Boise River Greenbelt

If you park in the lot off Parkcenter Blvd behind Vicious Fish Tacos (404 E Parkcenter Blvd) and head east toward Barber Park, it’s only about a quarter of a mile on the pavement before the trail turns to dirt. This section is for pedestrians only, and winds along the Boise River through the cottonwood trees, with some man-made ponds along the way. You’ll still find people here, but not the crowds that you’ll see nearer to downtown. I’ve spotted more wildlife here than on the paved portions of the Greenbelt, including a fox and plenty of herons and eagles. If you’ve just been on the Boise River Greenbelt near Julia Davis Park, you’ve only seen a small part of what the Greenbelt has to offer.

The fact that you can commute down the river for miles with nary a car in sight is one of the best things about Boise.

More bad things happen to people on any given street in other cities than on the Greenbelt. I’ve never been flashed, mugged, raped, or murdered while there!

The Boise River Greenbelt forms a long paved 2-lane path that runs about 40 miles from the east end of Garden City all the way to Luck Peak Dam. It follows the river the whole way and is fairly well maintained. Beautiful to ride on and quick at getting around places. I used to take this path to work everyday! Imagine that, riding along in the crisp cool mornings with the sound of the river and a light mist rising off the water. Beats commuting on the poluttion-filled roads as well as a sharp stick to the eye. The path goes through downtown boise, through several large parks as well as cruising through a golf course and right by the Idaho Fish and Game Nature Walk, which is always fun to see the large trout swimming around.