Best of Boise: MTB Shuttle Rides

In Boise’s mountain backdrop, tiers of grassy hills rise to forested peaks above, and trails snake throughout the topography. Only one paved road makes the twisting journey to the upper elevations, leading to Bogus Basin ski area. That makes Boise’s ultimate shuttle ride––from Bogus Basin all the way into town using a combination of trails. Altogether it’s more than 5000 feet of singletrack descent from pines to prairie, requiring only a 40-minute drive. It’s not a pure downhill, however, as some climbing is required, and there’s not a singular route leading straight into the city. So while that ultimate top-down ride is a bit convoluted, there are shorter variations with even better downhill to uphill ratio. And aside from Bogus Basin Road, some rough dirt roads allow more possibilities elsewhere in the foothills.

The one-way rides become especially attractive in summer when the heat can make climbing nearly unbearable. There are no dedicated downhill tracks, however, so you can always expect to do a bit of pedaling. Therefore the routes are best suited for trail bikes rather than downhill rigs. (For pure downhill, check out the gravity parks at Bogus Basin or in Eagle.) Depending on the trail and the timing, you should also expect to share with other users, including uphill bikers, hikers, or even moto riders. Learn more by tapping on the routes shown here, to show details including shuttle logistics. You can then find out current conditions by checking Ridge to Rivers trail reports online.