Military Reserve
Managed by City of Boise
675 acres11.5 mi of trail
#22 Central Ridge#44 Two Point#25A Eagle Ridge Loop#22C Mountain Cove+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Jyoni Shuler · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Boise City
Boise City has 188 miles of mapped trails, 2.2 for every square mile of land
97% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 10% of Boise City’s land is conserved, about 5,764 acres. The biggest trail networks: Military Reserve (11.5 mi), Hillside to Hollow Reserve (11.4 mi), Hulls Gulch Reserve (9.7 mi).
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns · #2 of 59 in Idaho. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
5,764 acres · of 86.1 sq mi of land
Trails
188 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,518 ac
19 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
209 mi
126 mi lanes · 57 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
13
4 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Boise City?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Boise City have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Boise City is ahead of 93% of U.S. towns, #2 of 59 in Idaho. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Boise City’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical ID town 2% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (188 mi) · ID 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land19 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,518 acres) · ID 6 · U.S. 13BParks close to home97% of residents within a half mile of a park · ID 87% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 93%
LessMore
Idaho towns of 2,500+ (59)Ahead of 98%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Boise City ranks #53 on Outdoors.
Few Idaho towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Boise City’s 10% is ahead of 98% of Idaho towns, while its trails per square mile lead 91% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Military Reserve, with 11.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Hillside to Hollow Reserve
Managed by City of Boise
382 acres11.4 mi of trail
#53 Buena VistaWho Now Loop #51#56 Full SailKemper’s Ridge #52+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Hulls Gulch Reserve
Managed by City of Boise
358 acres9.7 mi of trail
#39 Red Cliffs#29 Lower Hulls GulchRed Fox #36#38 The Grove Loop+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Polecat Gulch Reserve
Managed by City of Boise
354 acres4.6 mi of trail
#81 Polecat Loop#82 Doe Ridge#83 Quick Draw
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Mesa Reserve
Managed by City of Boise
164 acres4.2 mi of trail
#14 Tram#16B Rock Island (West)#16A Rock Garden#16 Table Rock Loop (East)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pleasant Valley Trail System 1
Park
148 acres3.2 mi of trail
The OriginalWhy Not TrailSunrise/SunsetFarmland view trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Oregon Trail Recreation Area
Managed by Ada County Parks & Waterways
108 acres2.5 mi of trail
Ezra Meeker LoopJoel Palmer TrailHistoric Oregon TrailKelton Freight Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Simplot Sports Complex
Managed by City of Boise
144 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 109 parks & preserves
Military Reserve675 acres · 11.5 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsHillside to Hollow Reserve382 acres · 11.4 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsHulls Gulch Reserve358 acres · 9.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsPolecat Gulch Reserve354 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsMesa Reserve164 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsPleasant Valley Trail System 1148 acres · 3.2 mi of trail
DirectionsOregon Trail Recreation Area108 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Ada County Parks & Waterways
DirectionsSimplot Sports Complex144 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsOregon Trail Reserve38 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsChief Eagle Eye Reserve47 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park67 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsHyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve50 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsMesa Reserve (Satz Family Plot)37 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · City of Boise
Julia Davis Park91 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Lane Athletic Complex56 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsPeace Valley Overlook Reserve23 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
Molenaar Park20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsIvywild Park15 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsEsther Simplot Park86 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsFoothills East Reserve24 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
Cassia Park12 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
Phillippi Park10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsHelen B. Lowder Park6 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsAnn Morrison Park143 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsCypress Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Boise
Sunset Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsMK Nature Center5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · State of Idaho
DirectionsKathryn Albertson Park40 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsWarm Springs Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsParkcenter Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsWinstead Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
Fairmont Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsCatalpa Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsPlatt Gardens5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsElm Grove Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Boise
Boise River Wildlife Management Area107 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Marianne Williams Park74 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsBarber Park15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Ada County
DirectionsBorah Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsMountain View Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsWilliams Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsTerry Day Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsMagnolia Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsOptimist Youth Sports Complex52 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsCamel's Back Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsManitou Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsIdaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsShoshone Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
DirectionsHewett Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
Golda Harris Nature Preserve4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
Franklin Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Boise
Blue Valley Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Lakewood East Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Timber Creek Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Four Rivers BLM Land96 acres · United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Charles F. McDevitt Youth Sports Complex37 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsFort Boise Park25 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsHobble Creek Park20 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsKristin Armstrong Municipal Park17 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsPamela Baker Park15 acres
DirectionsState of Idaho East Park13 acres
DirectionsBowler Park12 acres · City of Boise
DeMeyer Park10 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsHillside Park10 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsJullion Park10 acres · City of Boise
Milwaukee Park9 acres · City of Boise
Columbia Village Recreation Center Park9 acres
Eagle Rock Park8 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsFoothills East Park8 acres · City of Boise
Mariposa Park8 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsMorris Hill Park8 acres · City of Boise
Peppermint Park8 acres · City of Boise
Baggley Park7 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsCastle Hills Park7 acres · City of Boise
Sycamore Park6 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsLiberty Park6 acres · City of Boise
Cottonwood Park5 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsStewart Gulch Park5 acres · City of Boise
Willow Lane Park5 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsOwyhee Park5 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsMemorial Park5 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsBoise Hills Park5 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsPine Grove Park5 acres · City of Boise
Redwood Park4 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsMicron Park4 acres
DirectionsLegends Community Park4 acres
Switchgear Park4 acres
Bowden Park4 acres · City of Boise
Florence Park3 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsComba Park3 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsHP Courtyard3 acres
DirectionsNottingham Park3 acres · City of Boise
Fairview Park3 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsLakewood Park2 acres
Cecil D. Andrus Park2 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsBarber Observation Point2 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsState of Idaho Campus Courtyard2 acres
DirectionsSkyline Park2 acres · City of Boise
Legends North Community Park Area2 acres
Shoreline Park1 acres · City of Boise
DirectionsPrimrose Park1 acres · City of Boise
Briarhill Park1 acres
Lakewood Community Park1 acres
Directions“B” Plaza1 acres
DirectionsCameron Park1 acres
Kroeger Park1 acres · City of Boise
Pine Tree Park1 acres
Combes Park1 acres
Owens Park1 acres · City of Boise
Who protects it
5,764 conserved acres
10% of Boise City’s land. Who manages Boise City’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city3,915 ac
State Department of Land814 ac
Other state land545 ac
Regional agency487 ac
State fish & wildlife220 ac
Bureau of Land Management125 ac
Bureau of Reclamation96 ac
Local Conservation Area · 2,015 acLocal Park · 1,675 acState Other or Unknown · 657 acState Resource Management Area · 519 acLocal Recreation Area · 478 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 196 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 76 of 261 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 688 | Open |
| Idaho Department of Lands State Resource Management Area | State Department of Land | 519 | Open |
| Polecat Gulch Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 355 | Open |
| Hulls Gulch Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 286 | Open |
| State of Idaho State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 281 | Open |
| Hillside to Hollow Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 265 | Open |
| Mesa Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 214 | Open |
| Penitentiary Os State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 188 | Open |
| Simplot Sports Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 156 | Open |
| Ann Morrison Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 149 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
189 places to go in Boise City
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Boise City
4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Boise City
Borah PoolIn Borah Park
DirectionsFairmont PoolIn Fairmont Park
DirectionsHydrotube PoolIn Warm Springs Park
DirectionsLaurel Park Community Pool
DirectionsLowell Pool
DirectionsWading Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Boise City
All Saints Playground
DirectionsMemorial Park PlaygroundIn Memorial Park
DirectionsPioneer Tot Lot
DirectionsSimplot West PlaygroundIn Simplot Sports Complex
Directions150 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Boise City
Encore Skyline Dog Park
DirectionsEncore Skyline Dog Park
DirectionsFort Boise Dog Park
DirectionsSterling Dog ParkIn Mariposa Park
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Boise City
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Boise City
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Boise City
Table Rock Viewpoint
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Boise City
1 peak without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Boise City
Marianne Williams Park Picnic AreaIn Marianne Williams Park
DirectionsPlus 5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Boise City
Columbia Village Disc Golf CourseIn Columbia Village Recreation Center Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Boise City
All Saints Refugee GardenAll Saints Episcopal
DirectionsPlus 4 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 55.8 miHorses · 6.2 miUnpaved · 89.4 mi
#81 Polecat Loop3.1 mi
Boise Greenbelt Trail1.9 mi
#22 Central Ridge1.9 mi
#101 Basalt Trail1.8 mi
#53 Buena Vista1.7 mi
#15 Table Rock1.6 mi
#108 Harris Ridge Trail1.3 mi
Who Now Loop #511.3 mi
#14 Tram1.2 mi
#19A Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Trail1.2 mi
15 more trails
#25A Eagle Ridge Loop
1.2 mi#44 Two Point
1.2 mi#56 Full Sail
1.2 mi#58 Harrison Ridge
1.2 miConnector
1.1 miRiver Heights Trail
1.0 mi#103 Oregon Trail
1.0 mi#39 Red Cliffs
1.0 mi#29 Lower Hulls Gulch
1.0 mi#22C Mountain Cove
0.9 miKemper’s Ridge #52
0.9 mi#54 Robert Smylie
0.9 mi#57 Harrison Hollow (AWT)
0.9 mi#82 Doe Ridge
0.9 mi#16B Rock Island (West)
0.8 miBiking & sports
209 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
126 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
57 mi
off-road bike paths
26 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
195Tennis
100Basketball
53Pickleball
50Baseball
21Soccer
17Beach volleyball
13Football
12Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →137 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 31 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Thomas E. Logan HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itAlexander HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itOregon TrailSite · listed 1972
About itCongregation Beth Israel SynagogueBuilding · listed 1972
About itFort BoiseDistrict · listed 1972
About itCyrus Jacobs HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itGAR HallBuilding · listed 1974
About itIdanha HotelBuilding · listed 1974
About itChrist ChapelBuilding · listed 1974
About itOld Idaho State PenitentiaryDistrict · listed 1974
About itUnion Pacific Mainline DepotBuilding · listed 1974
About it125 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Boise City: April to June and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 47 | 57 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 93 | 91 | 81 | 66 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
August is the driest month (0.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 93 °F). 1.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 93 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Boise City →
Next door
Boise City and its neighbors
Boise City has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise City | 10% | 2.2 | 19 | 97% | A |
| Garden City | 1% | 1.4 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Meridian | 2% | 0.6 | 6 | 97% | B |
| Eagle | 11% | 2.0 | 22 | 82% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Boise City
Where can I hike in Boise City?
The longest trail networks: Military Reserve, 11.5 miles; Hillside to Hollow Reserve, 11.4 miles; Hulls Gulch Reserve, 9.7 miles; Polecat Gulch Reserve, 4.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Boise City is conserved land?
10% of its land, against a typical 2% for an Idaho town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Boise City’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Hillside to Hollow Reserve (on leash), Hulls Gulch Reserve (on leash) and Polecat Gulch Reserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Boise City?
209 miles of bike routes are on the map: 126 of painted or protected lanes, 57 of off-road paths and 26 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Boise City?
134,251 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Boise City or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,927 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Boise City have?
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #2 of 59 in Idaho. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Boise City neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →