Station Creek hike is a primo option in May - it's bursting with wildflowers and very green

On top of 5,122-foot Bald Mountain with its weird lightning-rod thingy marking the summit. 

Arrowleaf balsomroot was blooming from near the trailhead to the top of the mountain, depending on aspect 

The trail climbs next to Station Creek to begin with, and then switch-backs over to the ridge
for a sweet ridge walk under the stately ponderosa pines

Bald Mountain, the destination, looms off in the distance ... 

Hi all,

Every once in a while, I like to revisit my favorite hikes for a little inspiration and fresh pictures. Knowing that wildflowers are popping with gusto right now in the lower elevations, I thought it'd be a great time to revisit the Station Creek Trail in Garden Valley and climb Bald Mountain. I saw flowers from the trailhead all the way to the top of the peak.

As I did the hike today, I thought that Bald Mountain would be a worthy addition to the Boise Grand Slam Peaks, if there were such a thing as a 5-base hit. Even if the terminology is off, climbing Bald Mountain is very similar to climbing Mt. Cervidae or Kepros Peak, but it's much more scenic in a forested setting with large ponderosa pine trees, grassy benches, shade and wildflowers.

Huck takes in the view of Garden Valley at the top of the initial ridge ... 

The Station-Creek to Bald Mountain hike is 3.5 miles one-way, or 7 miles round trip. The hike features more than 2,000 feet of vertical gain, starting at a base elevation of 3,170 feet across from the Garden Valley Ranger Station, and climbing to the 5,122-foot Bald Mountain Summit. There are some extra up and downs along the way. Hiking time for me was a little less than 4 hours at a pretty brisk pace. Pack a lunch for the top.

This is a very kid-friendly hike, especially for kids 8 and up. They'll probably beat you to the top. Another thing to note about this hike is that it's probably the best hike in the Boise National Forest close to Boise because it's got a good trail, there's no downfall, and the whole area is beautiful and green -- it's a rare spot in the Boise NF that hasn't been burned.       

The weather forecast this weekend in Garden Valley looks pretty ideal for Friday and Saturday, with highs in the high 70s. Sunday looks a little unstable with chances of showers and thunder-showers.

The Station Creek hike is featured in my book, the Boise Trail Guide: 90 Hiking & Running Routes Close to Home. I rate it "moderate" to "strenuous" in terms of difficulty -- but moderate overall. It's got some steep sections as you approach the first initial ridge, and then another super-steep section as you approach the top of Bald Mountain. All doable. 

Scott Mountain off in the distance to the north ... it's an 8,000-footer with plenty of snow on top. 

The trailhead is about 1 hour to 1:15 from Boise via Idaho 55 and the the Banks to Lowman Road. Take ID 55 to Banks, turn right to Garden Valley. Proceed past the town of Garden Valley to the big airstrip and Garden Valley Ranger Station. The Station Creek Trailhead is directly across the road from the ranger station. The road to the trailhead will veer off to the left of the highway before you reach the ranger station. There's public parking at the trailhead but no rest room. 

At the top of the first ridge (mile 2.1), you can go right and follow a faint foot trail to Bald
Mountain for a bigger view and a more complete experience. It's worth the extra work to get there. Return to the ridge junction and cruise back to the trailhead. 

A faint foot trail leads from the first ridge over to Bald Mountain, just a delightful walk ... 

After the hike, you can hit a local hot springs and/or have a burger in Crouch at the Longhorn Saloon. There are many places to camp in the area, particularly along the Middle Fork Payette Road north of Crouch, or you could stay at a Bed & Breakfast, the Garden Valley Hotel, or rent a private cabin. Check out the Garden Valley Chamber of Commerce web site for more information.

Have fun!
- SS 

Try these winter hikes close to home in Boise

Wind River Pack Bridge, Salmon River Country

Bruneau Dunes!

ParkCenter Greenbelt Loop (click to enlarge)

Bown Crossing Loop (click to enlarge)

Hi all,

A friend of mine, Kirk Hall, gave a presentation Wednesday night at REI about some nice winter hiking destinations close to home. Kirk's theme was "Explore Your Neighborhood, Explore Your Community, Explore the World."

I thought I'd share his winter hiking ideas as my outdoor tip of the week. Some people are not skiers or snowshoers, and those of you who fit into this category are probably getting a bit of cabin fever!

1. Explore some walks in your neighborhood. Have you found some nice loop walks that you can do just by walking out your front door?

Two hikes that Kirk recommended are in Southeast Boise because that's where he lives.

• One route starts and finishes in Bown Crossing, a very attractive place in SE Boise to visit for lunch or dinner. Bown Crossing happens to be located next to the Bethine Church Nature Trail along the Boise River. Kirk's route goes from Bown Crossing to the nature trail. Go west on the nature trail to a Greenbelt spur that takes you to ParkCenter Blvd. Cross ParkCenter at Gossamer Lane, and walk the sidewalks of Monterey and Portside to Victory Lane. Go right and walk several blocks to Law. Go left on Law, and left on Boise Avenue, and walk back to Bown Crossing. This route is about 2 miles or approximately 1 hour or less, depending on how fast you walk. See the map above.
  
  
• ParkCenter - Greenbelt Loop. This route starts and finishes by Municipal Park or the Idaho Fish and Game Nature Center, take your pick. Go west on the Greenbelt to Warm Springs Golf Course, turn right at the fork, and take the big orange pedestrian bridge across to the ParkCenter area. Cross ParkCenter Blvd. by the traffic light at Mallard, walk around the ParkCenter Pond to Red Robin, cross ParkCenter, and then cross the West ParkCenter Bridge to return to the start. This route is about 1.75 miles in length or less than an hour. See the map above.

2. Try some hikes close to home. Kirk recommended exploring the new Marianne Williams Park, also near Bown Crossing. This is a super-cool new park that will be open officially later this year. It's almost as large as Julia Davis Park. It has paved and dirt pathways that wind next to a series of wetlands and the Boise River. Be sure to stay out of the way of construction activities.

Another hike that Kirk mentioned in this category was the Oregon Trail by Surprise Valley or the Oregon Trail by Bonneville Point, accessed from the Black's Creek I-84 Freeway exit. Both of these routes are described in detail in my guidebook, Boise Trail Guide: 75 Hiking and Running Routes Close to Home.

A third hike that Kirk discussed is Daniels Creek, a trail that winds up a draw just past the turnoff to Dry Creek on Bogus Basin Road. See the map above.

3. Try some hikes within an hour's drive of Boise.

• Celebration Park. I've written about this before, and it's in Boise Trail Guide. Great winter, spring and fall destination. Excellent for families and kids because of rock petroglyphs viewable from the parking lot.
• Bruneau Dunes State Park. Fun destination for kids and families. The main dunes are 470 feet tall ... plenty high to climb around on for all ages and abilities.
• Reynolds Creek Loop near Walter's Ferry, south of Nampa. This hike is featured in the Boise Trail Guide. Great winter, spring and fall destination.
• Snake River Petroglyph Tour. This is a 12-mile hike on the south side of the Snake River starting from Swan Falls and hiking down to Wees Bar. It's also featured in the Boise Trail Guide.

4. Try some hikes a little farther out of town. One that Kirk suggested is Rapid River Trail, a very cool trail that can be accessed easily from U.S. 95 just south of Riggins. It's an out-and-back hike. Go to the fish hatchery and pick up the trail in that area and hike upstream as long as you want! The trail gets much steeper after it crosses the river 3+ miles up the trail.

Another dandy in the Riggins area is the Wind River Trail heading into the Gospel Hump Wilderness. Access is from the Wind River Pack Bridge, about 25 miles up the Salmon River Road from Riggins. I've skied Brundage on one day, and then gone for this hike the day after. This hike is especially nice in April when the grass is beginning to green up a low elevations.

Have fun!
- SS