Rick Gerrard pauses to enjoy the view on the way up to Cervidae Peak. 2,000-foot climb in 2.2 miles. Steep! |
Look how the trail goes directly up the ridgeline ... That'll get the heart pumping! |
Another steep section ... watch for elk and deer |
Rocky rims lord over Shoofly Creek in the Owyhees |
Steve hiking the Shoofly Quick Loop |
Wonder if the wildflowers are going to bloom early this year? |
Well, the weather looks pretty fab once again in the low country this weekend, with temps in the 70s on Friday, slight possibility of rain Saturday, and a slightly cooler day on Sunday, with temps in the 60s, but clear skies. And then rain on Monday.
So I'm recommending five spring hikes inspired by the 2nd edition of Boise Trail Guide, my hiking and trail-running book which is expanding from 75 hiking and running routes to 90. There's a whole new book cover, new photo spreads inside, and more. The 224-page book should be available for retail sales in about 3-4 weeks (mid-April). A full-color ebook will be available as well.
Here are the hikes!
1. Hike to Cervidae Peak near Lucky Peak Reservoir and Spring Shores Marina. Rated strenuous. Distance: 2.2 miles up; 2.2 miles back. 4.4 miles total. Travel time: 2.5-3 hours. Vertical gain: 2,000 feet. Take Idaho 21 east of Boise. Cross the Mores Creek high bridge. Turn right after the bridge and go 2.2 miles up the road (you'll go by the Spring Shores Marina) and park in a large pull-out on the right. Cross the road and pick up a jeep trail that climbs up to a ridge and then you're on the trail to Cervidae. It's a steep hike that goes directly to Cervidae Peak, climbing 2,000 vertical feet in about 2 miles. Leg-burner and lung-burner! It's hard on the knees on the way down. Go easy. Trekking poles would help soften the blow. Good hike for strong kids. Great views at the top of the peak.
Trail map for Eagle Island State Park. Enjoy! |
3. West Fork Shoofly Quick Loop - I detailed this hike in a previous blog post when I was working on my guide The Owyhee Canyonlands: An Outdoor Adventure Guide with Mark Lisk. But it will be included in the new version of Boise Trail Guide. Rated moderate. Distance: 5.5 miles. Travel time: 3-4 hours. I like this hike because the trailhead is less than an hour from Boise near Grand View. It's a scenic location, but it's an adventure hike, involving some route-finding and bushwacking. Read my blog post for a trip map, photos and details.
Harrison Hollow trail is popular with families and dogs |
Great views of the city from the ridge above Harrison Hollow |
5. Harrison Hollow Loop - Rated easy. Distance: 2 miles or more. Travel time: 1 hour. Take Bogus Basin Road north from Hill Road. Turn left at Highlands Hollow Brew House next to Healthwise and follow the paved road to the parking area. Cruise into the Harrison Hollow area on the all-weather trail provided by the Land Trust for the Treasure Valley. Take a right and climb up to the ridge. Go left on the ridge and follow the ridge trail for a mile. It winds toward a saddle next to some large homes. Climb to the saddle to check out the view. Return to the trailhead via the main trail that goes down the bottom of the gulch. There are many other options in this area, depending on how much time you have, and you much climbing you'd like to do. Once at the saddle, you also could climb uphill to the Buena Vista Trail, which winds around the south side of the hills and heads over to Hillside Jr. High. There are several ways to return to Harrison Hollow.
There you have it! Have a nice weekend!
- SS
5 comments:
Steve, love your book! You've definitely expanded my hiking and running routes! Will your new book include Gps coordinates of trailheads?
Deserae Johnson
Hi Deserae - For the Boise Trail Guide, I didn't do that because nearly all the trails are very easy to find ... but I did do that for my Owyhee Canyonlands guide, where many of the trailheads are remote and harder to find.
Best, Steve
steve, for your trail maps (either standalone or in your books), have you considered producing the maps as PDF geo-referenced so they could be imported into the PDF MAPS app and used with gps on smartphones or tablets?
This would be a positive for me in buying your new ebook on the Owyhees.
Hey Greg - I'd like to do that but need more information on how to do it ... I'll send you an email. Thanks!
My older copy of your book is dog-eared and beat up and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks for pointing out such great hiking opportunities!
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