Boise By Nature

Having a dog by your side as an adventure buddy is so much fun, and since I became a dog owner, I have been able to explore so many different areas in and around Boise with my furry companion. I put together some photos with ideas of many places in Boise, and beyond, that are great destinations for you and your dog to check out. Be sure to follow all seven of the Leave No Trace principles , especially Plan Ahead & Prepare, Dispose of Waste Properly, and Be Considerate of Other Visitors.  Take your dog to one of the Park and Ski areas in the Idaho City areas for great year-round trails to explore and vistas to enjoy Does your dog love hiking? Consider taking them on a backpacking trip in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Barber Park along the Boise River is full of nature trails (leashes required) and opportunities for wading and swimming for your pet Mahalo Trail off Bogus Basin Road does have quite a few mountain bikers, but in cold or rainy weather, is a less busy option than some of...

Using watercolor during one of the last classes This autumn, I took a Fall Botanical drawing class through the City of Boise Parks & Recreation Department. The class was held once a week during September and October, and I think it slipped in during the perfect time period because now we're more hunkered down for the winter and a rise in COVID-19 infections.  We started off drawing just in pencil without any color. The instructor went over shading techniques, the steps to drawing (starting from a general shape and adding detail), and how to show light that is hitting your subject.  Over the weeks, we used colored pencil to bring vibrancy to our drawings, and then experimented with watercolor. I enjoyed the "burnishing" technique of colored pencils, which is going over a completed drawing with a white colored pencil to add shine and light. Watercolor was less precise, and I liked blending the paints into each other in a medium that seemed more forgiving.  Overall, the ...

Sign on the way into Perjue Canyon   The Owyhee Canyonlands are such a sight to behold, and always a treat! This past weekend, snow and rain was in the forecast in the Treasure Valley, so we decided to venture out to the Owyhees. I was originally attempting to hike the Shoofly Creek Quick Loop as described on Stueby's Outdoor Journal , but somehow missed the last turn-off to the two-track. Just as we were about to turn around to find the two track, we came upon a small parking lot and a sign for the Perjue Canyon trail, so we decided to explore. We hiked about 5 miles of the 8.4 mile out-and-back trail , and were treated to the Frank Perjue cabin and a great trail in a slot canyon, a feature typical of the Owyhees.  The gray sky indicated winter was on the horizon (the next morning it snowed!), and there were only a few other people out. The trees along the creek in the canyon had mostly dropped their leaves, and it was a neat perspective to have rocky canyon walls towering ab...

Mahalo Trail Marker Last weekend, I went to check out the Mahalo Trail , a trail built by the Southwest Idaho Mountain Bike Association . Check out Stueby's Outdoor Journal for more information about the trail's origin and dedication.  This trail can be accessed off of Bogus Basin Road and Forest Service Road 275 C.  Saturday was dreary and rainy in Boise, but up on Mahalo Trail, it was snowing! It was exciting to welcome what may have been the first snow of the winter. I did not hike the entire Mahalo to Boise Ridge Road Loop due to the snow and not being prepared for cold weather, but I would love to come back and mountain bike this loop.   Despite being cloudy and snowy, there were some beautiful views of the valley and I enjoyed walking alone the ridgeline. I'm curious if this would be a good trail to snowshoe in the coming months, once we get a solid base of snow on the ground.  View on a cold day Ruby taking the lead  This bright lichen was a cheerfu...

Shoshone Falls A couple of weekends ago, I went on a short weekend trip to Pocatello, stopping at Shoshone Falls on the way. Did you know that Shoshone Falls is often called the " Niagara of the West "? The waterfalls' flow volume depends on the amount of snowfall the area has received, so spring is the best time to see . In October, the falls are at very small volume, but even seeing the rock formations and the overall scale of the falls was awe-inspiring. Also, the fee season is March 1-September 30, so if you're in the area, fall is a great time to swing by and take in this sight for free!  I've heard about being able to kayak to the falls, and this guide lays out all of the details on how to plan a trip. I am putting this on my Idaho bucket list as a fun summer adventure!  One of the great walkways to view the falls Hints of fall color peaking through in the brush! Traveling further into Eastern Idaho, I went to Pocatello, and explored this area for the first...

Fall in the Boise foothills I went hiking this past Saturday and observed some beautiful fall colors amongst the Boise foothills. Enjoy these photos!   Wild rose hips add some nice orange and red colors to the foothills Hillside view with some slight haze from wildfires in the air View from the Orchard Gulch trail A glimpse into a very large and old Cottonwood tree Gray or rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)  

My sunflowers are still blooming into the autumn  Happy first day of fall! Today is the Autumnal Equinox, and the smoke from wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and California has finally left the Treasure Valley. I woke up on Sunday morning to beautiful clear blue skies, a welcome sight after several weeks of smoke so thick that the sun barely peeked through. After a week of air quality alerts in Boise, which made it hard to exercise outdoors, this past weekend prompted lots of outdoor recreation, and there was a hint of fall in air.  I love welcoming the autumn and noticing the cool, crisp mornings, changing fall colors, and taking delight in small things like hot coffee, various pumpkin recipes, and the beginning of a cozy season. This year looks a lot different for all of us, and routines have been upended, but fall is here, and choosing to mark time with the seasons can keep you in touch with nature and provide a sense of reassurance in an otherwise tumultuous season of life...