BLAINE COUNTY
County Offices
206 First Avenue South
Hailey 208-788-5500
www.co.blaine.id.us/
Chamber of Commerce
513 North Main Street
Hailey 208-788-2700
www.haileyidaho.com
Breathtakingly beautiful Blaine County is famous as the home of Sun Valley, one of the birth places of North American skiing. This unique area offers exciting destinations for tourists and vacationers, wilderness adventures, a business-friendly environment, and thriving communities that are seeing phenomenal growth. The evolution of Blaine County throughout it history has been driven by economic factors. Once an important sheep migration route, this agricultural era is still celebrated in the annual Trailing of the Sheep each autumn. With the advent of the railroad, the region was thick with gambling activity. With the addition of Elkhorn Resort in 1970, Blaine County became a center for year-round recreation.
Blaine County welcomes new residents and visitors to a unique and varied natural environment that ranges from scenic high alpine country in the north to desolate lava plains and high-desert mountains to the south. With its amazing variety of terrain and climate conditions, Bald Mountain is consistently rated among the finest of America’s ski areas. The Sawtooth, Boulder, Smokey, and Pioneer mountain ranges showcase alpine beauty that is unrivaled anywhere else in the nation. The “Great Rift” area in the southeastern portion of Blaine County features unique lava formations that are reminiscent of a lunar landscape. Little wonder that such a magnificently diverse topography is attracting an influx of new residents as well as sports enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.
Services
Newcomers to Blaine County will find that the educational and healthcare services are well-developed and expanding to meet a growing population. Local schools seek out curriculums that are based on reliable research, solid child development principles, and proven practices. Affordable higher education is available close to home in Hailey, the site of an extension center for the College of Southern Idaho. This two-year public institution offers a progressive campus in Twin Falls and many unique services and facilities that are designed to help students of all ages reach their educational and career goals. CSI is recognized for its student-centered learning environment, excellent programs, and supportive services that include study skills classes, tutoring, learning centers, counseling, and advising, financial aid, and health services. The CSI center in Hailey offers a complete range of CSI courses from art history to Internet web page design.
First-rate healthcare services that meet routine needs are available in Blaine County. St. Lukes Healthcare System offers a full-service approach and serves the medical needs of the Wood River Valley community with skilled physicians, helpful health information, community programs, and wellness updates. For medical needs that are more advanced, St. Luke’s Health System manages the St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center in Ketchum. Important services and specialties that are available at the medical center include inpatient and outpatient surgery, 24-hour emergency care, diagnostic imaging, maternity services, orthopedics, and physical therapy as well as community education and support. St. Luke’s takes pride in delivering state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment in the spirit of the special quality of life for which the Wood River Valley is known. This patient-centered approach welcomes babies with tender care, heals wounds, and unites families and caregivers through shared hope and realistic goals. St. Luke’s strives to balance advanced technology with personalized attention to safeguard and enhance the health and wellness of the entire community.
Lifestyle
Blaine County offers an enchantingly diverse environment of mountain splendor, lush valleys, and rolling rivers to offer a scenic backdrop for residential communities and outdoor recreation. Home to the world-famous Sun Valley, this region has been a popular destination for winter sports for decades. The passage of time has transformed this area into a four-season wonderland where thongs of tourists and vacationers arrive even during the warmer summer months for golfing, water-skiing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, swimming, kayaking, backpacking, and many other activities. The communities in Blaine County are experiencing rapid growth and development as well, some expanding with a second-home market and others with new subdivisions and custom builds that command spectacular views.
Sun Valley’s multifaceted history encompasses legendary mountain men, the largest sheep producing area in the United States, the first chair lift, home of legendary artists, writers, and the Hollywood elite, and of course America’s first destination ski resort. Local museums pay homage to this vibrant history. Sun Valley’s thriving art scene offers a variety of different and exciting mediums. The Sun Valley area was listed 18th in the recently published book, The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America – “a great small art town with a nice balance between the visual arts, theater, and music.” Art galleries and craft shows showcase local talent, theater groups perform professional pieces in various local venues, and the sounds of symphony and jazz fill the summer’s crisp night air and cozy winter nights.
In addition to the rich history examined by the local museums the region is home to the Sawtooth Botanical Gardens the center piece of which is the Garden of Infinite compassion. In conjunction with the Dalai Lama’s visit in 2005, a beautifully carved Tibetan Prayer Wheel was located in this Garden. It is one of only two in North America, and the only one blessed by him. The Blaine County Recreation District provides quality affordable recreational opportunities to residents of Blaine County. From bike paths to the aquatic center, tennis, Nordic skiing, and after school programs.
No matter the type of recreation residents could want, the region offers them a little of everything. Locals enjoy a high quality of life in enviable surroundings.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Carey
City Offices
20482 N Main St
Carey 208-309-1445
http://cityofcarey.org/
Carey is a small rural city with a little more than 650 residents. Carey is primarily an agricultural town and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver Creek and the Little Wood River. In recent years, the city of Carey has experienced significant growth as people have sought a more relaxed pace of life. Carey is located at the junctions of U.S. Highways 26-93 and 20 and is the commercial center of the Little Wood River Valley. Residents of the community enjoy a high quality of life, marked by the amazing number of recreational opportunities available to them. Whether its skiing, cross country skiing, hiking, biking, hunting or fishing, there is literally something for everyone. Residents are fiercely loyal to their home town, with many being 2nd or 3rd generation family members in the community.
Ketchum, Sun Valley
Municipal Offices
480 East Ave. N.
Ketchum 208-726-3841
https://www.ketchumidaho.org
Chamber of Commerce
208) 725-2111
www.visitsunvalley.com
Ketchum is a community nestled in the Rocky Mountains of central Idaho. It is the type of community that people think of when they think of a mountain town. The town has blue skies, crystal clear waterways, endless hiking and mountain biking trails and world-class skiing at Sun Valley. Ketchum has an active downtown that is home to a variety of restaurants, shops and art galleries. The town plays host to numerous cultural events throughout the year. Including the annual Wagon Days parade held on Labor Day weekend featuring over 100 non-motorized entries, including the original Lewis Ore Wagons, is the town’s annual celebration of its rich pioneer and mining heritage. Ketchum is the gateway to the Sawtooth Mountains and Sun Valley. Ketchum is a year-round resort community. Sun Valley is known as one of the birthplaces of recreational skiing in North America. Originally conceived as winter destination that could be easily accessed by train in the 1930’s, Sun Valley is a well-known mountain resort with the charm and class of a world-renowned destination. Located adjacent to the town of Ketchum, Sun Valley and the surrounding area provide visitors and residents with exceptional recreational opportunities in both winter and summer. From skiing and snowboarding in winter to fly-fishing, hiking and mountain biking in summer, Sun Valley offers a little of everything. For residents Ketchum and Sun Valley offer a high quality of life with a small-town feel and that feeling of living somewhere special.
Bellevue
Municipal Offices
115 E Pine St
Bellevue 208-788-2128
https://www.bellevueidaho.us/
Chamber of Commerce
781 S. Main Street
Hailey (208) 788-3484
www.haileyidaho.com
Bellevue is a western mountain town located on a mile-wide bench at the southern entrance to the Wood River Valley. Bellevue is about 160 miles east of Boise. This scenic drive is within the section of ID-75 designated as the Sawtooth Scenic Byway and the scenery is amazing. Bellevue was settled by individuals following the lure of silver and others who worked and supported the mining industry. Bellevue is truly Gateway to the Sawtooth Mountains and the Sun Valley Resort. Bellevue hosts two popular fall events; the annual Labor Day celebration, which includes a parade down Main Street and two days of music in the park. The second is the Halloween Haunted Forest which draws locals from all over the valley for guided evening tours, that provide chills and thrills. The Big Wood River meanders through the City and is where the Howard Preserve is located. The Preserve features 12 acres of walking and snow-shoeing trails and is a popular place for fly-fishing and bird watching. Residents of Bellevue have a strong sense of community and enjoy a quiet pace of life.
Hailey
Municipal Offices
208-788-4221
www.haileycityhall.org
Chamber of Commerce
781 S. Main Street
Hailey (208) 788-3484
www.haileyidaho.com
Located 11 miles south of neighboring communities Ketchum and Sun Valley, Hailey lies in the midst of the lovely Wood River Valley and in the heart of the central Idaho Rockies. Hailey is about 160 miles east of Boise, the state’s capital. The Wood River Valley is in Blaine County, at the edge of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forests. Almost surrounded by U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, the valley’s heart is the Big Wood River. The main route into town is State Highway 75 off U.S. 20 to the south. The population is over 8,000 and Hailey enjoys the tag line: “Idaho’s hometown in the mountains”. Hailey is home to the high school, middle school, and elementary schools in the area. Hailey also has a wonderful public library that has special collections of the history of the area. Hailey is surrounded by incredible mountain country. The federal government manages most of the recreation lands between the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service. The crown jewel is the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The SNRA has approximately 750 miles of trails, 40 peaks rising over 10,000 feet and 300 plus high mountain lakes that add to the spectacular scenery and vistas. Hailey maintains a wide mix of housing opportunities, creative business and industrial zoning, and a strong local commitment to retain the health and vibrancy of the historical city. Residents of this community are dedicated to maintaining the small town feel and charm that makes Hailey a great place to call home.
