Tag: hidden gem
-
Danskin Trail #340 to South Fork Overlook
The oft-forgotten Danskin Trail System is located just one hour from Boise and provides excellent spring and fall hiking in a pocket of the Boise National Forest that is remote, scenic, and full of surprises. If you’re looking for an adventurous hike that exemplifies these three qualities, a trek down Danskin Trail #340 will exceed…
-
2022 Almost-Blogworthy Hikes
These are my favorite 2022 hikes that weren’t worthy of an individual blog post. Sage Hen Nature Trail This short loop near Sage Hen Creek Campground travels through lush forest to a scenic ravine where the creek cascades down through several small waterfalls before it settles in Sage Hen Reservoir. There are benches along the…
-
Marten & Kelly Lakes
When you think “lakes in the Sawtooths,” your mind probably goes straight to Redfish, Alice, Toxaway, and Imogene – some of the most popular and beautiful hiking locations in the state of Idaho. While I’d highly recommend the latter three to anyone looking for an incredible backpacking loop and Redfish for boating or paddling, I’ve…
-
Rainbow Basin
The Trinity Peak fire lookout tower watches over some of the most magnificent and expansive terrain in the Boise Mountain Range, including the nine lakes along Rainbow Basin Trail, all of which can be hiked to in one day along this 12.4-mile route. If you’re seeking a trail that is as strikingly beautiful as any…
-
Smith Creek Lake and North Star Lake via Upper Lava Mountain Trail
High in the Boise Range, two pristine alpine lakes sit largely undisturbed, seldom visited by hikers despite their proximity to the Boise metro area. They are the two major landmarks along Lava Mountain Trail, which travels east-west from the town of Prairie to the western slope of Trinity Peak. From the upper trailhead, both lakes…
-
Big Bend of Sheep Creek Canyon
If you drive an AWD/4WD vehicle with ground clearance and enjoy desolation and the borderline feeling of vertigo when standing on the edge of a gorge and looking down, you’ll love the Big Bend of Sheep Creek. This waterway flows north through a deep canyon from Nevada down the Owyhee Plateau before turning east at…
-
North Fork of the Boise River
2025 Update: A rockslide has dammed the river about 1.75 miles from the trailhead. The rest of this trail is inaccessible without swimming through the pool created by the dam. The Forest Service has been notified, but it’s unclear if they will attempt to blast out the dam with explosives, or leave the new trail…
Exploring Boise's Wilderness 