Hailey Hot Springs Ranch
Wood River Land Trust’s Hailey Hot Springs project permanently protects 2,700-acres
Hailey Hot Springs Ranch is a cherished landscape encompassing 2,700 acres in Croy Canyon, just one mile west of Hailey, Idaho. The property holds extraordinary value for the community, wildlife, and the environment. Steeped in rich history, the ranch was once home to the renowned Hailey Hot Springs Hotel in the late 1800s—a gathering place that made this land special to generations of residents. As one of the last large, intact private parcels in the area, the property also provides critical ecosystem functions that sustain wildlife and offer lasting public enjoyment. Community members now visit the property’s natural geothermal hot springs, recreate on the trails, and share the landscape with the numerous wildlife species that rely on it, including pronghorn, mule deer, elk, sage grouse, and several species of songbirds.
Preserving Hailey Hot Springs Ranch builds upon the success of the Wood River Land Trust’s adjacent 486-acre Hailey Greenway. The ranch will add to the Greenway for a total of over 3,000 acres of contiguous public open space, spanning riverfronts, wetlands, streams, sagebrush, and high-desert alpine ecosystems, with seamless connections to thousands of acres of public lands beyond.
Map of Hailey Hot Springs Ranch Acquisition
Pronghorn at Hailey Hot Springs Ranch
Immediately following the listing of the property, the community began asking how to protect it, and the campaign that followed was a true local fundraising effort. People called their friends and neighbors to raise awareness and money, resulting in over 650 different individuals, households, local businesses, and NGOs contributing funds. Early supporters included The Nature Conservancy, Blaine County Recreation District, Giant Steps Foundation, Atira Conservation, Wood River Women’s Foundation, 100 Men Who Care, and Rotary Club of Hailey.
Throughout the campaign, the land trust celebrated some truly local acts of kindness and generosity. A group of second graders created The Kid Stand, a lemonade stand they used to raise money for the project. The kids raised over $1,000 to support the project and inspired over $200,000 in other community gifts with their story.
Another long-time volunteer visited the land trust early on before they announced the campaign and said, “I hear you’re looking to buy that property. My wife and I have been visiting it for decades and we want to give you something to get it going.”
He surprised them with a $10,000 gift.
A few weeks ago, the volunteer came back to ask how the fundraising was going. He shared that his wife had passed away that morning and that they had talked shortly before about how they wanted to do more for the project to make it happen. He made a second $10,000 donation towards the completion of the project. By the end of November, the land trust had raised nearly $16 million dollars for the project. In December, the Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation, through the Keep It Connected program, was able to contribute the remaining funds to get the project across the finish line and ensure Hailey Hot Springs Ranch will be protected for generations to come.