Find continued updates on our Master Plan by clicking this link: Ada County Parks and Waterways Master Plan | Social Pinpoint (mysocialpinpoint.com)
With over 125 miles of trail, there is something for everyone! Check out the Ridge to Rivers Website for great trail information, up-to-the-minute news and trail tips. Ada County is one of the many partners with Ridge to Rivers.
The Seaman’s Gulch area includes One parking area for 10-14 cars and two horse trailers. Approximately 3 miles of non-motorized trails. Similar to Barber Park, the site is managed by Ada County Parks and Waterways.
What is Ridge to Rivers?
Broadly, Ridge to Rivers is an interconnected network of roads and trails coursing through the hills, linking not only neighborhoods with public lands but also connecting people with the natural environment. With over 190 miles of trails, there is something for everyone. Here we provide ideas and tips about where to go, how to enjoy the foothills without damaging them and information about the area you may find interesting. As you explore, notice the diversity in the land, the plants and the animals, then imagine our community without this unique treasure. You can help protect and care for this special place by learning more about the land and its needs.
Ridge to Rivers employs one of the few full-time trail crews in the country. Collectively their staff has over 70 years of trail experience, with skills ranging from trail design to various trail construction methods and maintenance techniques. Most of their staff have trail backgrounds that began with the U.S. Forest Service or with private trail contractors. They are considered experts in our field, with experience designing and building trails in settings that range from wilderness to highly trafficked urban areas, and in a variety of locations that include the Rocky Mountain West, New England, the Southwest and even Patagonia.
They are dedicated to their craft, and extremely committed to their goal of providing quality trail opportunities for the citizens of Boise and the greater Treasure Valley. Ridge to Rivers staff not only manage the trails, they are avid users of them, logging countless miles annually on our bikes and in our running shoes. This is invaluable in terms of our understanding the complexities of heavy use, weather extremes and erosive soils that make up the Boise Foothills environment.
Is there a map of the trail system?
Yes! Check out this Interactive Map from Ridge to Rivers that shows all of the trails in their system, showing what type of use is allowed. From bikes, pedestrians, or equestrians, visit that map to check to make sure you can go on that trail!
The vision of preserving the foothills and trail system dates back to the 1940s when community leaders were discussing the future of the hills that had been part of the Boise Army Barracks military training area. A number of committees over the years echoed this desire and in 1992 a variety of local, state and federal agencies combined their efforts to turn this dream into reality – the Ridge to Rivers partnership was formed. The Ridge to Rivers partnership consists of the City of Boise, Ada County, the Bureau of Land Management Four Rivers Field Office, the Boise National Forest and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Success of the Ridge to Rivers partnership functions on shared funds and expertise. This way, Ridge to Rivers can accomplish community goals while using funds most efficiently.
Citizens and Landowners are Part of the Team
Many landowners and citizens have given time and energy to achieve the goal of an interconnected system of trails and open space. With so many of the existing trails crossing private lands, the landowners have been an important partner in creating what has become a critical element of this valley’s quality of life. Hats off to those landowners who have shown vision and cooperation to help make our community unique. Volunteers are also an important part of the maintenance of the trails. Over 2,000 volunteer hours are applied each year in caring for the foothills – a sure sign that this area is important to Treasure Valley residents.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Ridge To Rivers is invested to protecting and enhancing flora and fauna in the Treasure Valley. As Treasure Valley growth continues to expand, the importance of the Boise Foothills as home to a rich variety of plants and wildlife becomes increasingly critical. Some plants are found nowhere else, so preserving their habitat is vital to continued survival. Animals once found commonly in the rich Boise River bottomland still call the foothills home. With these facts in mind, it is imperative that we manage recreation in the foothills to allow for continued survival of these plant and animal species.
Staying on designated trails ensures that there remain large tracts of land where animals can avoid human interaction, as well as places where native plants are not influenced directly by humans or pets, who often carry non-native seed sources in their socks, paws, hooves and wheels. Please keep this in mind as you enjoy the foothills!
Current Newsletter Article about Ridge to Rivers (Click to Enlarge)
