The Ridge to Rivers trails system consists of a network of over 190 miles of trails that meander and loop throughout the Boise hills. They link neighborhoods with public lands and connect our community to the natural environment. Fifty of those miles are Shafer Butte trails. Shafer Butte is located on top of the scenic Boise Ridge Mountains, near Bogus Basin, at an elevation of about 7,000 feet.
The Ridge to Rivers trail system is designed for three users: hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. Of the trails, 85 are marked as easy, 84 intermediate and 30 are labeled difficult.
Be sure you are aware of trail etiquette before you go:
- Be mindful
- Don’t use wet trails
- Stay on the trail
- Be respectful
- Don’t block trails
Preservation work started back in the 1940s when community leaders had the foresight to protect trails in the Boise foothills. The Ridge to Rivers partnership officially began in the 1990s after a number of community, state and federal committees joined forces. It has one of the only full-time trail crews in the entire United States. The staff has more than 70 years of combined trail experiences, from trail design to construction.
Pick your season
The trails offer different experiences during the seasons. Wildflowers color the hills with shades of pink, yellow and blue during spring. To beat the heat in summer, visit the trails closer to Bogus Basin, where temperatures are dramatically cooler. Fall brings vibrant color to the hills, including hues of gold, red and amber that accent the green of bitterbrush and sagebrush. Hiking is even available during the winter with some trails staying drier than others. Ridge to Rivers provides muddy trail updates on their site.
Learn more about Ridge to Rivers here.
Popular family hikes:
Great pedestrian-only hikes:
- Camel’s Back Trails #40
- Hulls Gulch Interpretive Trail #0
- The Grove Trail #38
- Red Winged Blackbird Trail #35A
- Freestone Creek Trail #22B
- Rim Trail #102
Adrenaline-pumping mountain bike trail loops:
- Toll Road Trail #27A / Cottonwood Creek Trail #27
- Owl’s Roost #37 / Red Fox Trail #36
- Shane’s Loop #26A
- Polecat Loop #81
- Corrals Trail #31 / Bob’s Trail #30 / Highlands Trail #1
- West Highland Valley Trail #11 / Cobb Trail #13 / Homestead Trail #12
Kestrel Trail #39A / Crestline Trail #28 / Sidewinder Trail #24 / Fat Tire Traverse #42 / Military Reverse Connection #23
Accessible hikes
For a list of accessible trails, visit the Ridge to Rivers Accessible Trails page. The Ridge to Rivers trail system has a variety of trail experiences for people who use mobility devices.