1-Week Idaho Road Trip Itinerary: Hikes & Hot Springs

Idaho is one of the most underrated places I’ve ever been. While most people know about Idaho for potatoes and livestock, the state is also full of stunning national forests, alpine lakes, and hot springs.

I’ve been twice as a sustainable travel creator, and here are my travel tips and favorite things to do in Idaho. I’ll include a map at the end so you can see the locations and better plan your trip.

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Idaho Travel Logistics: Season, Airport, Car Rental

When should I go to Idaho?
If you want to do hiking with less snow, July through mid-September are your best bets. I’ve been in late October before, and the alpine hikes are pretty wintery by that point and the roads can be tricky (but the snow is stunning!). In June, there will still be snow at higher altitudes that may make hiking conditions harder.

What airport should I fly into?
The cheapest airport to fly into will be Salt Lake City (SLC) in Utah. That said, this means around a 4-hour drive to get to the first stop of this itinerary.

I would recommend flying into Boise (BOI), if you can, for that reason. But, I will say that the drive from SLC to Idaho is quite pretty and you can do a pit stop at the Idaho Potato Museum. Boise may just save you some time as it’s around 2.5 hours to the first attraction.

Keep in mind that you probably have to transfer flights to arrive in Boise though, so it may actually be around the same time, but at least less driving.

Where should I rent a car?
It’s easiest to pick one up at the airport, and you can either do traditional rental or peer-to-peer via Turo. I typically use Turo since it’s a bit cheaper, and there are also airport pickups depending on the host.

Idaho 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary

Days 1-5: Sawtooth Mountains & Craters of the Moon

Home base: Ketchum or Stanley

After landing, make the drive to Sun Valley as your home base for a few days. I recommend Ketchum or Stanley as they’re the closest to some of the prettiest hikes in the Sawtooths.

Stanley is a tiny mountain town and is very expensive but the most convenient. If you’re going to stay there, Mountain Village Resort is the best-known hotel. Ketchum is a ski resort town with more affordable options (try this condo on VRBO or the top-rated Hotel Ketchum).

Once you’re in Sun Valley, you have a few options:

Alpine day hikes:

Sawtooth Lake (10mi, 1800ft gain)—see two alpine lakes surrounded by snow-capped mountains on this moderate forest hike.

Pioneer Cabin via Long Gulch Loop (9mi, 3000ft gain)—start in some flower fields (lupines in June!) and loop around to a cabin at the top of the mountains before descending through switchbacks.

Alice Lake (12mi, 1800ft gain)—many stream crossings to reach a stunning set of alpine lakes (use the Twin Lakes map but stop earlier). $10 for parking at the Tin Cup Trailhead.

Twin Lakes (14mi, 2200ft gain)—same hike as Alice Lake, but goes a bit further and leads to a stunning view of the lakes from above.

Pettit Lake (no hike)—right at the Tin Cup Trailhead, a lovely alpine lake that you can walk the length of.

Note: Alice Lake, Twin Lakes, and Pettit Lake, are all part of the Alice-Toxaway Loop (later in this post) and can be done in one day in you’re ambitious.

Otherworldly views: Craters of the Moon National Monument

If feels like you’re on a different planet as you walk through the massive lava fields. If you’re more into alpine environments, you can skip this one though, as it’s a bit out of the way (1h15 from Ketchum, 2h20 from Stanley). There are day hikes but they are pretty short (a few miles tops).

Backpacking: Alice-Toxaway Loop (1-2 nights)

This may be a good option between the two stays so you don’t have to pay for a hotel/condo while you’re camping (this is what we did)

The Alice-Toxaway Loop is a 19-mile hike packed with lakes, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, and streams. Some people do it in a day, but you can also break it up into 1-2 nights and camp at the lakes.

The hike is extremely beautiful but also difficult. There are multiple stream crossings where you will have to get wet (I would bring hiking sandals to change into) and there can be a lot of snow covering the steep trail at the mountain pass between Twin Lakes and Toxaway Lake.

Make sure you have $10 exact cash for the parking pass for each day you’re at the trail, and pack out your trash!

Hot Springs:

• Valley Creek (in Stanley)—single spring that’s not that hot, but has great mountain views.
• Boat Box (5 min from Stanley)—a couple small tubs by the side of the road, often fully occupied.
• Sunbeam (15 min from Stanley)—larger hot springs with a photogenic tub.
• Kirkham (1 hour from Stanley, may be easier to do on the drive from Boise)—ample parking ($5) and many soaking options by the river.
• Cove Creek (15 min from Stanley)—not warm at all as of June 2026, I would not recommend.

For hot springs, remember to leave no trace. Pack your trash out and don’t bring glass bottles since they could break.

Rafting:

The rivers in the Sawtooths are beautiful and fast-flowing. While I haven’t done it myself, a rafting trip could be thrilling and a nice way to cool down. Sawtooth Adventure Company is top-rated in Stanley for rafting day trips.

Days 5-7: Goldbug Hot Springs

Home base: Challis

You could actually spend the entire week in Ketchum or Stanley and have plenty to do. I personally think it’s worth it to also stay on the east side of Idaho since the landscapes feel more desert-y, and I especially love the sunsets over the mountains there. It’s also nice to have a break from all the strenuous alpine hiking!

From Stanley or Ketchum, it’s a 1-2 hour drive to Challis. You can stay at a cozy VRBO, or Red Rock Lodge for a top-rated hotel.

There is not that much to do in Challis, but you can stop by Boat Box Hot Springs or Sunbeam Hot Springs on the drive there from Stanley, and then go to Goldbug Hot Springs the next day.

Goldbug Hot Springs requires a short but moderate hike. It’s 1.9 miles one way and 900 feet of elevation gain, with almost all the gain at the end.

Make sure not to head towards the houses after the parking lot, as the locals are fed up with people mistakenly wandering onto their property thinking it’s the hike trailhead. (It’s pretty obvious though as there are signs that say “go away” with a skull and bones).

You’re rewarded with several waterfalls and pools of varying warmth, with the hottest being towards the top. I would recommend the one beneath the wooden footbridge as I found the ones above it too hot (and there’s one even above that which requires an extra couple minutes of hiking and feels boiling).

You’ll definitely meet people on the hike, but there are tons of different pools and we didn’t have to share on a weekday. In fact, we bounced around to a few different ones and had them all to ourselves.

As a heads up, you may see some nudity here, especially since the springs aren’t by the side of the road like the others in this list.

Goldbug Hot Springs was really the only thing we did in Challis and I felt it was worth staying there specifically. You could do a day trip from Stanley though if you preferred (about 1h40 away).

Since Challis is 4 hours from Boise, you’ll want to schedule a late afternoon flight or head back the day before. On the drive back, you could always make a stop at more hot springs too since several are on the way.

Idaho Road Trip Itinerary Map

Idaho Packing List

Cash—a lot of trailheads have a small parking fee of $5-10, and some mountain village shops or cafes might only take cash. I would bring at least $100 to be safe, and more if you’re a family and plan to do a trip with a guide with tipping (like rafting).

Waterproof hiking boots—Some trails require stream crossings and many still have snow into the summer. Keep your feet dry with some waterproof boots.

Hiking sandals—If you plan to do a hike with stream crossings and don’t have waterproof boots, having a pair of sandals to switch into can be helpful. I brought the Astral Loyak water shoes but also like my Teva Hurricane XLT3. Both also make for great camp shoes.

Hiking poles—The hikes I recommended can get steep and slippery, especially in the snow. Poles can help you save your quads and keep your balance. I linked the foldable hiking poles I use that are super light and convenient (do not put them in your carry on though!).

Hydration vest—If you want to hike light without a bigger backpack and heavy bottle, hydration packs are the answer. Some of the packs can even double as a small backpack where you can stash snacks and light layers.

Water filter—You’ll likely need to refill your water on your hikes, and it’s important to make sure it’s clean. I like the Lifestraw filter bottles and squeeze bottle.

Rain jacket—The weather can change rapidly in the Idaho mountains, so you want something that can protect you from the elements. I linked the packable one I personally bought for my hikes.

Tick remover—While I personally didn’t encounter any ticks, they do exist in Idaho.

Basic toiletries—Bring your bug spray (there are tons of mosquitos, especially on the Alice-Toxaway Loop), sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper or Kula Kloth (reusable pee cloth).

Poop kit—In the unfortunate event you have to poop in the woods (there are usually bathrooms at trailheads), make sure you do it properly. I have this small bathroom kit with a trowel and towel tablets, but I also brought these pack out kits in case we weren’t able to dig a proper hole (at least 6 inches deep). Make sure to pack out any toilet paper.

Camping gear—If you decide to camp, you’ll need a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, headlamp, warm clothing, and food setup (no fires, only propane stoves!).

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and enjoy Idaho!