Boise’s First-Ever Road Cycling Guide Released

By Jill Kuraitis, 12-03-08

Outdoorsy Boiseans won’t be surprised to hear that Idaho author, photographer and cartographer Steve Stuebner has released another of his guides to outdoor sports. The first-ever road cycling recreation and fitness guide to 30-plus rides in the greater Boise Valley and Canyon County, Boise Road Cycling Guide was released Monday.

It’s Stuebner’s seventh trail guide, and for that and other good reasons, he’s a local celebrity.  He lives and breathes outdoor sports and promotes the responsible enjoyment of them, relentlessly. And cheerfully. You really can’t beat Steve for cheerful.

Many people around the world know of Idaho’s beauty through Stuebner’s award-winning writing and photography for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times Outside, Paddler, National Wildlife, The Intelligence Report, Columbia Journalism Review and High Country News. 

My favorite of Stuebner’s books is “Salmon River Country” with spectacular photos by Mark Lisk.

The new guide has Boise’s Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong on the cover and is wisely printed on waterproof and tear-proof paper – perfect for those muddy, scritchy cycling gloves. Its guides and maps are to loop rides close to Boise on Cartwright and Hill Roads; the Boise River Greenbelt; steep hill-climbs like Hilltop Summit, Bogus Basin and Horseshoe Bend Hill; a 50-mile ride starting and ending in East Boise, and 15-, 25- and 40-mile rides in southwest Boise.

It also features bonus rides such as the 42-mile round-trip birds of prey ride to Swan Falls Dam, the 26-mile Lake Lowell Loop, the 40-mile Big and Little Freezeout Loop between Eagle and Middleton, Kristin Armstrong’s Olympic Gold Medal training ride, the 8-mile Half Bogus ride, and more.

Each ride description provides information on difficulty, distance, travel time (both race pace and recreational pace), start/finish location and directions.

You’ll find the new guide in Boise at one of the book’s co-sponsors: George’s Cycles & Fitness, Idaho Mountain Touring, World Cycle, Bob’s Bicycles, Meridian Cycles, Reed Cycle, Hyde Park Cycle Sports, McU Sports, Ken’s Bicycle Warehouse, Bikes 2 Boards and REI. It’s also available on Stuebner’s website.

Here’s Ada County Highway District’s latest bike lane map, to see your best route from home to the trails…
And here are more bike resources from Ada County.