BOISE, Idaho — The trails in the foothills are dry, and Ridge to Rivers recently lifted all the winter closures in the lower foothills as we exit the mud season and enter spring.
Every spring, the foothills see an increase in foot traffic, and perhaps the most popular trail in the foothills is Lower Hulls Gulch.
The trail's popularity resulted in ongoing safety concerns that prompted changes back in 2021.
WATCH| Check out the video to see the ride on Lower Hulls Gulch
On odd days of the month (March 27, for example), the trail is designated for downhill mountain bikers only, and on even days, it's for everyone else, with no downhill mountain biking allowed. The management strategy has mostly worked out, but it all depends on users following the guidelines.
"I did run into somebody walking up it three weeks ago, and it was pretty scary," recounted a mountain biker. "I rode a little slower because I was anticipating that again, but we had a great day."
It's a safety issue because mountain bikers riding down Lower Hulls Gulch do not expect to see anyone coming up. The trail has several blind corners, limited sight lines, and it's a narrow gulch that doesn't have a lot of room in most places.
However, the trail dynamic swings both ways. I've seen mountain bikers coming down on even days while loads of hikers are going the opposite direction.
I like to bring my dog and go up Lower Hulls Gulch. During my bike ride on Wednesday, I saw four signs in the area warning people about the even-odd separation.
"It was amazing, the weather was beautiful, I have a great friend, and the trails are really safe right now," said the mountain biker. "We are just so grateful to be on our bikes."
There is a reason Lower Hulls Gulch is so popular for mountain bikers, including a short climb of around 800 feet of elevation and the downhill features rocks and technical features, which makes it fun and interesting for me without being too scary.
"It is really technical with the rocks," said the mountain biker.
"It is the quintessential Boise trail, but with that being said, it is really nice to go explore other areas too," said her friend.
That's good advice. If you show up to Lower Hulls Gulch on the wrong day, like I have a few times, there are several other trails in that area to check out.
Recreating in the foothills is all about being courteous to others and staying safe.
Click this link to take the Ridge to Rivers Happy Pledge.
