10 bomb-proof ideas for outdoorsy fun, spunk and adventure on Spring Break

Option #1 Take a ski vacation! This is Jackson Hole, a mountain that makes you feel very small. 

Option #3 Climb one of the Boise Grand Slam peaks. This is Mt. Kepros, the summit off in the distance.  

Option #4 - Go see Shoshone Falls, ski Pomerelle, hit the hot springs and live it up in the Magic Valley. See below.  

Hi all,

It's been a wet March, so it's nice to look forward to sunshine next week in SW Idaho. That's the weather forecast -- blue sky and sunshine for most of the week! Just in time for Spring Break! If you're thinking of staying close to home, the weather looks favorable for spring skiing, hiking, biking or running in the foothills, or heading out to the Snake River canyon or the Owyhee Canyonlands to go camping and exploring.

Temperatures will still be on the cool side -- with highs in the mid-50s and lows near freezing in the valleys. So be sure to dress warm!

Here are 10 outdoorsy ideas to keep you occupied and entertained during Spring Break:

1. Spring skiing should be great at Bogus, Brundage, Tamarack and Sun Valley after all the fresh snow that fell in the past week. Brundage is offering FREE skiing to kids 7-14 who might want to sign up for a free lesson with rental gear, a lift ticket and lunch. Open to only 25 kids per day, and the kids need to be residents of Valley County.

2. Take a ski vacation to Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole or Alta, Solitude or Snow Basin in Utah. All of the recent snow should make for excellent conditions at any of those areas.

3. Get a jump on hiking and bag one of the peaks in the local Grand Slam. Try Cervidae Peak or Mount Kepros. Both are rated advanced and strenuous. All four of the Boise Grand Salmon Peaks are featured in my new edition of Boise Trail Guide: 95 Hiking and Running Routes Close to Home.  It's a tough, steep hike.

4. Do a home run weekend in the Magic Valley - Go see Shoshone Falls (water flows should last through April), have a top-shelf dinner at Elevation 486, ski Pomerelle and then hit Miracle Hot Springs on your way home and top it off with dinner at the Snake River Grill in Hagerman.

Hiking or camping at Leslie Gulch should be fab. Huck likes the view. 

5. Go camping in the Snake River Canyon or in the Owyhees, close to home. Here are five destinations that are sure to please, including Succor Creek State Park, Leslie Gulch, Bruneau Dunes State Park, and Celebration Park.

6. Try a new loop in the Boise Foothills. One of my favorites is the Five Mile-Orchard Loop or the Five Mile-Watchman-Three Bears Loop. Click on the links to see a description and photos. Good for hiking or biking. The hikes are moderate to strenuous, and the loops are rated advanced for biking. Great for running, too (rated strenuous).

Bruneau Canyon! (Courtesy Visit Idaho) 

7. Go see the Bruneau River canyon or double-up and visit the Bruneau Dunes on the way there or the way home.

8. Dust off the road bike and go for a ride. Here are seven rides to try in Boise for various ability levels. All of the rides are from my Boise Road Cycling Guide, the only guide to road biking in the Boise area.

9. Head into the mountains and go backcountry skiing, snowshoeing or xc skiing in your Hawaiian shirt. Try Pilot Peak, Sunset Mountain, Stargaze Yurt, Gold Fork, Banner Ridge, Copper Mountain, Bull Trout Point, Ponderosa State Park or Bear Basin.

Go for a hike on the Five Mile Creek trail in the Boise Foothills.

10. Take a hike in the Owyhees. One of my favorites is the Wilson-Reynolds Creek Loop, which includes touring the beautiful redrock Reynolds Creek canyon and hiking the China Ditch Trail. See my Owyhee Canyonlands book for 55 hikes and bike rides in the Big Wide Open.

Have a wonderful Spring Break!
- SS