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Warm Springs Trail #328
Details (11/21/2024)
Status: Closed
Difficulty: Intermediate
Uses: Mt Biking & Hiking
Length: 7.8 miles
Start: 5,895'
End: 8,280'
Min: 5,895'
Max: 8,280'
Gain: 3,479'
Loss: -1,094'
Elevation Profile
// track pieces: 694, // elevation pieces: 694
Trailhead Forecast (11/21/2024)
Description / Access Information
Warm Springs Trail #328: This is a great trail to climb or descend on. From its high intersection with the Broadway Trail, the Warm Springs side of the #328 Trail descends around the west side of Bald Mountain’s broad summit. The route is not all downhill, but nearly so. There is a relatively demanding half-mile climb to contend with along the way. After this the trail begins a long contour through the Castle Rock burn on the northwest side of the mountain.

Two stops, at Monarch Ridge, and Little America Point, are worth the views into Basset Gulch. Then the descent crosses several minor gullies, creating quite a bit of variation along the trail. In areas that burned in the Castle Rock fire it is interesting to see the vigorous regrowth that is occuring. Departing the burn, a series of long switchbacks leads through living trees; to the bottom of the mountain. At the bottom people can hop onto the bike path and ride 3.3 miles back to Ketchum or over to the River Run side of the resort.

Mountain bike riders have many options for enjoying great trail experiences on Bald Mountain. The Sun Valley Company has been developing and improving all of its mountain bike trails on the mountain. At the start of the 2018 season they opened two more directional flow trails. Mindbender is a mid-mountain intermediate 3.5-mile freeride trail. Pale Rider is low on the River Run side of the mountain. It's a black diamond freeride hybrid that is steep, fast, and technically demanding.

Pedaling up Baldy can be approached on several trails. The Bald Mountain Trail is the most direct route, and it is open to uphill bike traffic only. Combining the Warm Springs Perimeter Trail #328, and the Cold Springs Perimeter Trail #328, provides for the possible circumnavigation of the mountain, and depending on your pleasure, you can use either as a route to the summit.

(Note: The Perimeter Trail #328 does not open to the top of the mountain until July 1 to protect calving elk.) Both the Warm Springs and Cold Springs trails are open to two-way bicycle traffic and other allowed shared uses.

The trails on Baldy are non-motorized and therefore closed to electric mountain bike use. The mountain service roads that are not part of Baldy's trail network are closed to bike traffic.

Hikers have a great many options on Baldy Mountain, with the Bald Mountain Trail being perhaps the most popular hiking route on the hill. It's a direct route that starts out along the Big Wood River, out of the Sun Valley Company's River Run Base Area. The trail climbs through the woods to the base of the Frenchmen's lift area before entering an area of sunshine, grasses, and wildflowers in the earlier parts of the season. Many people branch off onto the many service roads that the trail crosses as it climbs, allowing for a lot of shorter options. Taking the trail to the top of Baldy involves over 3000 feet of climbing, but is still a very popular option for many hardy souls.

In the summer the Sun Valley Resort runs the Roundhouse Gondola and the Christmas chairlift to the top of Bald Mountain. This provides easy access to downhill mountain biking, dining at the Roundhouse Restaurant, or simply enjoying the spectacular views from the summit.

For more detailed descriptions, topo maps, and information on the history, geology, and wildflowers of the Wood River Valley pick up a copy of Exploring Sun Valley online or find it at one of several local shops.