New Bogus Basin trail to be ‘great addition’

Boise’s Ridge to Rivers received a $65,000 grant from the Nonmotorized Recreational Trails Program Fund to construct a 7-mile trail that will circle Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area.

Construction is planned for next summer at the skiing and snowboarding area, located 16 miles north of Boise.

“This trail will be a great addition to the Ridge to Rivers system,” said David Gordon, Ridge to Rivers Trails coordinator. “It has been designed with bikes in mind, though it will be equally fun and challenging for hiking and trail running.”

The trail will contour around the mountain and be accessible from both the Deer Point and Superior chairlifts, according to Craig Brewer, director of slope at Bogus Basin.

Brewer expects the trail to be suitable for intermediate-level riders. The trailhead will be located about midmountain near the Deer Point chairlift, he said.

Brewer said it will be designed to avoid extreme elevation losses and gains, and will include bridges over creek crossings. It could also include banked corners or other features for mountain bikers.

The trail will add to the existing network on Bogus Basin, which currently includes about eight trails totaling about 12 miles, which is part of a larger trail network in the Shafer Butte area.

The grant for the trail comes from an Idaho State Parks and Recreation fund designed to build, maintain and improve nonmotorized trails. There’s a separate fund for motorized trails.

The trail will be managed by Ridge to Rivers, which currently maintains 139 miles of trails in the Boise Foothills.

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8First reported at IdahoStatesman.com