SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
The Ridge to Rivers 2021 pilot trail program is coming to a close, and trail users have the opportunity to provide feedback on the management strategies tested this summer and if they should become permanent.
Back in April, the Ridge to Rivers partnership implemented pilot changes on four trails in the Boise Foothills with a focus on directional and separation of use opportunities:
- Lower Hulls Gulch Trail #29 – On even numbered days of the month, the trail is closed to all downhill bike travel (open to hikers and equestrians to travel in both directions and open to uphill mountain bikers). On odd numbered days of the month, the trail is only open to downhill bike traffic (closed to all other users).
- Polecat Loop Trail #81 – All trail users are required to travel one direction (counter-clockwise). The first half-mile of the trail from the Polecat Trailhead on Collister Drive is multi-directional to provide an out-and-back experience at Polecat Reserve.
- Around the Mountain Trail #98 – All trail users are required to travel one direction (counter-clockwise). This trail is jointly managed by Ridge to Rivers and Bogus Basin.
- Bucktail Trail #20A – A new pedestrian-only trail, named Two Point Trail, has been constructed between Central Ridge and Bucktail Trail. The existing Bucktail Trail was modified and is now open to downhill mountain bike travel only. Uphill mountain bike access is via Central Ridge Trail.
Users have several opportunities to provide feedback to Ridge to Rivers staff and ask questions in the coming weeks. Starting today, October 12, 2021, users can take a survey to provide input on each trail and if they would like to see this summer’s pilot management strategy be permanently implemented. For more information on the different pilot program strategies and background on the pilot program, please watch a short video update with Ridge to Rivers Program Manager David Gordon. The survey will close on Tuesday, October 26 at 5 p.m.
Ridge to Rivers team members will also host a virtual meeting on Wednesday, October 20, from 6 to 7 p.m. to address frequently asked questions from trail users as the pilot program wraps up. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to register and submit questions in advance of the meeting on our website.
Survey data and user feedback gathered in this final phase of community engagement will be used to inform decisions on the future management of the four trails involved in this year’s pilot program. To view feedback from prior surveys leading up to and during the pilot, click here.
For consistency and ease of communication, the 2021 pilot trail program will remain in place on Lower Hulls Gulch, Polecat Loop, Around the Mountain and Bucktail Trails while this final round of community engagement is completed and future management plans are determined.
ABOUT RIDGE TO RIVERS
The City of Boise leads the Ridge to Rivers partnership that also includes Ada County, the Bureau of Land Management Four Rivers Field Office, the Boise National Forest and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Ridge to Rivers Trail System is comprised of more than 200 miles of trails throughout the Boise Foothills. These trails often cross land managed by a combination of partner agencies.