Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway

Once you are on Hwy 21 you leave the inhabited area on the outskirts of Boise within just a few miles and enter the rugged hills and mountainous country of the byway. We enjoy scenic byways and the natural beauty of this drive is some of the best that we’ve seen as the route winds through forested mountains and valleys and along rivers, often far below the road at the bottom of steep slopes—don’t speed and watch those curves in the road! Allow three hours for drive time plus stops. 

Idaho City and Boise Basin Museum

About an hour into your drive along Hwy 21 brings you to Idaho City, which has a fascinating history; the Boise Basin gold rush was the largest since the California gold rush of 1849 and, by 1864, Idaho City was the largest community in the Pacific Northwest with more than 7000 people—larger even than Portland, Oregon. Fire was catastrophic to many communities but few suffered the flames worse than Idaho City; a fire in 1865 burned eighty-percent of the city. Fire again did great damage in 1867, with more fire damage in 1868 and 1871, by which time the gold placer and lode deposits were playing out. Today, Idaho City has only about 500 residents.

The Boise Basin Museum doesn’t open until 11:00 but there are several historic buildings that have been moved to Montgomery Street or are just off of Montgomery to visit before the museum opens. Below are the ones not to miss. Plan two to 2.5 hours for your visit.

Masonic Temple: the current building was constructed in 1865 after the previous structure burned earlier that same year and is the oldest surviving Masonic Temple in Idaho and possibly the oldest temple west of the Mississippi still in use.

Territorial Penitentiary: built in 1864 and used by both the Idaho Territory and Boise County—and still standing!

Sarsaparilla Ice Cream Parlor & Gift Shop: we always look for the gift shop that has boutique quality ice cream and here is that stop in Boise City! But the goodies options don’t end there—a good selection of handmade chocolates are always on our list as well as the item we never come home from Idaho without, Huckleberry Jam.

Idaho City Trading Post: if you are a gift shop connoisseur, then you will want to go one street over to Main Street for a visit to the trading post—great selection of gifts and souvenirs. Open: Wed-Mon 10-5.

Boise Basin Museum: the building began as the post office, built in 1867 of brick after the earlier post office burned in the second great Idaho City fire. The museum displays a great collection of photos, tools, weapons, and artifacts that all serve to educate about Idaho City and the region’s history. 503 Montgomery St, Idaho City, ID 83631, 208-392-4550. Open: daily 11-4, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and open weekends only in May and September. Admission: Adult $4, Senior $3, under 12 and Student w/ID $2.

Lunch in Idaho City?

You might plan to bring a lot of snacks and plan for an early dinner in Ketchum, but there are also some lunch choices in Idaho City. Here are our recommended lunch locations: Trudi’s Kitchen, 3876 ID 21, Idaho City; The Gold Mine Grill & Saloon, 3867 ID-21, Idaho City; Leon’s Cafe, 100 Main St, Idaho City.

Resume Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway

The drive from Idaho City to Stanley passes through beautiful country, winding over mountain passes and through valleys, along the gorgeous scenery of the rugged Payette River, and around the northern edge of the iconic Sawtooth Mountains.

Be sure to stop at historical markers and interpretive panels, there is a lot of history to learn along the route.

The Lowman Fire: from July 19-27, 1989, a freak lightning storm ignited 335 fires in the Payette and Boise National Forests and burned tens of thousands of acres—at times there were over 100 lightning strikes per hour! With the declaration of a state of emergency, fire fighters came from across the nation to fight the fires, later bolstered by the National Guard. Within days of containing the fire an extensive effort was set in motion to treat the fire-damaged ground and replant. Today, great swaths of young trees are visible along the route, where eight million Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir were planted.

Sawtooth Scenic Byway

The Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway ends at Stanley, where Hwy 21 ends where it intersects with Hwy 75; turn right on Hwy 75 and head south.

You are about 1.25 to 1.5 hours from Ketchum, so a meal in Stanley is certainly a possibility if you did not eat in Idaho City. Here are suggested options: Mountain Village Restaurant: 3 Eva Falls Ave, Stanley; Papa Brunee’s Pizza & Subs: 37 Ace of Diamonds St, Stanley; Sawtooth Luce’s Restaurant: 105 Niece Ave, Stanley(open Wed-Mon).

Galena Summit Overlook

The route follows the eastern edge of the jagged peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains, then switchbacks up the mountain slope to the Galena Summit Overlook where you will enjoy an awe-inspiring view of the Sawtooth Valley below and the Sawtooth Mountains beyond the valley.

The Salmon River begins as a winding stream just below the overlook. The Salmon flows 425 miles through central Idaho and drains 14,000 square miles of rugged canyons and mountains. The river, the largest tributary of the Snake River and historically known as the “River of No Return”, proved impassable to the Corps of Discovery in 1805.

Accommodations and Dinner in Ketchum

There are several hotels available in Ketchum but plan early! Ketchum is a tourist destination so the hotels fill up well in advance.

Dinner: a number of great locations offer a range of dinner choices. Here are our recommendations: Ketchum Grill: 520 East Ave, Ketchum; Pioneer Saloon: western-themed American fare. 320 N Main St, Ketchum; The Covey: 520 Washington Ave, Ketchum; Cookbook Restaurant: 271 7th St E, Ketchum.

Other activities: if you arrive in town early enough you might visit a couple of museums and shops. Wood River Museum of History and Culture: 580 4th St E, Ketchum, ID 83340. Open: Tue-Sat 10-6. Ore Wagon Museum: 500 East Ave, Ketchum, ID 83340. Open: Mon-Fri 8:30-5. Country Cousins Store: gift shop. 411 Sun Valley Rd, Ketchum, ID 83340. Open: Fri-Sat 10-7, Sun-Thu 10-6. Leroy’s Ice Cream: 480 4th St E, Ketchum, ID 83340.

Sawtooth Botanical Gardens

Day Two starts with a visit to the Sawtooth Botanical Gardens, sited about three miles south of Ketchum on Hwy 75. The gardens are organized to present plants from the five biomes of south-central Idaho, which includes Montane (lower mountain belt), Alpine, Riparian (wetlands or river), Lava Rock, and Sagebrush Steppe. The gardens are not particularly large but still very much worth the visit. The highlight of the garden, we think, is the Garden of Infinite Compassion, which was created to honor the visit of the Dalai Lama to the region in 2005; the centerpiece of the garden is the Tibetan Prayer Wheel, a 400-lb, hand-carved prayer wheel gifted to the people of Idaho, one of only two Tibetan prayer wheels in North America to be blessed by the Dalai Lama.

Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:

Sawtooth Botanical Gardens, 11 Gimlet Rd, Ketchum, ID 83340, 208-726-9358. Gardens open: daily dawn to dusk, year-round. Note that the gate may be closed, but is not locked; open, enter, and close the gate behind you to keep wildlife out. Visitor Center Open: Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 12-5, Memorial Day weekend through first week of October. Fall and Winter, Mon-Fri 10-4. Greenhouse on the back of the visitor center open even if center is closed. Admission: charged May-Oct, Adult $7, 12 and under Free. Admission; fee is on the honor system using a drop box at the entrance from the parking lot.

Black Magic Canyon of Big Wood River

This scenic spot of geological wonder is about 45 minutes south of Ketchum on Hwy 75. Roughly eight miles south of the junction with SR 20, turn right at W Magic Rd; at about 300 feet, turn right into the parking lot.

Over thousands of years the Big Wood River carved through a layer of lava rock laid down 10,000 years ago by a volcano only 1.5 miles away. The relentless flow of water created a unique, natural sculpture that a visitor has to walk through and see first hand to truly appreciate.

Shoshone Ice Caves

The caves are only a little more than a mile further south on Hwy 75. Guided tours begin each hour and last 45 minutes to an hour. The cave is the longest known lava ice cave in the world; the tour is a ¾ mile hike and includes 80 steps down and then back up and is perhaps moderate difficulty due to the steps.

The caves were discovered in the 1880s and have an interesting history that the tour guide will share with you on the tour. The caves are not the most amazing caves you will ever visit but spelunking is always great fun so a stop here is worth it. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes and a jacket or light coat, as the temperature in the cave is below freezing. A flashlight is not required. Plan one hour, plus any time waiting for a tour to begin.

Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:

Shoshone Ice Caves, 1561 State Hwy 75, Shoshone, ID 83352, 208-886-2058. Open: daily May 1-Sep 30, 9-7. Admission: Adult $15, 4-12 $10, 3 and under Free. Gift shop on site.

Mammoth Cave, Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History, Richard Arthur Olsen Museum of Natural History

The site is only about nine miles further south on Hwy 75. You might be thinking, “Another cave?” And you’d be right, but this one is a different experience; Mammoth happens be the longest lava cave in the world open to the public (unfortunately you can’t hike the whole length) but no ice—and, again, it’s spelunking! Wear good hiking shoes and a jacket. Electric lanterns are provided. Tour is self-guided and is about a quarter-mile in and out. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes.

Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History and Richard Arthur Olsen Museum of Natural History: the museums are something of an odd collection of exhibits—and there are a lot of items on display as the museums display one of the largest privately owned collections in the northwest covering a broad subject matter in scientific inquiry: geology, zoology, paleontology, anthropology. Plan on one to 1.5 hours for your visit.

Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:

Mammoth Cave, Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History, and Richard Arthur Olsen Museum of Natural History, 251 W Thorn Creek St, Shoshone, ID 83352, 208-329-5382. Open: daily 10-6, early May-Labor Day; weekends only Labor Day-Oct. Admission: Adult $15, 12 and under $9, 5 and under Free (admission is to both the cave and the two museums).

Little City of Rocks

Before you head home, consider one last stop. It’s a little off our route but worth seeking out. What you’ll find are unique geologic formations: arches, spires, columns, and mushroom caps. The site is roughly 10 miles north of Gooding on Hwy 46, and another two miles on a dirt road to the parking area.

NOTE: if it has rained or if the weather looks like rain, don’t drive in to the site as you’re likely to get stuck in mud. It is a rather poor road for the last quarter-mile—drive slow and careful.

You’re not likely to want to walk the entire 4.2 mile loop trail—especially since only the first 1.5 miles are well marked, but even just wandering around the formations within the first quarter-mile is worth the visit. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and watch for rattlesnakes in warm weather, and have water with you.

And that completes our itinerary! If you are heading west, you can head west on Hwy 26 to Bliss and I-84; if heading east, you can continue south on Hwy 93 and I-84 just north of Twin Falls.

If you have another day or two to play, consider adding our itinerary for Thousand Springs Scenic Byway and Twin Falls, Idaho to your itinerary.

Updated June 2024