Headed to hike in the Boise Foothills? New map lets you check trail conditions first
Boise hikers and mountain bikers will be able to check the condition of Foothills trails before arriving at the trailhead thanks to a new map feature.
Ridge to Rivers, which manages more than 200 miles of trails around Boise, announced the addition of trail conditions to its interactive map in a news release Thursday. The agency said its trails team will update conditions regularly to help users “make good decisions about which trails to use and when.”
For years, Ridge to Rivers officials have pleaded with trail users to avoid routes when they’re wet or muddy. Ridge to Rivers executive director David Gordon has explained that many of Boise’s trails are on highly erosive soil, which is prone to ruts and other damage when wet. That damage then freezes or dries into the paths, making them dangerous to use and expensive to repair.
Ridge to Rivers worked with Ada County to create the conditions map. Officials said it will tell users which routes to avoid and which ones are usable, like all-weather trails or paths that are frozen. Ridge to Rivers has posted similar information on its Facebook page for several years.
The interactive map is available on ridgetorivers.org on desktop or mobile phones. The “trail condition” feature is in the top-left corner and shows a color-coded guide to which trails to use. It includes details on which trails are dry, frozen, completely muddy, partially muddy or usable early in the day before becoming muddy later on.
Officials noted that Boise is in a “freeze-thaw” cycle, with many trails frozen and usable early in the day but thawed and prone to damage as temperatures warm later in the day.
This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 11:36 AM.
