BOISE, Idaho — In 2019, the forest service and the City of Boise built a new trailhead because of the growing popularity of the Stack Rock Trail near Bogus Basin.
Stack Rock is an intermediate trail because of the distance, it takes hikers around twelve miles to get to this granite tower of rocks and back from the trailhead, but the trail is also good for beginners because it is relatively flat and people can turn around at the junction of Eastside and Sweet Connie.
If hikers park at the old parking area below the trailhead they can cut off the mile one trail from the trailhead to Bogus Basin Road around the 12-mile mark on the road but this small parking area fills up fast in the summer.
Stack Rock is one of the most popular trails because it offers a lot of shade and is a little bit cooler than most of the other trails during the summer, in the fall the crowds disperse and we had the trail pretty much to ourselves.
The destination is worth it and another reason why this is such a popular hike is if hikers make it to Stack Rock they are treated with an incredible 360-degree view.
Signs are well marked, but we did make the mistake of thinking we missed it for some reason and ventured off on a spur that wasn't identified, a quick search with the drone got us back on track.
Both Ridge to Rivers and Boise Trails have maps and descriptions of this trail and hikers need to be prepared for the distance of this hike, we even crossed paths with Kirk Cheney, one of the founders of Boise Trails, he told us we are running out of time before this area is covered with snow.
We made sure to carry a camelback with water, some high-calorie foods to replenish and I like to bring a headlamp on hikes especially in the fall just in case I venture too far and don't make it back before it starts getting dark.
The right shoes and proper clothing to stay warm are also key for treks during the fall and checking the weather before heading out is a good idea.
