Rain and snow take a toll on Boise trails. These are the best ones to hike in winter
Each winter and spring, officials with Boise’s Ridge to Rivers trail system repeat a familiar refrain: Stay off of muddy trails.
Boise saw less than a quarter-inch of rain over the weekend, but it was enough to create poor trail conditions and lead to several closures in the Foothills system.
Les Colin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boise, said more rain is on the way this week. Forecasts call for showers Thursday and Friday, with a possible weak rainstorm or snow flurry on Saturday.
Fortunately, some Ridge to Rivers trails are more weather resistant than others. Here are the routes that officials recommend for winter hiking:
▪ There are a handful of “all-weather” trails around Boise, particularly in the Camel’s Back area. Ridge to Rivers recommends Red Fox, Gold Finch, Owl’s Roost, Hull’s Pond Loop, the Grove and Red-Winged Blackbird, all of which are northeast of Camel’s Back Park. Though many of the trails are quite short, they intersect and can be combined to create a decent loop or out-and-back route.
Nearby, the Harrison Hollow trail in the Hillside to Hollow Reserve is just over 1.5 miles as an out-and-back trail. And to the southeast, Ridge to Rivers recommends the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes trail near the Old Idaho Penitentiary and Table Rock. This out-and-back trail is 1.2 miles each way.
▪ If conditions aren’t too bad, there are also some trails that Ridge to Rivers calls “good bets.” Lower Hulls Gulch and Camel’s Back trails will keep you close to Downtown.
You can also try trails at the Military Reserve: Toll Road, Freestone Ridge and Mountain Cove have sandy soils and may be safe to use.
If you’re looking for a challenge, Dry Creek Trail is a 7.6-mile route that starts at Bogus Basin Road. Dry Creek can be combined with Shingle Creek for a loop or used as an out-and-back. Be careful if you plan to tackle the entire trail or loop to Shingle Creek — meteorologist Colin said the mountains will see as much as 8 inches of snow this week, some of which could affect Ridge to Rivers trails at higher elevations.
▪ If it has rained or snowed recently, there are several trails to avoid altogether. These trails have higher clay content and are more prone to erosion when wet. They include Cottonwood Creek, Central Ridge, Ridge Crest and Bucktail trails in the Military Reserve; Old Pen and Table Rock trails near the penitentiary; and Sweet Connie, Polecat Loop and Big Springs Loop trails.
Why can’t I hike on wet trails?
Earlier this year, Ridge to Rivers program manager David Gordon told the Statesman that some Foothills trails were in “the worst shape in years” thanks to hikers and mountain bikers ignoring muddy conditions.
He explained that Boise’s Foothills are made of highly erosive soil — and churn from bike tires and shoes chews up wet earth even more. That soil can then widen trails or freeze into ruts and lumps that pose issues for reconstruction. They’re also potential hazards, as trail users can trip on the unstable footing.
“A lot of (the damage) you can’t really fix, maintenance-wise,” Gordon said in January.
To avoid the disappointment of arriving at a trailhead only to find a locked gate or unfavorable conditions, keep an eye on the Ridge to Rivers Facebook page. Gordon and the program’s other employees post a report on conditions each day, including closures.
Safe to hike in snow and ice
Rain is often a bigger issue for trails than snow or ice. Unless snow starts to melt, it can be packed down into a layer that protects the trail underneath. In those cases, it’s OK to hike on top of the snow or ice — though you’ll want to wear shoes with good tread. But rain and light snowfall that soon melts lead to wet soil with no protection.
On Monday, the Ridge to Rivers trail report explained the problem: “These are the types of days that lovers of the trail system should fear.... With a fair amount of rain over the weekend and only a slight overnight freeze, many if not most trails will be muddy today. Add sunshine in the forecast and you have the perfect recipe for trail damage.”
Even without rain or snow, trails can be muddy if they freeze overnight and then thaw in the morning, creating moisture in the soil.
“Let us make it clear: Just because the sun is out, it does not mean that the trails should be used,” Ridge to Rivers officials warned on Facebook.
