"Don Shepler's fireside four-course Full Moon dinner turns a backcountry Nordic lodge into Sun Valley's most romantic table — book it to propose."
About Galena Lodge
A log lodge, a wood fire, and a four-course dinner you ski or snowshoe home from under a full moon. Galena Lodge sits 23 miles north of Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, on the site of an 1879 mining town, in a building raised in 1960. Run for the Blaine County Recreation District, it serves a daily mountain lunch and, three nights a month in winter, chef Don Shepler's Full Moon dinner from $45. It is the table we send proposals and anniversaries to in our Sun Valley dining guide, and one of the few places that turns a meal into an outdoor occasion.
The Kitchen
Head chef Don Shepler runs the kitchen with his wife Erin, and the cooking changes character with the clock. By day it is honest mountain food: the Lava Lake Lamb burger with arugula and goat cheese over house fries at about $12.50, the Snow Plowman's Lunch of Lava Lake lamb sausage with bread, cheese and tomato chutney for the same, and a meatloaf sandwich near $10.50, all built around Idaho producers like the lamb ranch up the valley. The night the lodge comes alive is the Full Moon dinner, served on the three nights around each full moon from roughly November through March. Shepler cooks a fixed four-course menu with a choice of entree, from $45 a head before wine and gratuity, plated for communal tables drawn up to the fire. The food is seasonal and unfussy rather than fine-dining intricate, and that is the point at 7,000 feet. Reservations for the dinner go fast, because the room is small and the nights are few.
The Room
The lodge is a single warm log room: timber walls reclaimed in part from the old mining townsite, a wood stove throwing heat, long communal tables and the smell of the kitchen across the floor. At the Full Moon dinner the lights stay low and the talk runs easy, since strangers share a table and usually leave as company. Dress is mountain-casual, layers you can ski in, because dinner ends with a Nordic ski or snowshoe back across the groomed trails under the moon. Outside, more than 50 kilometres of trails fan out into the Sawtooths, silent but for the snow.
Best for a Proposal
Galena Lodge is built for a proposal for three reasons: the Full Moon dinner is a rare, dated occasion you plan around, the fireside log room is intimate without being stuffy, and the moonlit ski or snowshoe afterward gives you a private moment under the stars that no restaurant terrace can match. A typical scene: four courses by the fire, then two of you gliding out onto a groomed track, the Sawtooths lit silver. It works just as well for an anniversary that wants to feel like an adventure rather than a tasting menu.
Not for
Not for a spontaneous fine-dining night: the Full Moon dinner runs just three nights a month in winter, seating is communal, and you arrive and leave by ski or snowshoe.
Frequently Asked
What is the Full Moon dinner at Galena Lodge?
It is a fireside four-course dinner served on the three nights around each full moon in winter, roughly November through March. Chef Don Shepler and his wife Erin cook a seasonal menu with a choice of entree, starting at $45 per person before wine and gratuity. After dinner, guests Nordic ski or snowshoe back under the moon on the lodge's groomed trails. See more in our Sun Valley guide.
How much does Galena Lodge cost?
The winter Full Moon dinner starts at $45 per person for four courses, excluding drinks and gratuity. Daytime lunch is far cheaper: the Lava Lake Lamb burger and the Snow Plowman's Lunch run about $12.50, and the meatloaf sandwich around $10.50. A trail pass is separate if you plan to ski or snowshoe.
Where is Galena Lodge?
Galena Lodge is at 15187 Highway 75, about 23 miles north of Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, near the foot of Galena Summit. The current log lodge was built in 1960 on the site of an 1879 mining town. It is an easy drive up the valley, though the Full Moon dinner finishes with a ski or snowshoe on the surrounding trails.
Do you need a reservation at Galena Lodge?
Yes for the Full Moon dinner, which sells out fast and runs only three nights a month in winter, so book well ahead by phone. Daytime lunch, served daily from 11 to 3:30, is walk-in, with fresh pastries, espresso and a full bar from 9 to 5. Call ahead in shoulder season to confirm hours.
What should I order at Galena Lodge?
At lunch, the Lava Lake Lamb burger with arugula and goat cheese is the signature, served with house fries. The Snow Plowman's Lunch pairs Lava Lake lamb sausage with bread, cheese and tomato chutney. At the Full Moon dinner, you choose an entree from the four-course menu, which changes with the season and what local producers send.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Galena Lodge
Book the Full Moon dinner by phone well ahead; lunch (11–3:30 daily) is walk-in. Call (208) 726-4010.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address15187 Highway 75, Ketchum, ID 83340
NeighbourhoodSawtooth NRA, 23 mi north of Ketchum
CuisineAmerican mountain lodge
PriceFull Moon dinner from $45; lunch ~$11–13
HoursLunch 11–3:30 daily · Full Moon dinners winter only
Dress CodeMountain-casual (dress to ski)
ReservationPhone · book Full Moon dinner well ahead
Phone+1 208-726-4010
AccessibilityGround-floor lodge; snow access in winter
DietaryVegetarian options; ask when booking dinner
