Going uphill on Cobb, you'll walk through an old homestead site with planted trees, then go steeply up the rocky, narrow trail to get higher on the mountain. From open sagebrush meadows, you'll gaze over neighborhoods and the Boise River and out across the Treasure Valley.

Eventually, Cobb trail meets Lucky Peak road, which makes a rolling traverse to meet with Shaw Mtn. Road. Both of these are open to vehicles May through November, but traffic is usually light. Descend quickly on these roads to reach a hiker-only path beside an archery range. You might see deer and elk-shaped targets down the hill. From there, the rest of the descent is on West Highland Valley trail, which is a wide dirt path through a sunny gulch.

This hike is best in spring when temps are cool and when yellow flowers paint the slopes. You can keep hiking it all summer as well, but you'll want an early start to beat the heat because there is almost no shade.