Mountain Biking in Boise

Welcome to the Boise Foothills, one of the best and most accessible urban-backcountry trail systems in America. Hop on your bike and explore more than 80 miles of singletrack and jeep trails right outside the backdoor of Boise, Idaho's capital city.

The sweep of the Boise Foothills extends from approximately 7,600 feet at the summit of Bogus Basin Ski Area to the Boise River winding through the valley floor some 5,000 feet below. All of the trails and roads in between are part of the Ridge to Rivers Trail System (link to: www.ridgetorivers.org), managed by the Boise Parks and Recreation Department, Ada County, the BLM and Forest Service.

Mountain Biking in Boise, 4th edition, provides detailed information about the Ridge to Rivers Trail System by providing a narrative guide and individual maps to 40 rides in the Foothills; important details regarding how to find trailheads, trail distance, time of travel, vertical gain, what to expect and watch out for, etc.

The Boise Foothills is an awesome and convenient place to ride. Numerous trailheads provide public access at the bottom of the foothills just minutes from downtown. From there, you can ride an incredibly diverse set of trails that course through creek-bottoms and sail along ridgetops in the Foothills. It's a true world-class mountain biking experience. No matter your ability level, you won't be disappointed.

What's Inside

• 40 Rides - Boise Foothills, Bogus Basin and Oregon Trail
• Top 10 Personal Favorite Rides by Prominent Local Riders
• Complete Guide to all Ridge to Rivers Trails

Table of Contents

• Mountain Bike Manners
• Tips on bike maintenance
• Recommended bare-essential tool kit
• Spinning up the mountain how-to tips
• Riding down the mountain how-to tips
• Interpretive information about the Boise Foothills
• Mountain Biking at Night
• Mountain Biking with Kids
• Image Gallery
• The Rides

Beginner

• Boise River Greenbelt
• Red Fox-Owls Roost Loop
• Mores Mountain Beginner Loop
• Military Reserve Easy Loop
• Surprise Valley-Oregon Trail short loop

Intermediate

• Tour of Pearl
• Redtail Ridge Loop
• 36th Street-Harrison Hollow
• Corrals Trail - Trail #1 Loop
• Banzai to Boise
• Red Fox-Crestline-Red Cliffs
• Military Reserve Loop
• Crestline-Hulls Gulch Loop
• Shane's Loop
• Table Rock Loops
• Oregon Trail-Bonneville Point

Advanced/Expert

• Corrals-Bob's Loop
• Scott's-8th Street-Hard Guy Loop
• Tour de Bogus Basin
• Tour de Bogus Basin II
• Tour de Bogus Basin III
• Hard Guy-Dry Creek Loop
• Crestline-Sidewinder-Trail #4 Loop
• Crooked Summit-Pines Loop
• 8th Street-Scott's-Corrals
• Three Bears Loop
• Trails #4-#5-#6 Ridge Rider
• Rocky Canyon-Trail #7 Loop
• Rocky Canyon Rightside Loop
• Over the top of Shaw Mountain
• Squaw Creek Loops

Personal Favorite Rides

• Ken's Favorite Evening Ride by Ken Snider, owner of Ken's Bicycle Warehouse
• Foothills on the Rocks by Tim Breuer
• BOMB Squad Bruiser by Jenny Hennessy
• Chris' Favorite Lunch Ride by Chris Haunold, owner of Idaho Mountain Touring
• Stueby's Death March by the author
• Tom's Favorite Singletrack by Tom Platt, co-owner of George's Cycles and Fitness
• Tom's 3-Hour Tour by Tom Patek, owner of World Cycle
• Back of Beyond 8-hour Tour by Chris Haun, Rene Mullen and Lisa King
• Ride to Mark's Cabin by Mark Anderson
• Winter/spring training rides

Sample rides: