Adam’s Gulch in Ketchum, Idaho

A busy trail network outside Ketchum, Idaho, hides a small piece of early Forest Service history. In total, Adam’s Gulch contains roughly 33 miles of trails. Grey Otter Outventures, Inc.

There are many routes for hikers and bikers to choose between, making it a great destination for all skill levels. Many of the trails offer fantastic, sweeping views of the valley. Adam’s Gulch trails are smooth, well-packed, and free of major roots, making for easy mountain biking.

Mountain bikers and hikers pour into Adam’s Gulch for its 33 miles of interconnected trails, but the gulch has a quieter claim to attention: more than a century ago, it was home to an early ranger station in what became the Ketchum Ranger District. After the Sawtooth National Forest was established in 1905, its territory was divided into ranger districts, with the first ranger’s station at Adam’s Gulch built in 1909. The district’s administrative center later moved elsewhere, leaving the gulch to become better known for recreation than bureaucracy.

Today, Adam’s Gulch Trailhead is the most popular trailhead in the Ketchum Ranger District. The network begins just outside Ketchum and offers routes ranging from a quick outing on Sunnyside Trail to mountain biking on Forbidden Fruit and longer adventures toward Fox Peak. The setting helps explain the appeal.

Trails thread through the foothills and connect into a much larger network around the Wood River Valley. Wildlife is very much part of that landscape. Idaho Fish and Game has documented both black bears and moose in the Adams Gulch area and has reminded visitors to give wild animals plenty of space.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter. Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Adam’s Gulch Trailhead is just outside Ketchum and provides access to hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, and winter recreation.