FATMAP by Strava

8th Street Moto Trail

A big downhill ride with a shuttle, and a step up in difficulty over most trails in the area.

Mountain Biking Severe

Distance
12 km
Ascent
129 m
Descent
903 m
Duration
0-1 hrs
Low Point
883 m
High Point
1.7 km
Gradient
8th Street Moto Trail Map

Trail #4, AKA 8th St Moto, draws a steep line from the bottom to the top of the Boise Ridge. It would be a true beast to ride uphill, but can be shuttled fairly easily using 8th St. Extension (4WD recommended, opens seasonally May 15). There is a trailhead near the top of this road that starts the ride, as mapped here.

Description

Trail #4 begins as a rolling, upward traverse through patchy forest and sagebrush slopes overlooking the city. But soon enough the bottom drops out, and the trail plummets down a twisting ridge crest for several more miles. There are water bars, ledges, rock stairs, and sand pits scattered throughout the descent, including some mandatory drops. It’s about as close as it gets to a full-on downhill MTB track in the Boise foothills! This trail is generally best in late spring/early summer, when it’s dry but not yet too loose and chunky from motorcycle traffic.

To finish out the ride you have a few options on where to go. As mapped, the route finishes with Lower Hull’s Gulch, which is only open to downhill bike traffic on odd-numbered calendar days. Hulls will maximize the quality of downhill riding and finish neatly near the bottom of 8th St. Extension, but on an even-numbered day, you’ll have to go somewhere else. You could instead turn at the junction with Femrite’s Patrol or at Sidewinder for an alternate route through the lower foothills. Both of these will involve more pedaling but they remain really fun rides going down.

Sources: https://boisetrails.com/trail/trail-4-8th-st-motorcycle-trail/ https://www.ridgetorivers.org/

Difficulty

Severe

Widely variable, narrow trail tread with steeper grades and unavoidable obstacles of 15in/38cm tall or less. Obstacles may include unavoidable bridges 24in/61cm wide or less, large rocks, gravel, difficult root sections, and more. Ideal for advanced-level riders.

High Exposure

3 out of 4

Some trail sections have exposed ledges or steep ascents/descents where falling could cause serious injury.

Remoteness

2 out of 4

Away from help but easily accessed.

Best time to visit

between May and November

Features

  • Technical
  • Picturesque
  • Shuttle-run
  • Drops
  • Jumps
  • Rock Rolls
  • Rock Slabs
  • Rock Gardens

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area