GALENA, Idaho — A community effort raised more then $500,000 in 1994 to save and purchase Galena Lodge. It has been turned over to the Blaine County Recreation Department for year-round recreation.
This area north of Sun Valley is a mecca for nordic skiing in the winter and it's known for its hiking and biking trails in the summer. However, families can find so much more to do in this beautiful area that is still so green from all the moisture this winter and spring.
"You can stay in one of our four rustic yurts, we have mountain bike rentals and clinics and we have the Galena Youth Adventure Camp for kids," said Chelan Oldemeyer who manges the Galena Lodge with her husband. "It is just an amazing place to enjoy the mountains.”
We made a visit to Galena Lodge and everything is so green after all the moisture this winter and spring. pic.twitter.com/9edoEXXbiz
— Steve Dent (@idahodent) July 8, 2023
On Thursday nights, Galena also brings in Pioneer Outfitters out of Stanley for a wagon ride to go along with a barbeque. Devin Jackson has been doing this for 26 years and this business offers trail rides and other adventures in addition to the wagon rides at Galena.
"So this is Tank and Dozer they are a putran draft team they are brothers and I raised them from babies," said Jackson. "We try to have a good time, we do a little history on the ride as well so it has become very popular."
Galena has so much history, it was the first town in the Wood River Valley beginning as a mining town in 1879 with 800 residents.
"It was just a quick boom town," said Oldemeyer. "Galena is a lead-silver ore so it was a boom town mining for less then ten years until the gold standard hit and the price of silver dropped. It became a ghost town really quickly."
In the early 20th century Galena attracted fur traders, hunters and anglers and to this day it continues to attract people who love the outdoors.
