Stanley, Idaho is one of the top places to elope in the entire state of Idaho, and for good reason! The little mountain town of Stanley, Idaho is surrounded by the towering Sawtooth Mountains. It's the perfect place to live or to vacation if you love all things outdoors. It's also the perfect place for your outdoor adventure elopement!
I have two elopements there next summer, so I have prepared an ultimate planning guide for eloping in Stanley, Idaho! I have found some awesome things to do in Stanley, so this blog post will go over:
Places to stay (including pet friendly places so you can bring your furry friend)
Places to eat
Awesome hikes, ranging from short day hikes to backpacking trails
Lakes to see and visit in Stanley
Campgrounds with some amazing views of the Sawtooth Mountains
Recreation areas
Some of the best hot springs in Idaho
Other activities to do in Stanley
If you book me for your elopement, you will receive a more extensive, personalized and detailed list of recommendations for whatever location you're thinking for your elopement! If you want to book me for your elopement, you can contact me here!
Now, let's dig right in!
Places to Stay in Stanley - Including Pet Friendly Places | Local Places, Airbnb's, and VRBO's
Pretty much any place you book in Stanley has stunning mountain views. Since Stanley is a small town, all of these places are pretty close to each other. Here are some places right in Stanley that you can stay at.
Redfish Lake Lodge
Triangle C Cabins - Cabin #4 and #5 are pet friendly
Stanley Town Square
Sawtooth Hotel
Mountain Village Resort - pet friendly options and free access to hot springs
Lower Stanley Country Store and Motel - pet friendly options
Redfish Riverside Inn - pet friendly options
Stanley High Country Inn - pet friendly options
Redwood Cabins - pet friendly options
Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch
Here are some awesome Airbnb's to stay at that (these would also make for some awesome photos for your elopement too):
Lastly here are some VRBO's as well. You can click the link here to see even more pet friendly VRBO's in Ketchum/Sun Valley area.
Places to Eat in Stanley
Now that you have a place to stay, you're gonna be hungry for dinner! All of the restaurants in Stanley have different operating hours, and I've noticed most are closed for fall break. So these places are usually open for their winter season and their summer season. Check out their specific websites to see their menus and operating hours. Here's a few more popular options!
Redfish Lake Lodge - Limbert's, The Rustic Lounge, and Lakeside Grill
Papa Brunee's
Sawtooth Hotel
Stanley Supper Club
Stanley Baking Company
Mountain Village Resort
Smiley Creek Lodge
Sawtooth Luce's
Hikes For Your Stanley Elopement
Moving on to one of the main reasons why people travel to Stanley: their hiking trails! Stanley has absolutely amazing and stunning trails, some of the best in Idaho! Who doesn't want to hike among the towering Sawtooth Mountains?! So, I have found some cool trails to share with you! I found some easy, moderate, and longer backpacking trails.
-Easy hikes:
Fishhook Creek Trail - Length: 4.5 miles. Elevation gain: 288 feet
Marshall Ridge - Forks off of Fishhook Creek Trail. You climb a short ridge, and it offers stunning views of the Sawtooths.
Fourth of July Lake Trail - Length: 5.5 miles. Elevation gain: 862 feet
Lily Pond and Redfish Lake Creek Falls - You have to take a shuttle boat from Redfish Lake to access the trailhead. Length: 1.7 miles. Elevation gain: 370 feet
Yellow Belly Lake - Length: 3.8 miles. Elevation gain: 206 feet
-Moderate hikes:
Goat Lake - Length: 8.1 miles. Elevation gain: 1,768 feet
Bench Lakes Trail - Length: 7.8 miles. Elevation gain: 1,240 feet
Sawtooth Lake via Iron Creek Stanley Lake Trail - Can be done as a day trip or backpacking trip. Length: 10 miles. Elevation gain: 1,873 feet.
Hell Roaring Lake - Length: 10.7 miles. Elevation gain: 728 feet
Pettit Lake to Twin Lakes and Alice Lake - A shorter version of Alice Toxaway Loop. Length: 13.3 miles. Elevation gain: 2,191 feet
Redfish Lake to Alpine Lake - You need ride the Redfish Lake shuttle to arrive at the trailhead. Length: 11.5 miles Elevation gain: 1,978 feet
Saddleback Lake - Length: 8.6 Elevation gain: 2,237 feet
-Backpacking trips:
Alice Toxaway Loop - 3 day backpacking trip (Pettit Lake, Farley Lake, Toxaway Lake, Twin Lakes, Alice Lake) About 20 miles total.
Redfish Lake Inlet to Cramer Lakes - Can be done on a day hike or backpacking trip. Length: 14.7 miles Elevation gain: 2,080 feet
Must-See Lakes in Stanley
Besides the alpine lakes that you can hike to, Stanley also has drive up access to stunning lakes with just as of pretty views. This also means more people, so if you're eloping, try to pick either off season or opt for sunrise for more chances of privacy. But these lakes are still worth seeing regardless!
Redfish Lake
Little Redfish Lake
Stanley Lake
Pettit Lake
Alturas Lake
Perkins Lake
Campgrounds by Lakes in Stanley
If you want the rugged, outdoor experience of staying in Stanley, camping is the way to go. There are breathtaking campsites available, so make sure you make your reservations in time! Some campgrounds are free, and others require a fee. Listed below is a list of campgrounds right next to the most popular lakes in Stanley!
Stanley Lake Campground/Lake View Campground
Iron Creek Campground
Sunny Gulch Campground
Chinook Bay Campground
Mountain View Campground
Redfish Lake Inlet Campground
Sockeye Campground
Mt. Heyburn Campground
Point Campground
Outlet Campground
Redfish Outlet Campground
Glacier View Campground
Pettit Lake Campground
Alturas Tent Campground
Smokey Bear Campground
North Shore Campground
Alturas Inlet Campground
Stanley Idaho Recreation Areas
Perfect for photos, eating lunch, or going swimming, here's some day use areas.
Orval Hansen Point Beach
North Shore Picnic Area
Stanley Lake Overlook/Day Use
Pettit Lake Day Use Area
Hot Springs in Stanley, Idaho
After a long day of exploring Stanley, why not relax in some of the best hot springs in Idaho? These are the ones I found to be the prettiest, but there are some other good ones to choose from as well. If you go during peak season, you might want to go early in the day, or later at night. These spots will be popular during the day in peak season. Make sure you pay all necessary fees to access these pools (if required).
Boat Box Hot Springs
Kirkham Hot Springs (1 hour outside Stanley)
Valley Creek/Snake Pit Hot Springs
Mountain Village Resort - free hot springs access if you stay with them
Sunbeam Hot Springs
Activities For Your Stanley Elopement
Besides hiking, boating, or mountain biking, there are many more unique activities available to enjoy in Stanley. Here's a few popular options!
Fly fishing on the Salmon River
Horseback riding with Redfish Lake Corrals
Dark Sky Reserve
White water rafting/floating the river
Sawtooth Fish Hatchery
Stanley Elopement Vendors
If you're coming in from out of town, there are limited vendors you can hire. There aren't a ton of options in Stanley, but the nearby town of Ketchum/Sun Valley has more options for vendors like hair stylists, makeup artists, and florists. If you still can't find what you're looking for, Boise is 2-3 hours away and some companies can deliver. You could also probably meet in the middle so the delivery cost isn't so high.
Check out Sacred Mariposa for your hair and officiant needs!
There are some tips you can keep in mind to make the process smoother, such as ordering wood flowers so they won't wilt by the time you are ready, or keep in mind flowers can be ready to go for a few days if they're kept cold. You can order pre-made floral bouquets as well, and they come in a cooler. Usually bouquets can be put together before the blooms open, so in the few days until you arrive, they won't be bloomed out. Or you can simply make the bouquet yourself. I've had brides do this and the florals turn out beautiful! As for food, you can also order dessert ahead of time, and have it delivered to you if you don't order locally. There are some restaurants in Stanley that offer desserts as well. If you aren't a fan of cake, it will be easier to order something like custom cookies, and bring them with you.
Other Info for Eloping in Stanley
Since Stanley is such high elevation (over 6,000 feet above sea level), you might want to come into town a few days early because you might get altitude sickness. When I visited McCall for an elopement (check out those images here!) I felt sick for a couple hours. It wasn't bad, but I didn't feel great. There is some medicine you can order for that and take it with you, like this one from Amazon.
Another cool thing about Stanley is that there isn't any light pollution. So there's good chances to see some amazing stars, which also means awesome photo opportunities!
Stanley is such an amazing place, and one of the prettiest in Idaho! This ultimate planning guide for eloping in Stanley, Idaho will be perfect if you're eloping here, or just visiting! Have you been to Stanley? I am so excited to go in the summer for the elopements that I'm photographing!
Your Stanley Idaho Elopement Photographer
Having photographed a couple of elopements in Stanley, I can very much say that this spot is one of my top spots to elope in the entire state of Idaho! It perfect for any adventure, mountain, and alpine lake lover. I have found so many beautiful spots for photos, and Stanley is just one of those towns that you must visit at least once in your life! There isn't a shortage of amazing things you can see and experience here!
Stanley Idaho Elopement Packages
If you're interested in booking me for your Stanley elopement, check out what my Stanley Idaho packages include below!
-Booking Gift
-Polaroid Photos of Your Favorite Moments from Your Elopement Day​
-48 Hour Turn-Around Time for Sneak Peek Images
​-Day of Elopement Gift
-Beautifully Edited Full Resolution Images
-Access to High Quality Print Products
-Free Phone Consultation or Zoom Call​
-Timeline Creation
-Leave No Trace Guide
-30+ Page Planning Guide
-Vendor Recommendations
-Unlimited Planning and Assistance
-6 Week Turnaround Time for Full Elopement Gallery
-Travel & Accommodations are Covered for Photographer
Visit my pricing page for more info!
This ultimate planning guide for eloping in Stanley Idaho is filled with some great info and ideas for your elopement in Stanley! Save the image below to Pinterest so you can reference this blog later on!
Need more Stanley elopement inspiration? Check out these full blog posts from these elopements in Stanley!
