Wildflowers are blooming! Some tips on where to hike and see wildflowers in Boise

The bitterbrush is starting to flower big-time in the lower foothills. 

Wendy takes a breather next to arrowleaf balsomroot in bloom 

Indian Paintbrush blooming in the Owyhees 

Bitterroot blooming in the rocky soil in the Owyhees 

Hi all,

After a beautiful week of sunshine and warming weather, wildflowers are popping up everywhere in the lower Boise Foothills and the Owyhees.

We're seeing the bright yellow bouquet of arrowleaf balsomroot, bitterbrush blooming with mustard-colored flowers, as well as sky pilots, aase's onion and lupine. Out in the Owyhees, you'll see the bright red Indian paintbrush, showy daisies and many more.

Dust off your wildflower guide and take a hike to refresh your memory of our local wildflowers. Here are a number of recommended trails in the Boise Foothills and the Owyhees where you're like to see a diversity of early flowers in full display:

Courtesy HartImages.com

Boise Foothills - All of the lower trailheads are adorned with flowers right now ... west to east, I'd recommend: Seaman's Gulch Loop, Polecat Gulch, Peggy's Trail, Hillside to the Hollow, Owl's Roost-Kestrel-Crestline-Red Cliffs, multiple trails in Military Reserve, including Toll Road Trail, Cottonwood Creek, Central Ridge, Bucktail and Shane's Trail. Table Rock and Homestead trails also are a good bet.

See my Boise Trail Guide - 95 Hiking and Running Routes Close to Home or the Ridge to Rivers map for more detail.

Owyhee Canyonlands - Lower-elevation trails are best for wildflowers right now, including Little Jacks Creek, Between the Creeks, Shoofly Quick Loop, Mud Flat Road/Owyhee Canyonlands Scenic Byway, Browns Canyon, Jump Creek Canyon, Wildcat Canyon, Leslie Gulch, and Succor Creek Natural Area. 

Click on the hyperlinks to see directions and details about these hikes. All of those routes also are featured in my Owyhee Canyonlands guide.

Have fun!
- SS

Participate in BLM clean up at the Snake River Birds of Prey Area Saturday

Spent shotgun shells left out in the birds of prey area ... (Courtesy BLM) 

People using our public lands as a dumping ground (Courtesy BLM) 

(Courtesy BLM) 

Hi all,

The weather forecast looks fantastic for this weekend -- temperatures nudging 70 degrees for three days in a row! Should be great weather to do just about anything outdoors ...

This week, I'm recommending several events on Saturday, and then there's a few tidbits below.

1. The BLM needs volunteers for what they hope to be a record-breaking volunteer clean up event at the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Volunteers should gather at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals, 12466 Pleasant Valley Road, south of the Boise Airport. Volunteers will be broken into groups and directed to locations within the NCA, where they can expect to encounter trash that includes everything from simple litter to discarded appliances. Sign up at goo.gl/forms/OhR5l1F4bFpTxIdG2 or call 208-384-3342.

How about adding a whitewater tripper canoe to your fleet? 

2. Tis the season of used whitewater boating equipment sales! The largest one, sponsored by the Idaho Whitewater Association, will be held Saturday, April 28, at Cascade River Gear in Garden City, 604 E. 45th St. The sale has moved indoors! The whitewater sale is a perfect time to buy a used whitewater raft, canoe, SUP, life jacket, wet suits, dry suits, touring kayaks at affordable prices.  

Pick up a worthy whitewater raft, kayak, inflatable kayak and SUP and you're dialed in for a fun-filled boating season on Idaho rivers for the whole family. 

A few details: Friday check in and register gear from 3-9 p.m. The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. IWA retains 15% of sales for items less than $1,000, and 10 percent for items over that. 

Another outdoor equipment sale will be held at Idaho River Sports this Saturday called the "Woolly Buggers Trout Unlimited Gear Sale." The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clean out your garage and sell your fishing gear, fishing cats, camping equipment, etc. See IRS link for more information. 

3. Support the Autism Society of the Treasure Valley Run/Walk on Saturday. I'll be there with my son, Drew, and he's participating as part of the STEP Super Heroes. He's going to be Thor from the Avengers. The event is a 5K run and 2-mile family stroll. This is a great cause to support! 

4. I've talked about visiting Shoshone Falls recently in the blog, and I wanted to share a feature story I wrote about that for the Statesman Outdoors section. "Experience the thundering power of Shoshone Falls." I also detailed a waterfall tour of other worthy destinations in the Magic Valley area in that story. 

Have fun! 
- SS 

Biking season is coming on! Five easy greenbelt bike rides to shake off the cobwebs

The heron and cormorant rookery along the Eagle Greenbelt is a sight to behold. 

Eagle Greenbelt pedestrian bridge. I took my snow bike out there. 

Drew on his three-wheeler on a greenbelt ride with Dad in west Boise 

Biking on the Greenbelt through Municipal Park 

Here's a fun group pausing for a pic by the ParkCenter pedestrian bridge 

Hi all,

Spring weather is trying to get some traction in the Treasure Valley, but wet and cool wintry weather has made it challenging, even almost half way through April! On Friday and Saturday of this weekend, the weather forecast looks promising for sunshine on Friday with a high of 50, and partly cloudy to cloudy conditions on Saturday, but no real chance of rain, with temperatures hovering around 60. Sunday could be rainy and wet.

For my outdoor tip of the week, I'm recommending some easy bike rides as inspiration to dust-off the bike in your garage, wipe off the cobwebs and get that baby into good running condition.

Here are five easy rides that provide a tour of discreet sections of the Boise River Greenbelt from Eagle to Lucky Peak. All of these rides would be great for families and kids, and all ages and abilities. Pick a route that strikes your fancy.

1. Eagle Greenbelt Loop - Distance: About 7 miles. Best bike for the ride: mountain bike or cross bike. Tread: pavement and dirt. Start at the greenbelt parking area by Glenwood and Marigold next to the Boise River. Ride west, taking the underpass at Glenwood, and continue through a housing area next to the river. Stay on the south side of the river at the pedestrian bridge and continue past the gravel pits, Boise Wastewater Treatment Plant and the heron rookery to Eagle Road. Go right on the shoulder of Eagle Road and ride on the paths next to the busy highway. Pick up the greenbelt in several hundred yards and ride east. Cross the pedestrian bridge and then you'll be riding on a paved pathway on the north side of the river. Follow that path through several dirt sections and then on pavement through a couple of subdivisions. Cross the pedestrian bridge to the south side of the river, turn left and return to the start at Glenwood.

2. Glenwood to Esther Simplot Park - Distance: 7 miles out and back. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This ride could be done as a loop if they're able to restore the pedestrian bridge by Plantation, but in the meantime, it's an out-and-back ride on the Garden City side of the greenbelt. Start by the Glenwood and Marigold greenbelt parking area. Ride east on the Greenbelt for a mile to the bridge washout site. Follow the paved path on a detour around some private property on Remington Street and return to the greenbelt going east. You'll pass under the Veterans Parkway bridge and continue another mile to Esther Simplot Park. There's a pedestrian bridge there where you can cross over and tour around the park as you wish. Watch kayakers or surfers on the play wave. Return to Glenwood to finish the ride.

3. Bridge to Bridge Loop - Distance 9-mile loop. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This is cool route because you can ride on both sides of the river for the loop, and enjoy the pedestrian bridges on the book-ends of the route. Start in Esther Simplot Park. Pick up the greenbelt pathway over by the Boise River and pedestrian bridge. Ride either on the south or north side of the river and go east toward downtown. Enjoy all the underpasses and ride along the river to the ParkCenter pedestrian bridge. Cross the bridge and return to Esther Simplot Park.

4. Municipal Park to Marianne Williams Park - Distance: 9.5 mile loop or about 8 miles out-and back. Bike bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This is a pretty route going through Warm Springs Golf Course and riding along the river on the north side, and a tour of residential paths on the way back. Start at Municipal Park and ride east on the greenbelt. In Warm Springs Golf Course, ignore the right-hand spur going over to the pedestrian bridge. Continue on the north side of the river out to Marianne Williams Park. Follow signs for a temporary detour around a pathway that's closed due to construction. Ride over to Eckert Road. Turn right and ride to Barber Park. Go west on the paved pathway through the park and continue going west through a number of subdivisions. Eventually the pathway busts out of the housing and onto the side of ParkCenter Boulevard. Turn right on River Run Drive next to Baggley Park and follow the bike lane along River Run back to the main greenbelt. Keep going west to Broadway. Take the highway bridge across the river and drop into the path going east on the north side of the river to return to Municipal Park.

5. Eckert Road to Lucky Peak - Distance 10 miles out and back. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This ride can be a little more challenging depending on the wind, but it's fun to go out to Discovery Park next to Lucky Peak, and this is the eastern end of the greenbelt. Start in Harris Ranch and park by Lucky 13 or in Barber Park. Take the greenbelt along Eckert Road and then go east on the greenbelt out to Lucky Peak. You'll have to detour around the path east of Idaho State Parks because that pathway is still under reconstruction. Past that area, you'll pass under the huge Idaho 21 bridge, go by Diversion Dam and then cruise along next to the river on the final approach to Discovery Park. It can be windy in this area. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at Discovery Park and retrace your steps to the start.

The whole Boise River Greenbelt and 30 more road-biking routes are detailed in the Boise Road Cycling Guide, a fold-out waterproof and tear-proof map with rides in the Boise Valley, Meridian, Kuna, Nampa and Emmett. Boise Road Cycling Guide is available for retail sales at George's Cycles, Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, Bob's Bicycles and stevestuebner.com.

Have fun!
- SS

Go pond-skimming at Brundage, road trip to Shoshone Falls or hit a hot springs

 Pond skimming at Brundage on Saturday! (Courtesy Brundage Mountain) 

Hi all,

Well, this weekend presents a real quandary because of the wet, warm soggy weather. Snow levels are supposed to be at 7,000-8,000 feet tonight and 9,000-10,000 feet by Saturday in SW Idaho, and there's 100 percent chance of rain on Friday night and Saturday, so hey, break out the umbrella and rain gear and consider a few options.

Option #1. It's going to be wet anyway on Saturday, so why not participate in the Crazy Daze and Pond Skimming at Brundage Mountain?

The Brundage event includes a Treasure Hunt, Poker Run, Beer Relay, Costume Contest before the pond-skimming begins at 1:15 p.m. Dress up and rule the pond!

The Kayak Slush Cup at Bogus was scheduled for Saturday, but it's been canceled, according to the Bogus Basin Facebook page on Thursday night.

Option #2. Take a road trip to Twin Falls to see Shoshone Falls and hit Miracle Hot Springs and the Snake River Grill on the way home on the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway. I mentioned this as a Spring Break option, and it's just as valid this weekend. Shoshone Falls is running at more than 13,000 cfs, a big flow. There's a small fee to get into the park, and there are several excellent viewing platforms for seeing the falls as close as possible.

Easy add-on: While you're on the way home on the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway. stop at the Hagerman Wildlife Management Area and fish the ponds for trout, bass or bluegill.

Option #3. Go soak in a hot springs of your choice. I checked with The Springs in Idaho City, and they're booked to soak in the regular pool all day on Saturday and Sunday. A few sessions in private pools are available.

Kirkham, Gold Fork and Bonneville Hot Springs are some obvious choices.

Option #4: Go kayaking or rafting on the Payette River. The water is coming up, and the main Payette, South Fork Payette and North Fork Payette are runnable. The flows are up to 4,600 in Horseshoe Bend as of Thursday night, and 750 cfs at Lowman on the South Fork. The North Fork is running 2,630 cfs at Banks. Could do an early-season trip on Cabarton, too!

There's no bad weather only bad gear, right?

Otherwise, pick an indoor activity to enjoy this weekend.
- SS