Vacation spots in Idaho? (Jerome, Hailey: rentals, condo, gated)

[utahtrailrunner]

Hey everyone! My family and I are new to this area and would like to take a family vacation in order to explore the region. We are thinking about somewhere in Idaho or Wyoming (within 3-4 hours of SLC).

Here is our wish list:
1) Cabin on a lake (there are only 3 of us, so we don't want/need a cabin that sleeps 20). Prefer mountains.

2) Very close to hiking/running trails/fishing

3) small quaint town . Not extremely remote, but not a place where cabins are on top of each other either.

Have any of you taken a family vacation that fits what I am looking for? Can you suggest some lakes, areas to look? Any places to avoid?

Thanks in advance!

Utah Trail Runner

[mistyriverranch]

Priest Lake.

[cleosmom]

Island Park, Priest Lake is not within the distance to Salt Lake that you're looking for..... although it sounds fun

[mejaka]

Stanley Basin, about an hour north of Hailey/Sun Valley. From SLC it's still going to be about...(SLC to Jerome, four hours? Been a long time...Jerome to Stanley, two hours...) Six hours. But worth every minute. :^ )

[Trace_Rinaldi]

Harrison hits many of the things on your wish list.. Check out this link Harrison, Idaho Vacation Rentals
The live webcam is very cool too, you can look all over the lake and in any direction.

[twinprism]

I'll second Stanley Basin, it's awesome. My Aunt has a small cabin near Alturas Lake is it is much as you describe. Petit Lake is pretty nice too. Redfish Lake is a lot more developed but still quite awesome. They are a good 6 hour drive from Salt Lake though. I was in Sun Valley earlier today and it is beautiful.

Island Park is nice too, parents have a condo there, but the cabins on I.P. reservoir are mostly private. Some are probably for rent though. With any reservoir, go early in the season is better before the water is drawn down.

You might also check Bear Lake, but that is pretty developed on the Utah side.

Many other spots to camp, but none that I can think of with cabins.

[mejaka]

Alturas Lake is where we've spent so much time! We worked as caretakers at Smoky Lodge Camp for a decade. I didn't realize there were private cabins around the lake--I'm trying to picture where they might be? I've circumnavigated it in a kayak and walked around it on foot...I remember lots of cabins on little Pettit but not on Alturas.

BIG Dolly Vardens (aka Bull Trout) in Alturas these days--illegal to keep but impossible to avoid catching now and then.

My brother is the director of the new arts venue in Sun Valley. I hope to make it there sometime this summer to catch a show. My sister-in-law is directing the Wahoo Review.

[twinprism]

Aunt's cabin is a couple miles from the lake, not on the water at Alturas. It's been a while since I've been there, but I don't recall cabins right on Alturas. I'm usually backpacking and not staying in cabins so my memory is pretty fuzzy and I don't know which lakes there have/allow cabins.