Enjoy this great shady beginner trail. It meanders around on the edge of Senate Meadows and then follows rolling terrain to another gradual but beautiful trip through the trees - closer to the ridge-line that is east of Senate Meadows. This trail can be accessed from the Pioneer Cemetery Loop, the Cherry Connector Trail, and Senate Creek Road.

Keep in mind that a number of the two-track roads in the area are open to motor vehicles and you may encounter people using them to access the trails, campsites or firewood cutting areas. Watch for traffic if using roads as part of your outing, and be careful at road crossings.

To get directly to the Senate Meadows Loop Trail from the lodge follow around the back side of the lodge on the two-track road and immediately turn right; staying uphill on the road. Stay on the two-track road as it crests and swings to the left and downhill. Stay on the main road and after traveling about 1/2 mile from the lodge stay right on the main two-track road at a rather faint intersection (the faint road you pass by heads up to the yurts above Senate Meadows). Continue up the east side of Senate Meadows, passing into a more treed area and a popular place for camping. Soon the road will intersect with a short spur trail that makes a link over to the Senate Meadows Loop Trail. Take a right off of the two-track and soon you will arrive at the Senate Meadows Loop Trail, which you can take in either direction.

Back in the short-lived mining boom of the 1880's there were two mines operating in the Galena area. Those mines supplied a smelter in Senate Meadows with the ore used for refinement into lead and silver. Nowadays, the Senate Meadows area is used for different purposes. Sheep pass through and do a little grazing as they make there way over the summit, or to other areas of the forest where the ranchers have allotments.

Besides the occasional band of sheep, recreation reigns supreme today in Senate Meadows. Its a popular place for both warm season, and wintertime recreation. The Boulder Mountain Ski Tour cross-country ski race starts in the meadow the first Saturday in February of each year. The race is a popular event, typically drawing in around 1000 participants. It's quite a colorful and dramatic sight to see all the racers lined up and sweating bullets as they contemplate the pain and shortness of breath they will soon be experiencing. The race course charges up and down Senate Meadows then heads down the Harriman Trail to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Headquarters, 30 kilometers south of the lodge.

Directions to Galena Lodge: 

To get to Galena Lodge follow Highway 75 north from Ketchum for about 24 miles. The lodge is on the right as you are climbing up. If you are coming from Stanley or other points north, drop over Galena Summit and the lodge will be about 6 miles down on the left.