11 minute read
Idaho's Great Outdoors
IDAHO’S
GREAT OUTDOORS
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BY MICAH DREW
Take an unconventional route
For 53 years, the Boise River Greenbelt has ferried walkers, runners, and cyclists along the Boise River through the heart of downtown and to many of the valley’s trendiest spots. The horizontal parkway strings together the “Ribbon of Jewels,” 12 parks named for and dedicated to Boise’s finest female civic leaders.
The Greenbelt is a collaborative effort between the City of Boise, Ada County, Garden City, and Eagle and stretches from Lucky Peak State Park down Eagle Road (ID 55), with nearly 50 miles of mostly paved pathway on both sides of the river. With convenient river crossings and access to Boise State University, BoDo (Boise Downtown), golf courses, Table Rock, and more, there’s no better way to traverse the city.
When the summer heat rolls in, hordes of people flock to the Boise River to take part in one of the area’s most popular traditions—floating. Each year around 125,000 people leisurely float downstream on inner tubes, rafts, kayaks, and giant inflatable unicorns. The six-mile float begins at Barber Park and takes two or three hours, ending just past Friendship Bridge at Ann Morrison Park. While it isn’t a difficult stretch of river to tackle, three diversion drops add a splash to the day! Get rolling
It’s only been a few short years since brightly colored scooters began littering the sidewalks of Boise, offering a quick and easy way to navigate through town. SPIN, the orange Fordowned e-scooter company is one of several options in town, and is quite innovative.
This year, SPIN plans to debut a fleet of remote-controlled, riderless scooters, a first-of-its-kind pilot program in Boise. The new technology, which has been tested in other cities, involves three-wheeled scooters with cameras that can self-park by remote control and even roll themselves to waiting customers. The repositioning technology is designed to help with blocked sidewalks, an issue with dockless e-scooters. Boise’s City Council recently approved an ordinance change to allow the pilot program to go forth.
If seated movability is more to your liking, or if you aim to hit the trails from town, look no further than an e-bike from Evolve Electric Bikes. Conveniently located above Ann Morrison Park, Evolve offers half-day, full-day, and week-long rentals of mountain bikes, city bikes, fat bikes, and cargo bikes to cover any of your cycling needs. Within three minutes of leaving the shop you can be pedaling along the Greenbelt and it’s only a short jaunt to the trail system in the foothills.
Join the rafting fest on the Boise River, June – September. / Karen Day
Scooter across town. / Courtesy of SPIN
Shambarger says that the biking industry has seen a 74% increase in demand since the pandemic began, and he doesn’t expect business to slow down anytime soon. He has plans to almost double his 70-bike fleet this summer.
Take a dip
Idaho is the most geothermically active state in the nation, with more than 200 thermal springs ranging from truly wild to stylishly built-out. Kirkham Hot Springs is one of the largest natural springs near Boise, located just 80 miles from the city, along Highway 21. This legendary hotspot is snuggled up on the banks of the South Fork of the Payette River, and offers near-dreamlike soaking opportunities. A number of different pools over a variety of different temperatures for soaking and a robust waterfall offers a natural steamy shower.
There is a $5 fee to park at the adjacent campground, but of course spending a night can be ideal—latenight soaks under the full moon or a fresh mug of hot spring-side coffee can’t be beat.
Southern Idaho doesn’t scream “oasis,” which makes the crystal-clear sapphire-colored waters of Blue Heart Springs even more mind-blowing. The natural spring water oasis is located near the Hagerman Valley and can only be accessed by water, making it feel ultra-exclusive. From Banbury Hot Springs, it’s a 30-45 minute paddle down the Snake River to the forested passage that will take you to the pool.
During the warmer seasons, Idahoans take off in search of water in many forms, and one of the most popular is Jump Creek. This desert stream and popular spot for families to hike, swim, and picnic is located roughly an hour’s drive from Boise, near scenic Marsing. A short quarter-mile hike brings visitors to the narrow, colorful walls of Jump Creek Canyon where the creek cascades 60 feet over a cliff in a spectacular waterfall. Visiting in early to mid-spring is best when the water is rushing, as it quickly dries to a trickle by the height of summer.
Look up
Flying is on a lot of bucket lists, and Sky Down Skydiving is the place to cross it off. The operation has the
best jump plane in the state, capable of carrying 10 skydivers at a time, and the experienced instructors are constantly undergoing retraining to ensure that your experience is the safest and most enjoyable it can be. Jump from 10,000, 13,000, or 16,000 feet and take in the Treasure Valley from a whole new level!
If staying grounded while climbing high is more your style, look no further than Idaho Mountain Guides. The premier guiding service for southern Idaho is the best way to experience rock climbing or try your hand at mountaineering. Since 2005, founder Mat Erpelding and his guides have offered top-notch expeditions for newcomers to the crag or advanced free climbers at two of Idaho’s most popular climbing spots: the Black Cliffs and City of Rocks. To go even higher, you can draw on the guides’ years of leading mountaineering trips across North America—Erpelding has made multiple expeditions to the summit of Denali! He’ll make sure to get you where you want to go.
Trust your swing
Since 1963, Crane Creek has been making memories in the Boise Highlands. Nestled right into the Foothills, the club offers a newly renovated championship golf course along with
Camp and soak at Kirkham Hot Springs / J.A. Woodhouse
an Olympic-sized saline pool and indoor and outdoor tennis courts. The club also has dynamic offerings for juniors and fun events for all ages. Add in the seasonal fine dining and full-service bar and you’ll want for nothing at Crane Creek!
Of the four private golf clubs in the Treasure Valley, SpurWing is the farthest west, situated near Eagle Island State Park in Meridian. SpurWing is the only course with two separate courses—a 9-hole challenge course and an 18-hole championship course. With more than 600 homes in the immediate community, the club’s membership is nearly filled up!
“The two courses and our top-ofthe-line practice facilities definitely separates us from the rest of the valley,” says General Manager Jason Bideganeta. “With the number of activities we do here, the social scene, and having most of our members living around the club, it’s really an inclusive live here/ play here kind of community.”
Whether it’s a bocce ball league, a pickleball margarita mixer, or a stint at the driving range, The River Club is the pinnacle of fun. Located just off the Greenbelt, the River Club offers superlative rejuvenation and recreation opportunities with one-of-a-kind social events that allow you to truly savor life.
Think fast
It’s fitting for one of the most visible of Boise’s landmarks to be one of the best outdoor playgrounds yearround. Bogus Basin Resort offers the classic winter offerings: 11 lifts to take skiers and boarders up 1,800 vertical feet to access 2,600 acres of terrain; daily night skiing until 10pm; a massive tubing hill; and 37 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails for a leisurely outing or training with the notoriously competitive Bogus Basin Nordic Team.
In the summer, Bogus opens its arms for a variety of family-friendly activities. Between Idaho’s only Mountain Coaster, summer tubing, a climbing wall, and a bungee trampoline, everyone can find something to do. In addition, Bogus offers a completely free community concert series each month. If you’re feeling competitive, take part in the weekly community races for bikers and runners.
Need an interesting way to get down the mountain? Starting from Bogus, biking trails stretch from the resort down into the Ridge to Rivers trail system that criss-crosses the foothills for nearly 200 miles! “As a go-to, I love to hammer up 8th Street, traverse over, and drop down Trail 4. I’ll do that pretty regularly and it’s quite delightful,” says Greg Montgomery, who won the 2019 Bogus to Barrel bike race and favors grueling rides. “But my real favorite trail in town, when it gets warmer, is the ride up Shingle Creek and down Dry Creek.” The options are nearly endless.
If you’re looking for something on a few more wheels, tucked underneath the I-84 connector, you’ll find one of the largest skate parks in the Northwest. Rhodes Skate Park has been offering up ramps, ledges, bowls, and boxes for 27 years. From the first-timer looking to break in a new board to the next X Games star, you’ll find 40,000 square feet of skateable space waiting for you.
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Courtesy Idaho State Parks
Karen Day Courtesy Ski Idaho
The Great OUTDOORS
Jake Colling
Kat Cannell John Webster
a mountain for the community, now that’s
the story of non-profit recreation in the west
For 80 years, Bogus Basin has been an integral part of the Treasure Valley community, a source of countless memories for individuals and for generations of families. Located 16 miles above downtown Boise, the non-profit recreation area is visible from throughout the valley. Whether you are commuting to work, picking up kids from school, or heading up with your family, you probably see the iconic radio towers at the summit every day.
80 years later, that dream is still thriving. While the population of the Treasure Valley has grown significantly, from 25,000 to over 760,000 since Bogus Basin opened in 1942, the mission remains unchanged to the core of the organization - provide a ordable, accessible and fun year-round mountain recreation and education to the Treasure Valley.
In 2016 Bogus Basin adopted a comprehensive, ten-year master plan to assure the recreation
area’s long-term viability. The plan mapped out how to transition Bogus Basin from a one-season business model and help achieve its potential as a year-round destination for recreation and education. Summer development included The Glade Runner Mountain Coaster, a revamped base area with added activities, expanded hiking and biking trails, community events, and The Basin Gravity Park, a lift-accessed downhill mountain bike park.
The plan also focused on the importance of improving winter operations and facilities. The mountain experience was enhanced by providing upgraded access for beginners, replacing the dated Morning Star chair with a new high-speed quad lift, expanding expert terrain, and improving amenities. Introducing an extensive snowmaking system has assured a dependable winter opening date to provide reliable and critical income. Following several strong winter seasons and excellent season pass sales, the area was able to implement the year-round master plan in just five years. In summer 2021, a new master plan was adopted, preparing the non-profit for future expansion opportunities. New runs, lifts and facilities for the winter and new trails, programs and events for the summer, combined with expanding community impact activities will connect significantly more residents with healthy, fun outdoor opportunities.
For 80 years, residents and guests of the Treasure Valley have had a special place to escape from the city below. A deep breath of fresh air, an awe-inspiring view, a mountain friendship, or working with classmates to build a fort in the forest - there are countless reasons Bogus Basin is a place to visit and explore for 80 more years to come.
I support bogus basin because . . .
